ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - We can already hear the waves of collective groans from the boisterous B.F.I.B on Twitter brought on by seeing Matt Carpenter's name associated with a St. Louis Cardinals lineup.
But settle down. We're not talking about the starting lineup. Matt Carpenter will be part of the 2021 opening day Cardinals, but it appears the team, and the player himself, knows his playing time will be limited from the start.
We discussed the polarizing player, who is three years removed from a 10-top NL MVP race performance, with Cardinals beat writer Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Essentially, Carpenter is a guy that fills a need for St. Louis since he not only bats lefty, but also can play multiple positions.
"No one is saying that's the cleanup hitter. No one is saying he's the leadoff hitter," Goold says. "The Cardinals aren't saying that. I mean, news flash, Matt Carpenter isn't saying that. Matt Carpenter has been very candid about that, he has said repeatedly that he has not done in this camp what he wanted to do. Which was to prove that he belongs in the lineup. He knows that."
As of Wednesday morning, the 35-year-old has just one hit in 37 plate appearances this spring.
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"His playing time might not be a whole lot for him to prove otherwise once that season starts," Goold says. "But there's a place for a guy who bats left handed and can play multiple positions in a National League lineup."
Carpenter, and every Cardinals player, have just a handful of spring training games left to prove their worth as opening day in Cincinnati is eight days away.
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