Hey, #BrewCrew? #Stlcards say you have Lohse at that price

Bye, bye, Lohse./Image via Yahoo Sports

Word is that former St. Louis Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse has signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Sure, he was 16-3 last year. Can anybody say "career year"? Or "contract year"?

How about saying that's the first time he's ever had more than 2.5 WAR in a season? His first 2-WAA season? His first time to hit 200 innings since 2008? Only his second-ever season of 110 or more on ERA+?

And that he's 34 years old and starting a three-year contract? And that the Brewers don't have Dave Duncan as their pitching coach?

That's a LOT to pay for a guy who may only be your No. 4 starter. It's also a lot to pay when, in terms of Brewer salaries for this year, you just made him your top-paid pitcher, or tied for No. 1.

He's certainly not better than Yovani Gallardo. Probably not that Marco Estrada. Possibly not better than Mike Fiers.

Oh, I look at the Brewers' depth chart on the mound and understand why they would want Lohse for this year. Their starting pitching is young, young, young, overall. They're looking for depth plus "veteran leadership." But, they overpaid to the tune of a three-year contract for that.

We in St. Louis will gladly take the No. 17 pick in the draft next year. Considering Yahoo's depth chart for the Cards lists six starting pitchers, he wasn't needed on one year at $13M, let alone the overpay the Brewers are doing.

So, Tim Brown at Yahoo is wrong when he says:

Those details aside, the pitching-poor Brewers have added one of the better available pitchers at what likely will be well below market value.

I could see a 1, even a 2 year deal to help nurture their young pitching staff. But, before the end of year 2, and all of year 3, this will be an albatross. Plus, some of those youngsters will be wanting some fat arbitration deals in light of this.