Chris Carpenter
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Christopher John Carpenter (born April 27, 1975) is an American former
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
. He played 15 seasons in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
and
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
from 1997 to 2012. A
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
winner and two-time
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, an ...
, he was also a three-time All-Star selection. Additionally, he was twice named the ''
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''
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
Pitcher of the Year, and received votes for a number of Comeback Player of the Year awards after various surmounting injuries. The Blue Jays selected Carpenter in the first round of the 1993 amateur draft from
Trinity High School Trinity High School is the name of high schools: United Kingdom * Trinity High School, Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland * Trinity High School, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland * Trinity High School and Sixth Form Centre, in Redditch, England *Trini ...
in
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. He made his MLB debut for Toronto in 1997. However, injuries and ineffectiveness delayed his career before the Blue Jays released him in 2002. After the Cardinals signed him, he emerged as an
ace An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...
in 2004, winning the Cy Young Award in 2005 and helping lead the Cardinals to World Series titles in
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and
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. For much of his career, Carpenter relied on a cutter that produced a heavy bore and finished with a sharp drop, a 12-to-6
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
, and a sinker. Multiple injuries that were deemed career-threatening—including three surgeries on his
elbow The elbow is the region between the arm and the forearm that surrounds the elbow joint. The elbow includes prominent landmarks such as the olecranon, the cubital fossa (also called the chelidon, or the elbow pit), and the lateral and the media ...
, two on his
shoulder The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder mak ...
and another on his
rib cage The rib cage, as an enclosure that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum in the thorax of most vertebrates, protects vital organs such as the heart, lungs and great vessels. The sternum, together known as the thoracic cage, is a semi- ...
—caused Carpenter to miss nearly five full seasons. However, he rehabilitated and returned to pitch after each of these injuries. In nine seasons playing for the Cardinals, he won 95 regular-season games and compiled a 3.07 ERA in 197 starts and
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
. His .683
winning percentage In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
during that period led the Major Leagues. In 18
postseason The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
starts, he won 10 games with a 3.00 ERA over 108 innings.


Early life and amateur career

Chris Carpenter was born in
Exeter, New Hampshire Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 16,049 at the 2020 census, up from 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood. ...
, but grew up in
Raymond, New Hampshire Raymond is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,684 at the 2020 census. Part of Pawtuckaway State Park is in the north. The main village in town, where 3,738 people resided at the 2020 census, is define ...
, later moving to Bedford. He played in
Little League Baseball Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizationBabe Ruth League The Babe Ruth League is an international youth baseball and softball league based in Hamilton, New Jersey, US named after George Herman "Babe" Ruth. The parent program, Babe Ruth League, Incorporated, is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. ...
, and American Legion Baseball. While attending
Trinity High School Trinity High School is the name of high schools: United Kingdom * Trinity High School, Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland * Trinity High School, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland * Trinity High School and Sixth Form Centre, in Redditch, England *Trini ...
in
Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester is a city in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the most populous city in New Hampshire. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 115,644. Manchester is, along with Nashua, one of two seats of New Hamp ...
, he was selected all-state for three years in both baseball and
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. As a junior in 1992, his baseball team won the state championship. He was selected for ''
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'' All-Scholastic team as a senior. In 1993, his senior campaign, he earned Athlete of the Year honors. He committed to play
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for Creighton.


Career


Draft and minor leagues (1994–97)

