MLB.com is reporting Tino has signed a 3 year deal with Cards!

[Alex]

Good luck Tino!! Thanks you for being a great Yankee.

[joltinjo]

He just agreed to a three year deal with them.
I read this at www.mlb.com
It's a sad day....
I will support Giambi because he wears pinstripes, but Tino's legacy will NOT BE FORGOTTEN.

[Gringaloca]

That is Great News!!! St Louis is a great baseball town and has a team that could/should be a contender for 2002 WS....Tino will be happy there....

[Carissa]

Molony: With Tino, Cards are NL's team to beat
http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/ne...ws&team_id=mlb
By Jim Molony
MLB.com


The final piece is in place for the St. Louis Cardinals. A lot of people will argue the New York Mets are the team to beat next season after adding Robbie Alomar, et al, to their lineup and some will say the World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks should be the favorite to win the 2002 pennant. And of course the Atlanta Braves figure to be in the picture somewhere.

The Cardinals, however, should be the best team in the National League next season now that they've added first Tino Martinez, who agreed to terms on a three-year deal Tuesday.

Remember the Cardinals came within an eyelash of beating Arizona in the playoffs, and that was a St. Louis team that received .091 playoff production from its since retired first baseman and was further hampered by a lack of depth in the bullpen.

Those two weaknesses were addressed by the signings of Martinez and Jason Isringhausen, respectively, and with those two moves the Cardinals appear to be the one team in the league with no holes or glaring weaknesses. Add to the equation the Cardinals should also have a starting rotation that stacks up well against any east of Oakland, a bench that is balanced and versatile and a bullpen that should be as deep as it's been in several years, and it is hard not to think the Cardinals are loaded for 2002.

Naysayers may argue that Martinez isn't the home run threat Mark McGwire was. But the 34-year-old hit .280 with 34 homers and 113 RBI for the Yankees last season, eclipsing McGwire in all three categories. Martinez also gives the Cardinals a potent left-handed bat in the middle of the order and power in the sixth spot, a commodity that was lacking in St. Louis last year. Martinez is no stranger to manager Tony La Russa, both natives of Tampa, Fla., and the first baseman has been a good fit in any clubhouse he's ever graced and shouldn't have any problem following in the footsteps of a future Hall of Famer. Martinez took over at first for the Yankees after Don Mattingly retired.

Any way you look at it this signing was an obvious move for St. Louis General Manager Walt Jocketty after Jason Giambi was no longer a possibility.

Martinez is a hitter who has driven in 100 or more runs in six of the last seven years (he drove in 91 in 2000 to break his streak). The two-time All-Star brings considerable postseason experience and a very good glove (.996 career fielding percentage).

La Russa's batting order next spring might look like this:

2B Fernando Vina (.303, 9 HR, 56 RBI, 17 SB in 2001)

3B Placido Polanco (.307, 3 HR, 38 RBI)

CF Jim Edmonds (.304, 30 HR, 110 RBI)

LF Albert Pujols (.329, 37 HR, 130 RBI)

RF J.D. Drew (.323, 27 HR, 73 RBI, 13 SB)

1B Tino Martinez (.280, 34 HR, 113 RBI)

SS Edgar Renteria (.260, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 17 SB)

C Mike Matheny (.218, 7 HR, 42 RBI)

The Cards could have a formidable everyday lineup of five .300 hitters, and balance with four left-handed and four right-handed hitters, decent speed at the top of the order and four guys in the middle of the order capable of hitting .300 with 30-plus homers and 100 RBI. The Cards will have catching depth with Eli Marrero and the recently acquired Mike DeFelice backing up Matheny. La Russa is even considering platooning Marrero in left field with the speedy youngster Kerry Robinson. That would move the versatile Polanco to the bench with Pujols starting at third, his best position.

However the batting order eventually shakes out, this should be La Russa's best everyday lineup since he managed the Bash Brothers in Oakland in the early '90s.

When they don't beat you with the bats the Cardinals should also be in position to beat you with pitching and defense. Renteria and Vina may be the best defensive middle infield combo in the league. Matheny and Edmonds are Gold Glove Award winners (2000) and make the Cardinals one of the strongest teams up the middle in baseball.

And let's not forget a rotation that will likely include Matt Morris (22-8, 3.16), Darryl Kile (16-11, 3.09), 15-game winner Woody Williams (7-1 with a 2.28 with the Cardinals), Bud Smith (6-3, 3.83) and Garrett Stephenson, who won 16 games two years ago but sat out last year because of injury. The Cardinals also have Andy Benes and Rick Ankiel as options in case Stephenson isn't ready.

