TOWER GROVE — As one of a sweeping series of moves the Chicago Cubs made this morning as possible prelude to reviving a Jake Peavy deal, the Cubs’ signing of infielder Aaron Miles dredged up a familiar refrain, heard before from former Cardinals like him.

“I’m excited to be a Cubbie,” Miles told Chicago Cub beat writers on a conference call this afternoon. “Being a Cardinal was great and that part is over now. Now I’m ready to be a Cubbie and play the game the right way and show St. Louis that they let somebody go that maybe they shouldn’t have.”

Recent history, Jim Edmonds notwithstanding, may be on Miles’ side.

The switch-hitting Miles, the real gem of the long-ago Larry Bigbie/Ray King trade with Colorado, finalized a two-year deal with the Cubs on Wednesday, a deal reportedly worth $4.9 million over the two seasons. That link to the Sun-Times gives a rundown of the moves the Cubs have made, are in the process of making and now could make as a result of Wednesday’s activity. (There’s another former-Cardinal element involved as dealing Jason Marquis would open up cash and a spot in the rotation for Peavy.) Of local interest is Miles’ reaction to being non-tendered by the St. Louis Cardinals for a second consecutive season and what his absence from the Cardinals’ bench means to a team that — to put it mildly — is now seriously lacking in known depth at the middle infield positions.

Just a few months removed from his trade request, Adam Kennedy wakes up to 2009 as the clear starter at second. There isn’t an obvious challenger in sight.

The Cardinals were reluctant to pay Miles, who hit a career-high .317 this past season, the salary of a starter when they weren’t convinced he would be the starter. There was also some internal debate about how to weigh is batting average-driven offense against alternatives. Each of the previous three seasons he’s started the year on the bench and won more and more playing time — so much so that he’s finished recent seasons as the de facto starter at second. He even leapfrogged Ronnie Belliard for some starts in the 2006 World Series, and under duress he became a legit backup at shortstop.

Miles’ versatality was essential to manager Tony La Russa’s handling of the bench and his constantly shifting lineups. Miles saved the Cardinals from David Eckstein’s injuries, Cesar Izturis’ initial offensive struggles and the entire Kennedy Saga. Heck, he even pitched mopup. That was a novelty that now is a fitting metaphor. In case of emergency, break glass, call Miles. He was the club’s Minute Man — ready to play wherever, whenever at a moment’s notice.

Miles was an insurance policy. How much is that worth?

There is a benefit to having a player like Miles around. Now there isn’t one readily apparent.

“I figured I had a place over there,” Miles said in the conference call.

Miles’ former place is now up for grabs with current in-house candidates being Brendan Ryan, Brian Barden, newly added Joe Thurston, and 40-man rookie Tyler Greene. All four are more proficient at shortstop than Miles, but not one has shown the offensive consistency at the major-league level that Miles had as a Cardinal.

This is technically the third consecutive year that the Cardinals had non-tendered Miles, as they planned to do so after the 2006 season and worked a deal before having to announce the non-tendering. Last year, they non-tendered Miles to avoid arbitration and the infielder was lured back by La Russa’s pledge to him, a $1.4-million salary and the knowledge that he would be a utility player to start the season and end the year with the playing time of a regular. That’s how it always went.

The Cubs swooped in with an offer that pays him like a regular, may ultimately offer him the playing time of a regular (pride of Salmen High Mike Fontenot is the other option at second), and now sets in motion the gears that could spin Peavy to Wrigley.

Miles told reporters that the Cardinals did enter the bidding, eventually.

But, to Miles, their interest had already been telegraphed and received. He now sounds like a handful of other free agent infielders the Cardinals have not brought back in recent years.

“St. Louis jumped in the last day,” Miles said in the conference call. “I pretty much had already said my good-bye to them in my head. The thought of playing for the Cubs is exciting and I’m pumped up about it.”

* * *

More remarks by Miles during his conference call:

– “I figured I had a place over there (in St. Louis). In the end, they non-tendered me two years in a row. (The interest in) me being there wasn’t as big as it was before.”

– “I was feeling maybe I wasn’t wanted by everybody (with the Cardinals). In the end they made an effort for me, but I felt (better about) the Cubs.”

– “The non-tendering of me two years in a row kind of made you feel like you’re not wanted as much. There was a little bit of that in my head.”