The
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
selected Carpenter in the first round as the 15th overall pick of the
1993 Major League Baseball draft The 1993 Major League Baseball draft began with first round selections on June 3, 1993. Alex Rodriguez was selected first overall by the Seattle Mariners. Other notable draftees included Chris Carpenter, Torii Hunter, Jason Varitek, Scott Rolen, ...
; he was chosen as a compensation pick from the Texas Rangers for signing
Tom Henke Thomas Anthony Henke (born December 21, 1957), nicknamed "the Terminator", is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared closers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, pitching for the Texas Rangers ...
. He was the first player from New Hampshire ever taken in the first round of the draft. He signed for $580,000. Standing ,
scouts Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
saw potential in his size, projectability, low-90s
fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
, and power
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
. However, he needed to develop his control and
changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
—he consistently struggled with his control early in his career. He began his professional career in 1994 in Minor League Baseball with the
Medicine Hat Blue Jays The Medicine Hat Blue Jays were a Rookie League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, playing in the Pioneer League and located in the city of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. They played a total of 25 seasons; 1978 through 2002. Their home field wa ...
of the short-season Pioneer League. In his debut against the
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, he tossed six scoreless innings of one-hit ball, fanning nine along the way. When he defeated the
Lethbridge Mounties The Lethbridge Black Diamonds were a minor league baseball team located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) with 80
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s (SO), 39
bases on balls A base on balls (BB), also known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The base on balls is defined in Se ...
(BB) and 76 hits allowed in
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
(IP). He ended the season with a
win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
of 6–3 and turned in the league's third-lowest ERA. He was also picked as the Pioneer League's number-three prospect by league
managers Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...
, behind
Aaron Boone Aaron John Boone (born March 9, 1973) is an American baseball manager and former infielder who is the manager of the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for 13 seasons from 1997 through 2009. As a player, ...
and Ray Brown. The Blue Jays promoted Carpenter to the Class-A Advanced
Dunedin Blue Jays The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...
of
Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
in 1995. ''
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'' rated him the #100 prospect in the minor leagues before the season. He made 15 starts and yielded a 2.17 ERA in innings. In 13 of those starts, he yielded three or fewer
earned run In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an err ...
s (ER). However, he posted a poor
strikeout-to-walk ratio In baseball statistics, strikeout-to-walk ratio (K/BB) is a measure of a pitcher's ability to control pitches, calculated as strikeouts divided by bases on balls. A hit by pitch is not counted statistically as a walk, and therefore not counted ...
(K/BB) of 1.12, with 56 strikeouts and 50 walks. After a promotion to the AA
Knoxville Blue Jays The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in Kodak, Tennessee, a suburb of Knoxville. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They play at Smokies Stadium, directly off In ...
of the Southern League, he struggled with a 5.18 ERA, 53 strikeouts and 31 for 1.17 K/BB. Returning to Knoxville the next season, Carpenter's ''Baseball America'' rating moved up to #82 among all minor leaguers, and was third in the organization. Pitching against the
Carolina Mudcats The Carolina Mudcats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, and play their home games a ...
on May 17, he struck out six batters in the sixth and seventh innings, and 10 total in a 5–0 win. For the month of May, he was Knoxville's Pitcher of the Month after allowing a 1.91 ERA and a 3–0 record. He spent the entire season there, starting 28 games, pitching innings, allowing 161 hits, 75 earned runs, and 91 walks while striking out 150 and compiling a 1.61 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He struck out eight or more batters in nine different games and led the club in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts. The strikeout total tied him for third in club history behind Alex Sanchez' 166 recorded in 1988 and were third in the organization. Playing for the
Phoenix Desert Dogs Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), ...
in the off-season
Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fill ...
(AFL), he posted a 2–0 record in 10 starts, 2.33 ERA (second in the AFL) and 43 strikeouts (third). He was named that club's
most valuable player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
(MVP). His command continued to be problematic, although his curve and changeup improved. In 1997, ''Baseball America'' promoted Carpenter's prospect ranking to 28th in the minor leagues. He started the season with the
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Syracuse SkyChiefs The Syracuse Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Syracuse, New York, and play their home games at NBT Bank Stadium, which open ...
of the
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
, where he made his first seven starts of the season for a 3.88 ERA and 1–3 record. The Blue Jays purchased his contract on May 10, conferring his first major-league call-up.


Toronto Blue Jays (1997–2002)

