The word has come down from Cardinals brass that "Carp" isn't coming back. Typical Carpenter, he's avoiding the "r" word. I wouldn't be surprised by anything from this guy. But if this is really it, I'm going to try to put into words what we're feeling.
He's not just a good pitcher with occasional bouts of unfathomable greatness. That is what the numbers say. In between the injuries, he was the definition of "elite." But in between the lines, he's the very definition of a pitcher. You'd call him a "grinder," but that's an insult. We give that word to role-players who shine in a big moment, or whose love for the game outshines their talents.
Carpenter sucked every ounce of life out of this beautiful game like it was the air he breathed. The ones we love are those guys. I have rarely seen that. And when I have, they've been teammates or friends of Carpenter. He's the perfect player for a fan like me: Baseball in his guts, living and dying with the team, anything to win. If you play to win, we'll get along. If not, see ya.
I can feel what his teammates feel right now. They don't care what the numbers say, or what the score is, they want that guy to pitch for them. He was 144-94, but I've said before: numbers lie. These definitely do. The Cardinals have 2 World Series titles in the last six years, and neither of them happens without Carpenter. He outdueled Kenny Rogers in the World Series in 2006. 0 runs, 3 hits. He willed the Cardinals to a 1-0 shutout in the deciding game of the division series against Philadelphia. Against the best pitcher in the game. On the road. Take a poll right now, if you like: Ask Cardinals fans who they want pitching for one game. Who do they trust the most? Even if we go down, who's gonna fight, who's gonna act like a pitcher? I know who's winning that one. In 2011, he started off bad. 2-9, still trying to round into form coming off injuries. He went 10-2 the rest of the way. When they finally won it, completing that improbable comeback after World Series Game 6, only one pitcher could make the seventh game into a formality on the way to a coronation: Chris Carpenter.
I mean no disrespect to the other Cardinals, whose considerable talents are also crucial. But Chris Carpenter is their heart. He made them go. A deeply flawed team was one win from another World Series appearance in 2012, and he is the reason. True, he was not himself when he returned. But they relied on that return, and he led them when he did.
Honestly, I lack the ability to verbalize what it all means. I can't tell you how good he was. I only know that I'll stop my life to watch only a few guys, and Chris Carpenter is one of them. He played with so much pride, it was an honor to watch him lose.
I had to stop and pray, because I was so sad. I turned on the press conference because I heard the rumors. Indeed, they pre-empted the local programming to tell us this. Baseball in St. Louis is front-page stuff.
We are the city that just lost The Man. I know that Stan would have loved to play behind Carpenter. I also know that he could learn from Stan. He could learn that playing baseball with all you are is good; loving God with all you are is better. There is something inspiring and noble about his manner of play, something deeply human about it; don't miss the opportunity, sir. Don't miss the meaning. There are greater battles for our warrior spirits to fight. But to watch Chris Carpenter pitch, that was a baseball blessing in this valley of tears.
He's not just a good pitcher with occasional bouts of unfathomable greatness. That is what the numbers say. In between the injuries, he was the definition of "elite." But in between the lines, he's the very definition of a pitcher. You'd call him a "grinder," but that's an insult. We give that word to role-players who shine in a big moment, or whose love for the game outshines their talents.
Carpenter sucked every ounce of life out of this beautiful game like it was the air he breathed. The ones we love are those guys. I have rarely seen that. And when I have, they've been teammates or friends of Carpenter. He's the perfect player for a fan like me: Baseball in his guts, living and dying with the team, anything to win. If you play to win, we'll get along. If not, see ya.
I can feel what his teammates feel right now. They don't care what the numbers say, or what the score is, they want that guy to pitch for them. He was 144-94, but I've said before: numbers lie. These definitely do. The Cardinals have 2 World Series titles in the last six years, and neither of them happens without Carpenter. He outdueled Kenny Rogers in the World Series in 2006. 0 runs, 3 hits. He willed the Cardinals to a 1-0 shutout in the deciding game of the division series against Philadelphia. Against the best pitcher in the game. On the road. Take a poll right now, if you like: Ask Cardinals fans who they want pitching for one game. Who do they trust the most? Even if we go down, who's gonna fight, who's gonna act like a pitcher? I know who's winning that one. In 2011, he started off bad. 2-9, still trying to round into form coming off injuries. He went 10-2 the rest of the way. When they finally won it, completing that improbable comeback after World Series Game 6, only one pitcher could make the seventh game into a formality on the way to a coronation: Chris Carpenter.
I mean no disrespect to the other Cardinals, whose considerable talents are also crucial. But Chris Carpenter is their heart. He made them go. A deeply flawed team was one win from another World Series appearance in 2012, and he is the reason. True, he was not himself when he returned. But they relied on that return, and he led them when he did.
Honestly, I lack the ability to verbalize what it all means. I can't tell you how good he was. I only know that I'll stop my life to watch only a few guys, and Chris Carpenter is one of them. He played with so much pride, it was an honor to watch him lose.
I had to stop and pray, because I was so sad. I turned on the press conference because I heard the rumors. Indeed, they pre-empted the local programming to tell us this. Baseball in St. Louis is front-page stuff.
We are the city that just lost The Man. I know that Stan would have loved to play behind Carpenter. I also know that he could learn from Stan. He could learn that playing baseball with all you are is good; loving God with all you are is better. There is something inspiring and noble about his manner of play, something deeply human about it; don't miss the opportunity, sir. Don't miss the meaning. There are greater battles for our warrior spirits to fight. But to watch Chris Carpenter pitch, that was a baseball blessing in this valley of tears.
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