On Wednesday, Mark Mulder, signed a $13 million two-year deal to stay with the St. Louis Cardinals. He’s also got some incentives in the deal should he perform well.

It’s a little bit of a gamble for the Cardinals, but the deal could end up paying sweet dividends should Mulder stay healthy.

In 2006, Mulder was hit with injury and he had surgery on his left rotator cuff. The surgery went well and Mulder is due back in 2007.

Last season he started 17 games and had a poor 7.14 ERA (6-7). The alarming stat is his road ERA, which was an awful 10.93.

He was pitching somewhat better before the All Star break when he had a 6.09 ERA. The injury no doubt kicked in, because he had two horrible starts after that and was done.

I’m expecting him to come back and be around a 5-6 ERA pitcher. I don’t think the Cardinals will get 2005 numbers out of Mulder.