Carpenter made his
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) debut as a starter against the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
on May 12,
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, completing three innings with eight hits, seven runs, and three walks while striking out five in a 12–2 loss. His first strikeout victim was
Paul Molitor Paul Leo Molitor (born August 22, 1956), nicknamed "Molly" and "the Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and former manager of the Minnesota Twins, who is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. During his 21-year baseball car ...
. At 22 years and 18 days old, he became the sixth-youngest starting pitcher for the Blue Jays. After two more appearances with a 12.71 ERA and 0–2 record, he returned to Syracuse. Carpenter's second round at Syracuse consisted of 12 more starts, including a seven inning
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...
against the
Richmond Braves The Richmond Braves were an American minor league baseball club based in Richmond, Virginia, the Triple-A International League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 2008. Owned by the parent Atlanta club and colloquially referred to as the ...
on May 28. Totaling 19 games started at Syracuse in 1997, he pitched 120 innings, allowed 113 hits, and a 4.20 ERA. He posted 97 strikeouts with 53 walks for a 1.83 K/BB, his best figure since playing at Medicine Hat. However, his
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
(HR) rate jumped after surrendering 16 home runs—a rate of 1.2
home runs per nine innings In baseball statistics, home runs allowed per 9 innings pitched (HR/9IP or HR/9) or home runs allowed per nine innings (denoted by HR/9) is the average number of home runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by mult ...
(HR/9). His previous high (0.7) was at Knoxville in 1996. The Blue Jays recalled Carpenter from Syracuse on July 29, where he remained in the starting rotation for the remainder of the season. Losing his first five MLB decisions, Carpenter defeated the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
6–5 on August 19 for his first major league win. He pitched his first MLB complete game-shutout on September 9 in a 2–0 victory over the
Anaheim Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
. In each of his final nine starts of the season, Carpenter lowered his season ERA with the Blue Jays. In that duration, he allowed 22 earned runs in 60 innings for a 3.30 ERA and was credited with a 3–3 record. He finished his rookie season with a 3–7 record and a 5.09 ERA. Performance struggles plagued Carpenter early in
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
. After just 10 innings with a combined 9.00 ERA in his first two starts, the Blue Jays moved him into the
bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
, where he remained until the end of May. On May 18, he totaled four innings and struck out six, which was a season-high for Toronto relievers. That stage included his total
relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
work for the season, where he made nine appearances and completed innings, allowing a 2.38 ERA and carrying a 1–0 record. After Carpenter returned to the starting rotation, he earned a four-hit complete game-shutout on July 4 against the
Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
, his first complete game and shutout of the season. 12 days later, he struck out a season-high 10—and then-career high—against the
White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
. Facing the Texas Rangers on August 4, he walked a career-high seven in an 11–9 loss. He won three games in a row from August 11–21. His September totals were a 3-0 record and 2.55 ERA in five starts and innings with just nine walks and 26 strikeouts. Carpenter's finish to the season proved superior to the beginning; in eight of his final ten starts, he was charged three earned runs or fewer. His K/9 rate of 6.99 was 10th in the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
(AL). However, his home and road performances were uneven; in Toronto his ERA was 3.66 and his road ERA 5.24. He also won six of his last seven decisions as the Blue Jays made a late push for a playoff spot. However, Toronto missed the playoffs, finishing four games behind the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
for the AL wild card. With a 12–7 record and 4.37 ERA, his 12 wins tied
Pat Hentgen Patrick George Hentgen (born November 13, 1968) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, and currently a special assistant with the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Blue Jays, St. Louis C ...
for the second-highest total on the club. Carpenter battled through an injury-plagued 1999 season. Initially, he continued the skillful finish from the season before, allowing three or fewer earned runs in his first nine starts, and was credited with a 3–4 record and 3.02 ERA. His first loss of the season came in a 1–0 decision in
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on April 10. His second start of the season resulted in an 11–1 complete game two-hitter at home on April 15 against
Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
. For the month of April, his performance included a 2–1 record and 2.55 ERA. However, the results reversed in May; he was 1–4 in six starts with a 4.50 ERA. Pitching elbow
inflammation Inflammation (from la, wikt:en:inflammatio#Latin, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or Irritation, irritants, and is a protective response involving im ...
stationed him on the DL from June 3–28. After returning to play, he won the next five decisions of eight starts through August 11. He shut out
Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
on July 3, the third of his career, and allowed just three hits. His season output at the All-Star break was a 3.24 ERA with a 6–5 record. He remained effective in June and throughout July, allowing 20 earned runs in innings for a 3.62 ERA. However, Carpenter's performance waned following the All-Star break; in ten starts, his record was 3–3 with a 6.31 ERA. Carpenter's August ERA was 6.46 and his season ended early on September 16 when Dr. James Andrews performed surgery to remove a
bone spur An exostosis, also known as bone spur, is the formation of new bone on the surface of a bone. Exostoses can cause chronic pain ranging from mild to debilitatingly severe, depending on the shape, size, and location of the lesion. It is most commonl ...
. He finished with a 9–8 record, 4.38 ERA in 150 innings and 24 starts. He allowed 177 hits, a rate of 10.6
hits per nine innings In baseball statistics, hits per nine innings (denoted by H/9) is the average number of hits allowed by a pitcher in a nine inning period; calculated as: (hits allowed x 9) / innings pitched. This is a measure of a pitcher's success based on the ...
pitched (H/9), 1.500
walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. WHIP is calculated by adding the number of walks and hits allowed and dividi ...
(WHIP) and one HR/9. In 16 of 24 starts, he allowed three earned runs or fewer. Just three of nine baserunners successfully stole a base. His home and road performances also evened from the season before—his ERA at home was 4.21 and 4.54 on the road. Although Carpenter found significantly improved health the
following ''Following'' is a 1998 independent neo-noir crime thriller film written, produced, edited and directed by Christopher Nolan. It tells the story of a young man who follows strangers around the streets of London and is drawn into a criminal unde ...