Isringhausen will be the closer and the rest of the bullpen cast is deep and experienced with Dave Veres (15 saves last season), Steve Kline (3-3, 1.80, 9 saves), Gene Stechschulte (6 saves) and Mike Timlin (4-5, 4 saves).

Assuming everyone stays healthy the Cardinals look like the team to beat in 2002.

Jim Molony is a regional writer for MLB.com. He can be reached at jim.molony@mlb.com. The opinions expressed here are those of the author and not subject to approval by Major League Baseball.

[Bozidar]

Besta luck Tino..

I hope you have a great time out there in St.Louis.. it's a wonderful baseball town, and the fans there will really love ya.

[b-ball-lunachick]

I'm so psyched that Tino was able to sign with the Cards...it's such a great baseball town and once again Tino is asked to fill some big cleats...the Cardinal fans will love him by the All Star break...

Congrats Tino!! Best of luck to you always!!

[b-ball-lunachick]

ESPN is reporting that the Cardinals are expected to have a press conference at 3pm to announce the signing:

Tuesday, December 18

Report: Tino agrees to three-year deal with Cardinals

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services

http://www.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2001/1218/1297720.html

Tino Martinez has found a new home.

The free agent first baseman has agreed to a three-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, KSDK-TV in St. Louis reported on Tuesday. The Cardinals have scheduled a news conference for 3 p.m. ET to announce the signing.

Martinez played for the New York Yankees for the last six seasons, and was an instrumental part of four World Series championship teams. However, the Yankees' pursuit and eventual signing of first baseman Jason Giambi meant that Martinez was not coming back to the Bronx.

Martinez may have been the Yankees' most dependable offensive player in 2001, batting .280 with 34 homers and 113 RBI.

[5OUTOF7IN2002]

Its nice to have him go to a team in the Nl to still be able to root for him good luck Tino

[Carissa]

I'm very happy that he's going to the Cardinals. I'm really going to miss him. Congratulations Tino! All the best to you!!

[caroline331]

good luck tino. maybe the yankees will see you in october

[A_Nussblood]

Discuss amongst yourselves...

[pettittefan46]

Best of Luck Tino!!

I just might have to go to Shea to cheer you on!!

[#1Coneyfan]

Tino was part of the core group of Yankees that was one of our best teams ever. He'll always be in pinstripes to me. I hope he's happy with his new team.

I'm going to get some tickets to Shea when Tino comes to town. It will make booing the Mutts even more fun

[b-ball-lunachick]

Originally posted by #1Coneyfan
Tino was part of the core group of Yankees that was one of our best teams ever. He'll always be in pinstripes to me. I hope he's happy with his new team.

I'm going to get some tickets to Shea when Tino comes to town. It will make booing the Mutts even more fun

I was thinking the same thing ConeyFan!! Wouldn't it be cool if we all tried to hook up one game and do it together -- that would be a blast!! If I have to sink to going to the bowels of Shea, at least I can do it with a group of Tino fans!!

[AJW]

I am very happy for Tino. St. Louis got one hell of a ballplayer. They were my pick to win the NL next year and now this has even made my decision that much stronger about this new Cardinal team. Watch out Mets you have some competition!!!

[Carissa]

Originally posted by b-ball-lunachick
I was thinking the same thing ConeyFan!! Wouldn't it be cool if we all tried to hook up one game and do it together -- that would be a blast!! If I have to sink to going to the bowels of Shea, at least I can do it with a group of Tino fans!!

Let me know when. I'll be there!

[AJW]

I am very happy for Tino. St. Louis got one hell of a ballplayer. They were my pick to win the NL next year and now this has even made my decision that much stronger about this new Cardinal team. Watch out Mets you have some competition!!!

[#1Coneyfan]

FAN just said it's supposed to be $9 million a year.

I'm serious about going to a game. If anyone else wants to buy tickets together, e-mail me:

narnia@nyc.rr.com

The schedule isn't up on the Mutts website yet, but I'll keep checking.

We could do the "Ti-no clap" at Shea

[yankfan67]

Good for Tino. I'm sure he will be a tremendous player for the Cardinals as well.

[Bernie51]

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! We need Tino in Atlanta!!!! We can't have an old 43 year old fart at first! ARGGGHHHH!!!!!