INDIANAPOLIS — The St. Louis Cardinals finalized a one-year deal with righthanded pitcher Brad Penny this evening after the starter completed a physical in St. Louis. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak confirmed the completion of the deal during his evening chat with the local beat writers. “We finally finished that,” Mozeliak said, acknowledging Penny by name for the first time to the media. The deal has a $7.5-million base with the possibility, through incentives, for the righthanded to make $9 million. Mozeliak said the team scouted Penny in both Boston and San Francisco last year, and that both reports were positive. Penny went 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA in six starts for the Giants in the regular season’s final month. “When we were looking at ways to improve our rotation and what was out there, he was someone we’ve had interest in for some time, and we were able to come to a mutually desirable contract,” Mozeliak said. “When you look at the type of pitcher he is, his strengths fit in well. There’s a strong desire to work with Dave (Duncan) and we saw a lot of upside there.” The Cardinals have not closed to door to considering John Smoltz for the fifth spot in the rotation. The club met with his agents today. There is also potential interest in an incentive-laden deal with a pitcher coming off injury. As of right now, Mozeliak said, he’s comfortable with a rotation that adds Penny, includes stalwarts Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright and Kyle Lohse and would be finished by rookie Jaime Garcia. http://0rz.tw/YhNdj --

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