season, he scrimmaged through the statistically worst season of his career. He lost his first three starts, in which he pitched just 16 innings, allowing 18 hits, six home runs and ten walks for a 7.31 ERA. His first win of the season was an 8–3 complete game margin against the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
on April 21. Carpenter won his next start and finished April with a 5.25 ERA and 2–3 records. Opposing
Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
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Pedro Martínez Pedro Jaime Martínez (born October 25, 1971) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to , for five teams—most notably the Boston Red Sox from to . At the time o ...
—the eventual
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
winner that year—in
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on May 23, Carpenter emerged victorious in a 3–2 decision. The only point in the season in which he had a winning record, however, was on June 14 when the Blue Jays defeated the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
8–1, putting his personal record at 6–5. He went 3–7 the rest of the way. Ironically, he allowed a career-high nine earned runs against Detroit in his next start. He would again allow nine earned runs against
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
two starts later. The Blue Jays moved him to the bullpen and he made his first relief appearance in more than two years on July 22. He returned to the rotation for two starts, but lasted just innings both times. At the beginning of August, after posting a 7–10 record with a 6.99 ERA, he was again shifted from the starting rotation to the bullpen. He made six more relief appearances, winning two, but allowed a 6.63 ERA. His eighth win came in innings of scoreless relief against the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
. Carpenter pitched another innings in relief for his ninth win on August 13 in opposition to the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
, striking out seven, which matched an AL season-high in relief. From August 29 to September 28, he returned to the rotation. In a September 16 contest against the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
, a ball hit off the bat of
José Valentín José Antonio Valentín (born October 12, 1969) is a Puerto Rican former American Major League Baseball infielder. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers (–), Chicago White Sox (–), Los Angeles Dodgers (), and New York Mets (–). His ...
struck him in the face, forcing him from the game. He returned to the mount twelve days later. However, in his final start that season, he was the losing pitcher in a 23–1 defeat to the Orioles, yielding four earned runs in three innings. With improved health, Carpenter pitched a new career-high innings, but surrendered an AL-high 122 earned runs for a 6.26 ERA, by far the highest of his career. He allowed 204 hits a 1.637 WHIP, and 30 home runs, or 1.5 HR/9. His starting ERA was 6.55. His home ERA ballooned to 7.53 from 4.21 of the season before while his road ERA was 5.25. Beginning his 2001 season with 13 scoreless innings—a career high—he won his first start 11–0 against
Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
with 11 strikeouts (also a new career high). His April totals included a 3.15 ERA and 2–1 record. He tossed a six-hitter in a 4–0 victory over the
White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
on May 29 for his first complete game and shutout of the season. He gained three wins in May, his first three-win month since September 1998. At the end of June, Carpenter had a 7–4 record with a 3.67 ERA. However, he lost his next seven decisions in ten starts from July 1 to August 19 to fall to 7–11 and a 4.59 ERA. During that stretch he allowed 12 home runs and 40 earned runs in innings for an ERA of 6.35.
Lee Stevens DeWain Lee Stevens (born July 10, 1967) is a former first baseman and designated hitter drafted by the California Angels in 1986. A highly regarded prospect, Stevens batted .314 with 19 home runs for the Triple A Edmonton Trappers in 1991. The ...
became his 500th career strikeout casualty in a July 6 game against
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
. The losing streak ended on August 24 with seven shutout innings against
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
. On September 4, his third complete game of the season was a 14–0 defeat of the
Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
in a contest in which he set a career high with 12 strikeouts. He won his last four decisions in eight starts, allowing just 14 earned runs in 51 innings for a 2.52 ERA. He finished with a record of 11–11 and an ERA of 4.09. His 11 victories tied him with Esteban Loaiza and
Paul Quantrill Paul John Quantrill (born November 3, 1968) is a Canadian former professional baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons, from 1992 to 2005; his longest tenure was six seasons with the Toronto B ...
for the team high, and he was considered one of the Blue Jays' starters of the future along with
Roy Halladay Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III (May 14, 1977 – November 7, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies between 1998 and 2013. His nicknam ...
. Prior to the All-Star break, he was 7–5 with a 3.99 ERA. After, he was 4–6 with a 4.21 ERA. He allowed 29 home runs on the season, which was the fourth-highest total in the AL. His two shutouts placed fourth and three complete games ninth. The Blue Jays named Carpenter their opening day starter for the first time in his career on April 1,
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, at
Fenway Park Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Base ...
against the
Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. He was rocked in this start, recording innings and allowing six runs. He received a no-decision as Toronto prevailed, 12–11. The Blue Jays placed him on the DL due to a shoulder injury after that start. Making his second start on April 21, Carpenter lasted only three innings, allowing three runs against the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
. He took the loss as New York won, 9–2. However, he was back on the DL after that start due to shoulder tendonitis. After recovering, Carpenter made six rehab starts between
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
and Syracuse. He allowed seven home runs in his first four starts covering 16 innings. Carpenter's first win of the season came against the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
, after completing five innings and allowing two runs. Carpenter landed on the DL in August for the third time in 2002, where he remained for the rest of the season. Shoulder surgery followed in September to repair a torn
glenoid labrum The glenoid labrum (glenoid ligament) is a fibrocartilaginous structure (not a fibrocartilage as previously thought) rim attached around the margin of the glenoid cavity in the shoulder blade. The shoulder joint is considered a ball and socket ...
. Surgeons inserted three tacks to anchor the labrum. He allowed four home runs in his last 58 innings. Carpenter finished the year 4–5 with a 5.28 ERA. After the season—and plagues of injuries and control issues that did not fully resolve over his career in the Toronto organization—the Blue Jays removed him from the 40-man roster and offered him a minor league, incentive-based deal. Carpenter refused, allowing him to become a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
.


