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M. Carpenter’s status is that he ended his career with 1257 hits, 179 HR’s and 659 RBI’s over a career that spanned 14 seasons. The career OBP of .366 is impressive and he was a decent hitter, but I’m not convinced that Matt should even qualify for one of those silly red sportcoats…
I still want to know if he just got old, or did the Cards 1 size fits all batting mentality change the way he batted. I would have preferred the 47 double machine over swinging for the fences Matt every day and twice on Sundays.
Well, no other team apparently wanted to take a chance on Carpenter in 2025. My understanding is that he went to the Winter Meetings looking for a job. My guess is he was offered minor league make-good deals if anything and if so, chose not to do it.
After leaving StL, he had a good but short run with the Yankees but got hurt and was not asked back. It wasn’t like he reinvented his career in San Diego afterward. Every player reaches the end eventually. Carpenter is 39. All the best to him in his next phase of life.
A darn good hitter in his prime who made 3 All Star teams and led the league in runs, hits, and doubles in 2013.
Best of luck, MARP!
Yeah, those 55 doubles in ’13 were no joke. That’s a lot of doubles. I also recall that game later in his career at Wrigley in which he went 5 for 5 with 3 HR’s and 2 doubles. The only other player in history to collect 3 HR’s and 2 doubles in a game is none other than The Bambino.
I would have preferred the 47 double machine over swinging for the fences Matt every day and twice on Sundays.
I’ve wondered the same. Sure seemed like a change in approach. If so, nothing needed improving, let alone fixing. His 11-pitch AB against Kershaw in the 2013 NLCS Game 6 clincher will always be legendary to me. I don’t make it to StL often, but my son and I were there for the game that night. That AB was riveting, one of the most dramatic doubles you’ll ever see given the situation.
Yeah, those 55 doubles in ’13 were no joke. That’s a lot of doubles. I also recall that game later in his career at Wrigley in which he went 5 for 5 with 3 HR’s and 2 doubles. The only other player in history to collect 3 HR’s and 2 doubles in a game is none other than The Bambino.
I think Kris Bryant accomplished the feat in a game at Cincinnati a few years ago as well.
I was a big fan of carpenter early on. He had some really good years. He was a good cardinal player. I could see him having enough fan support to get into the cardinals hall of fame. I could see somebody giving him a shot for injury reasons but i think matt should just accept its over and turm the page. If he has a family, enjoy that.
I’ll be darned, Rats. Well, looks like I was misinformed but I’m pretty sure Bryant never collected 55 doubles in a season. He also probably never got fooled and picked off of 1B by the old hidden ball trick…Haha!
I think Carp will eventually get a red jacket. He is currently at #22 on the all-time Cardinal bWAR list, just ahead of Scott Rolen and a few other Cardinal HOFers like Willie McGee, Matt Holliday and Joe Torre.
My primary memory of Carpenter is from a game out here where in hindsight, it is a bit ironic as Austin Gomber started for our club. Carp lead off the game with a double, and before the inning was over we had jumped to a 6-0 lead. We went on to rout the Rockies something line 12-1, not sure of the exact score, but Carpenter hit four doubles in the game.
After that I thought, “I am sure we just saw a record tying hitting exhibition by Mr. Carpenter, as I doubt anyone has ever hit 5 doubles in a game.”
Oh, and to clarify my above post, Carpenter is #22 on the Cardinals all time “hitting” bWAR list. He is not #22 out of all of the players in our history as a lot of pitchers are ahead of him.
Yeah, he’ll undoubtedly be awarded one of those garish red sportcoats someday. Heck, they’ll probably find a way to fit Tommy Lawless for one of those things…I’d vote for him…Haha!
Speaking of Tommy Lawless. I was vacationing in Scotland a couple years ago and spotted a tourist with a Lawless jersey. It blew my mind. 😀
Three other famous one hit wonders:
Roger Freed: Hit a pinch hit grand slam in the 11th to win a game in 1979.
Glenn Brummer: Steals home in 1982 to win a game.
Mike Laga: The only player to hit a ball completely out of Busch II. He did it in 1986.
It was a foul ball. I was watching that game. He was a 1B-OF guy. He may have been the emergency catcher but I don’t ever remember him catching.
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