Cranny wrote: ↑15 May 2025 08:47 am
I remember one time when he bunted toward 3rd base, when the shift was on. Stand up double. Always wondered why he didn’t do that again.
And again.
I remember that also, and he certainly could have done so many more times, even though he was slow afoot.
Yup. A lot of us were begging for it.
Became a way different player halfway through the decade, and I think he was worse for it in the long run. If he'd had stayed as a spray hitter, I think he probably would've had a more even ending to his career.
Or he could've just lobbied hard to go to teams with a short right field porch. Worked for him in New York.
12xu wrote: ↑15 May 2025 08:29 am
Quite a career he had! Batted .318 with league leading 199 hits and 126 runs with 55 doubles in 2013. Only HOF Joe Medwick hit more doubles (for the Cardinals) in a season than Carp in '13. He slugged 36 homers in 2018! He had his ups and downs but basically was a hard worker and over-achiever. His revival with the Yankees in '22 was incredible: 15 HR and 37 RBI in only 154 PA.
His career day with 3 HR and 2 doubles, driving in 7 runs for the Cardinals at wiggley field on July 20, 2018 was monstrous. On the 14-year anniversary of Jose Pujols' first three-homer performance at wiggley, Carpenter became the first Cardinals leadoff hitter to go deep three times in a game. He was the 11th player in the past 110 years to tally five extra-base hits and the first to do so from the leadoff spot. Carpenter's 16 total bases was also a record for a leadoff batter, until Ohtani got 17 last season.
Good post. Based on the way, he flamed out, it’s easy to forget how outstanding he was for us. He was the core of the team for a period of time and a good one.
Swuhgen wrote: ↑15 May 2025 09:41 am
One of the best leadoff hitters in the history of the franchise. You could make the argument that he was the best leadoff hitter they have ever had.
Carpenter had a few good years for sure, but I'll stick with Lou Brock at leadoff, thank you.
Pretty good to great hitter for a while. A real fan favorite. WAY to stubborn at the plate. Did not adjust to the umpire's strike zone. He'd strike out and think HE was right and the umpire was wrong. Sorry, buddy, but your vote doesn't count. Never learned to go the other way. That's a Cardinal sin. He made a lot of money. That's great for him and his family. I hope he enjoys his retirement or coaching/managerial career.
sp25 wrote: ↑14 May 2025 18:24 pm
Hated the contract extension he got, but that's on management.
And wish he had continued his 2013 type hitting rather than going for the long ball in subsequent years. His BA dropped from .318 to .240 without an appreciable increase in OPS.
I did enjoy his success against Kershaw in the postseason!
I expect he will be wearing a red jacket some day.
(and thanks to the OP for referencing him as MCarp and not by the more shortened version!)
He chabged his swong after 2014 when he hit .270 with a .750 ops, nowhere close tp his 2013 numbers. After changing his swing after 2014, his ops increased alot closer to his 2013.
He didnt just choose to change his swing after his successful 2013. He just wasnt able to replicate it in 2014
the shift killed him and he couldn't adjust and take it to the opposite field
Very true on the shift and since he was never considered a speedster in his heyday , latter in his career (compared to his peers ) he was a slow player.
Thus the shift 2b guy could play a few extra steps even deeper in short right field and still thrown him out .. so a doubly whammy for him
He had hard shot 'singles' that would be an out at first .