St. Louis Cardinals (2003–13)


Recovery from shoulder problems and Comeback Player of the Year (2003–04)

The
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
signed Carpenter on December 13, 2002, while he was still recovering from elbow surgery in anticipation that he would be ready by the middle of the 2003 season. He made eight minor league starts as rehabilitation assignments before it was discovered that he had torn his labrum again after the pins anchoring it had destabilized. Scar tissue developed, necessitating further surgery and a DL stay for the remainder of the season. On November 3, 2003, the Cardinals declined Carpenter's option for 2004 worth $2 million, instead buying him out for $200,000 and making him a free agent again. The two sides negotiated on a new contract and resigned for $300,000 on December 3, 2003. Fully recovered for the 2004 season, Carpenter became a regular in the Cardinals' starting rotation. The first 11 starts of his Cardinals career included a 3.42 ERA and a 7–1 record. On April 9, he earned his first Cardinals win and 50th of his career against the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
in a 13–7 score. He matched up against the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
and former Blue Jays rotation mate
Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was one of the most dominant pi ...
on May 28, pitching eight scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. He did not factor in the decision as the Cardinals won 2–1 in 10 innings. In May, Carpenter started five games and was credited with a 4–0 record and a 2.62 ERA; eventually his win streak reached six games. On July 5 against the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
, he struck out eight, including
Adam Dunn Adam Troy Dunn (born November 9, 1979), nicknamed "Big Donkey", is an American former professional baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nation ...
for the 700th of his career, in a 4–1 victory. He established a new career-high 13th win in the second game of an August 20 doubleheader against the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
. In an August 26 rematch against Cincinnati, he struck out 11 in an eight-inning complete game, his only one of the season. Carpenter walked just 22 while striking out 113 in his last 19 starts. A nerve problem in his right bicep ended his season early in September. For the season, Carpenter established then-career bests with 15 victories, a 3.46 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and allowed less than one hit per inning for the first time as a Major Leaguer. He tallied 182 innings, his highest total since 2001. His ERA placed thirteenth in the NL, 1.137 WHIP fourth, 1.879 BB/9 sixth, K/BB ratio of 4.000 placed fifth, and overall record of 15–5 with a .750
winning percentage In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
ranked second. The Cardinals staff finished second in the league in ERA (3.75) as they won a National League-high 105 games, their most since
1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
, and first NL pennant since
1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...
. The nerve problem caused Carpenter to miss the
postseason The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
, including what would have been his first
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
appearance, which the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
won. Carpenter won the National League Comeback Player of the Year Awards from the ''
Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' and the
Major League Baseball Players Association The Major League Baseball Players Association (or MLBPA) is the union representing all current Major League Baseball players. All players, managers, coaches, and athletic trainers who hold or have held a signed contract with a Major League club ...
(MLBPA)
Players Choice Award The Players Choice Awards are annual Major League Baseball awards, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The Players Choice Awards are given following a secret ballot by players. Four awards go to a player in each leagu ...
series.


