Contract details for Choate

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

It has already been reported that left-hander Randy Choate, who the Cardinals signed to a three-year contract last week, will earn $7.5 million over the duration of that deal. But I’ve gotten my hands on the specifics of the contract and thought you might be interested in seeing the breakdown of salaries, as well as the incentives that could boost that figure even harder.

The breakdown is as follows:

• 2013 base salary: $1.5 million
• 2014 base salary: $3 million
• 2015 base salary: $3 million
• Performance Incentives (each season): 70 appearances ($75,000), 75 appearances ($75,000) and 80 appearances ($125,000)

* There are also the usual awards incentives for All-Star selection, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, Cy Young, and postseason MVPs.

** Choate made 80 appearances in 2012, so it’s not unreasonable to project that he could reach each of those three performance-based incentives. If he does so in 2013, that would put his year-end salary at $1.775 million. In 2014 and 2015, he’ll have the opportunity to bump his salary as high as $3.275 million.

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