Jason Isringhausen signs with Tampa Bay
JUPITER, Fla. — The St. Louis Cardinals all-time save leader Jason Isringhausen finalized a minor-league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays this evening, the closer just confirmed. He met with the Rays team doctor this afternoon and had a complete checkup before being invited to camp to compete for a spot in the bullpen as Troy Percival’s setup man and possible understudy.
“I’m excited,” Isringhausen said. “I’ve still got to make the team. I didn’t get any guaranteed money. Didn’t need it. … I just need to pitch, to show I can pitch.”
Isringhausen and his agents spoke with the Cardinals within the past week, but with the Cardinals moving forward with younger arms in their bullpen there was hesistance to bring the righthander back into the mix. Percival encouraged Isringhausen to give Tampa a look and helped advocate for Isringhausen’s signing. His deal is laced with incentives that reward him for making the team, finishing games, appearances in relief and setup successes.
He’s the second Cardinal this week to sign with the Rays, joining second baseman Adam Kennedy. In recent years a parade of Cardinals have been traded to or signed by Tampa Bay — from Percival, who restarted his career with the Cardinals, to John Rodriguez, Al Reyes and Tino Martinez.
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
Wish ya the best Jason.. go make the Rays!!
John Rodriguez, Tino Martinez, Adam Kennedy and now Izzy. Is this where useless Cardinals go to end their careers?
So glad he’s gone! His checks cleared and he made some loot. So glad he got lost!
Good luck Izzy.
Why all the Hate? Izzy had his days that drove us all nuts, but he is the Cards save leader. He had some great saves that no one else would have gotten. I wish Izzy the best.
i’ll never understand the hatred for izzy..he had more success than failures for the cardinals but he is hated like no other cardinal i’ve ever seen..good lucky izzy..hope you do well
Congrats. Thanks for the memories. Go get the last 7 saves.
Congratulations to Mr. Isringhausen and thanks for being the all time Cardinal saves leader. Now I can root for the Cards and the Rays!
— sadsushi said
9:11 pm February 20th
i’ll never understand the hatred for izzy..he had more success than failures for the cardinals but he is hated like no other cardinal i’ve ever seen..good lucky izzy..hope you do well
Well if you watched a few games in recent years you would have noticed how IZZY would always seem more often than not to put men on base even when he would get the save. My understanding of a closer is …. 3 up, 3 down ! Don’t give me any drama.
Occasionally you can except a hiccup or two but not every freakin’ game.
I will say Good Luck Izzy!
Best of luck Izzy. You handled yourself with class here in Saint Louis!