Contract Details:
Signed to a minor legue contract on January 16, 2006.

*The deal would pay him an $800,000 base salary should he pitch his was onto the major league club in spring training.

Became a Cardinal:
Signed to a minor legue contract on January 16, 2006.

2005 Season:
Nelson appeared in 49 games for the Seattle Mariners in 2005, posting a 3.93 ERA, allowing 32 hits, striking out 34 and walking 22 in 36-2/3 innings. He held right-handers to a .196 (19-for-97) batting average.

Career Notes:
A 22nd round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1984, the Seattle Mariners took Nelson in the Rule-5 Draft in 1986. He made it to the majors in 1992 and pitched for the Mariners through 1995 before being traded to the New York Yankees along with Tino Martinez and Jim Mecir for Russ Davis and Sterling Hitchcock. After pitching in four World Series and being named an All-Star in 2001 with the Yankees, Nelson was sent back to Seattle for Armando Benitez in August, 2003. He signed with the Texas Rangers in 2004 before returning to Seattle for a third time in 2005.

Overall, Nelson has appeared in 20 postseason series, including 16 with the Yankees, and has pitched in 16 World Series games. He has a career mark of 48-44 with a 3.38 ERA in 792 career games.

Photo: Victor Baldizon/Getty Images