Kyle Lohse had one of the best seasons of his career in 2012 and will reap the rewards as a free agent.

In 33 starts, he went 16-3 with a 2.86 ERA and nearly four times as many strikeouts as walks. He ranked among the top seven in the National League in wins, innings pitched, ERA, WHIP and winning percentage for the Cardinals this past season.

Some agents and executives are speculating that he'll get a deal close to the five-year, $77.5 million contract that C.J. Wilson got from the Angels in 2011.