Cardinals' notebook: J. Martinez wins a 2-year contract | St. Louis Cardinals

Martinez has two children who stay in Venezuela with their mothers.

Cardinals were approached to sell Martinez's rights to a Japanese team this winter. "Clearly, his winning ability would have been much greater if we had been willing to do it," said baseball operations president John Mozeliak. "But we did not have the impression that it made a lot of sense for us to try to move it. "

Selling Martinez "does not look good, first," said Mozeliak. "Second, it did not seem right to me."

Martinez started in the right field at the 11-1 Saturday exhibition in front of the Miami Marlins. He could play a lot on the left field in early spring and early season if Marcell Ozuna's shoulder does not show up. "We think that there is a role to play," said Mozeliak. "Sometimes it's in the eye of the beholder. You do not always have to do anything beyond a business decision, that's what it was. "

Martinez is one of the most popular members of the team and the club has been thrilled, said manager Mike Shildt when announcing the deal. Of course, Martinez also led the team to hit .305 last year and make 83 runs.

Mozeiak said: "(Martinez) enjoys a bit of security that he was looking for and that he might not have gotten he had to wait another year before to go to the arbitration process. "

The deal includes a bonus that Martinez, 30, will get at the start of the season. It also includes incentives for games played. Martinez said the quick extension "surprised me 100%" and that the reaction of his teammates to him was significant.

In the manner of the golden rule, Martinez said, "When you treat people as a family, people treat you like a family.

"I just wanted to be here, stay in this pavilion and in Busch Stadium. Now, we are simply trying to reach this promised land. We are trying to reach the World Series and win the World Series.

"If you are a good teammate, good things will happen to you," said Martinez. "I'm just going to try to play harder now and help the team whenever I can."

Shildt had already hinted at Miles Mikolas, who may have already started the season several times this spring, including on Friday, but the manager made it official Saturday morning. Mikolas then confirmed his decision by throwing two perfect innings to the Marlins.

Mikolas, who will be on the mound on March 28 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, said the nomination was "a huge and a great honor to join the Cardinals' rookie list." I'm very humble. "

Before the game, Shildt said, "This is a recognition of last year and quite deserved. It's an honor to be based on the staff we have. "

Mikolas, who is from Jupiter, was 18 to 4 years old with an average of 2.83 points on his return to American baseball last season after three years in Japan.

Jack Flaherty, Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright and even Carlos Martinez were in conversation for the opening daySaid Shildt, although Martinez gave up with his lingering weakness in the shoulder. "That's why it's such an honor," said Shildt. "I could have said any name here and you would have been:" I can see it. "

Mikolas was 3-0 against Milwaukee last season. He had already participated in the first day, in 2017 in Japan. He supposed it was due to the fact that the usual starter of the Yomiuri Giants had participated in the World Baseball Classic and was resting.

"I might have given up running, but I think I started well," said Mikolas. He won this match.

In the final match, Tommy Edman, Lane Thomas, Max Schrock, Andrew Knizner, Rangel Ravelo and Ramon Urias took part in a 17-shot attack as Memphis won the AAA class championship, beating Durham 14-4 in September. 18

On Saturday, this sextet combined 15 of the 20 hits, with only Knizner and Ravelo, each of whom had two hits, in the starting lineup.

Urias had two hits and scored a three-point run to highlight a fifth of five points. Shrock, who missed most of last year's spring training because of a leg injury, was hit three times and scored a three-run homer for a sixth of five points.

Thomas and Edman also had three hits.

"It's a very good team win," said Knizer, who had a double and a single and who managed the starters, Mikolas and Flaherty.

"Throw, hit, defend.

"When you have guys competing and playing to win on the first pitch of a spring training match, it's something special. You do not see that much

Edman, who was three to four and scored two points on Saturday, said the match "somewhat reflects the quality of the Memphis team over the past two years".

"We really did not give up on bats today. Who wear a pitcher during a party. "

Shildt said, "We had 10 hits with two catches and three full goals. We made all the guys work for that. "

Tommy Layne, a left-handed player from Fort Zumwalt South High, and Ryan Helsley, the most dominant pitchers in the Cardinals.

Layne, a 34-year-old veteran, had let the right-handed hitter hit him on a .286 clip for his six-season career, as opposed to his .187 mark against the left-handed. Thus, Layne successively withdrew three right-handed batters, including Starlin Castro, in the fourth inning. Helsley, who reached 100 miles at the hour, pulled out the six batters he faced in two innings, three in total.