Cy Young Award winner (2005)

The Cardinals called on Carpenter for his first Opening Day start for the club in
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, and second of his career. He faced off against the
Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division, having moved to the div ...
for his first for the Cardinals and second overall, allowing four hits in seven innings in a 7–3 win. On April 15, he signed a two-year extension through 2007 with a vesting option for 2008. He earned his first shutout in three years against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
on April 21, and, on April 27, tied a career-high by striking out 12
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
in innings. On June 14, Carpenter hurled a one-hit shutout against the team that drafted him, the Blue Jays, while striking out 10 in a 7–0 win. It was the 19th complete game one-hitter in Cardinals history. That contest launched the first of his 17 consecutive starts the Cardinals won, a streak that spanned until September 23. Other streaks coincided with that game. One was a 13-game personal winning streak with a 1.36 ERA over 16 starts, during which he yielded just 20 earned runs in innings. Second, he was the first pitcher in the
live-ball era The live-ball era, also referred to as the lively ball era, is the period in Major League Baseball beginning in (and continuing to the present day), contrasting with the pre-1920 period known as the "dead-ball era". The name "live-ball era" comes ...
(since 1920) to go undefeated in 16 consecutive starts, complete seven innings or more, and allow three or fewer runs in each game. Third, dating back to May 7, he also produced 22 consecutive
quality start In baseball, a quality start is a statistic for a starting pitcher defined as a game in which the pitcher completes at least six innings and permits no more than three earned runs. The quality start has effectively replaced the 'complete game' a ...
s. Fourth, he won his first 12 road starts of the season. Fifth, he was the first NL pitcher to win 10 consecutive road outings since
Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ( ...
in 1970. Two starts after playing against Toronto, Carpenter picked up his third complete-game shutout against
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, striking out 11 in an 8–0 win. He allowed four earned runs in 40 innings for a major-league leading 0.90 ERA in June. From June 25 to July 6, he threw consecutive scoreless innings, a career high. With 13 wins before the All-Star break, Carpenter became just the third Cardinal pitcher ever to achieve the feat, following
Joaquín Andújar Joaquín Andújar (; December 21, 1952 – September 8, 2015) was a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, and Oakland Athletics from 1976 through 1988. ...
in
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...
and
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
, and
Kent Bottenfield Kent Dennis Bottenfield (born November 14, 1968) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Ana ...
in
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
. He was picked to start an
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
at
Comerica Park Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the home of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium. History Construction Founded in 1894, the Tigers had played at the ...
in
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, the first Cardinal pitcher in 32 years since
Rick Wise Richard Charles Wise (born September 13, 1945) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher between and for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Re ...
to do so. He pitched one scoreless inning. On another occasion facing Clemens on July 17, Carpenter struck out nine Astros while giving up just three hits and no walks as St. Louis won, 3–0. It was his sixth consecutive start allowing one or no runs. He yielded five earned runs over innings in July for a 1.11 July ERA (second in MLB), 33 strikeouts, seven walks and 24 hits, and one home run. Carpenter became the first Cardinals pitcher since Andújar in 1985 to record 15 wins before August 1. Carpenter's August resulted in a 4–0 record, 2.17 ERA, 38 strikeouts and six walks in six starts. On September 3, he won a complete game in
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
to become the majors' first 20-game winner. It was his 28th start, making him the fastest Cardinal to win 20 since
Dizzy Dean Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean (January 16, 1910 – July 17, 1974), also known as Jerome Herman Dean (both the 1910 and 1920 Censuses show his name as "Jay"), was an American professional baseball pitcher. During his Major League Baseball (MLB) career ...
in his 23rd start in
1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...
. With a 2–0 record, 1.69 ERA, 13 strikeouts and innings, Carpenter won his first NL Player of the Week Award for the week ending September 4. On September 23, the Cardinals' streak of winning 17 consecutive starts by Carpenter ended with a 9–6 loss to Milwaukee. For the second consecutive season, the Cardinals repeated as
