The Cardinals have announced that they've reached an agreement with closer Jason Motte on a two-year contract.

The deal pays Motte, 30, a total of $12 million over the next two seasons, his last two years of arbitration. He'll still become a free agent at the end of the 2014 season.

It's sort of odd that the Redbirds would offer a two-year deal to a player that is eligible for free agency after two years. They're taking all the risk should Motte be injured. But they're saving little -- if any -- money compared to what they would have to pay Motte in two more trips to the arbitration table.

It's a good deal for Motte, on the other hand, because he was a late bloomer thanks to a position switch. So now he's got a sizable nest egg to guarantee his future against a potential early arm problems.

In Motte's first full season as a major league closer, he saved 42 games last year for the Cardinals and had a 2.75 ERA with 86 stikeouts in 72 innings pitched. He walked 17.

Over his career, Motte is 17-13 with a 2.87 ERA and 54 saves. He has allowed 201 hits in 260 innings of work.