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
division champions, and won at least 100 games with the best record in the National League. Carpenter set career bests with a 2.83 ERA, 213 strikeouts, innings, seven complete games, four shutouts and a 21–5 record. as the club won 26 of his 33 regular season starts. While not a leader in any one major statistical category in 2005—aside from leading MLB in complete games—he was the only pitcher to finish in the top five in all MLB in the pitching
Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Trip ...
categories (ERA, wins and strikeouts). In road games, he went 12–1 in 15 starts with a 2.90 ERA, ranking fifth in the NL. The .923 winning percentage on the road is highest in franchise history for all pitchers with at least 10 wins on the road. He was the first Cardinals pitcher to strike out 200 in a season since
José DeLeón José DeLeón Chestaro (born December 20, 1960) is a Dominican former professional baseball right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phill ...
in 1989. Finally healthy for an entire season, Carpenter pitched in the
postseason The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
for the first time in his career, debuting on October 4 against the Padres in Game 1 of the
National League Division Series In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring ...
(NLDS). In six shutout innings, he earned the win in an 8–5 margin, but left due to hand
cramp A cramp is a sudden, involuntary, painful skeletal muscle contraction or overshortening associated with electrical activity; while generally temporary and non-damaging, they can cause significant pain and a paralysis-like immobility of the aff ...
ing. The Cardinals defeated the Padres in the NLDS but fell to the Astros in the
National League Championship Series The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
(NLCS). His combined postseason totals were a 2–0 record with a 2.14 ERA in 21 innings. After winning several awards for his regular season performance, Carpenter was the National League
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
winner. He amassed 19 first-place votes for 132 points while runner-up
Dontrelle Willis Dontrelle Wayne Willis (born January 12, 1982), nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American former left-handed professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinn ...
of the
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
garnered 112 total points. Carpenter became just the second pitcher in team history to win a Cy Young since Gibson, who had last won in 1970. He won the
Major League Baseball Players Association The Major League Baseball Players Association (or MLBPA) is the union representing all current Major League Baseball players. All players, managers, coaches, and athletic trainers who hold or have held a signed contract with a Major League club ...
(MLBPA)
Players Choice Award The Players Choice Awards are annual Major League Baseball awards, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The Players Choice Awards are given following a secret ballot by players. Four awards go to a player in each leagu ...
for the National League Outstanding Pitcher, and the ''Sporting News'' Award for the National League Pitcher of the Year. He also won the This Year in Baseball Starting Pitcher of the Year Award. To recognize his selection as the NL Outstanding Pitcher, MLBPA Trust contributed $20,000 to Kristen's Gift in
Lebanon, New Hampshire Lebanon is a city in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 14,282 at the 2020 census, up from 13,151 at the 2010 census. Lebanon is in western New Hampshire, south of Hanover, near the Connecticut River. It is the home ...
. The
St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
chapter of the
Baseball Writers' Association of America The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for journalists writing about Major League Baseball for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying websites. The organization was founded in 1908, and is known fo ...
(BBWAA) selected him, along with
Albert Pujols José Alberto Pujols Alcántara () (); born January 16, 1980) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball first baseman, designated hitter and third baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "The Machine", ...
, as co-St. Louis Baseball Man of the Year Award winners. He finished eighth in the NL
MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
voting, the highest placement of all pitchers.


First World Series championship (2006)

For the second consecutive season in
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, Carpenter was the Cardinals' Opening Day starter. At
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
on April 3, he earned the victory after posting five innings in a 13–5 margin. With nine strikeouts in six innings against the Cubs on April 8, he departed with a 2–0 lead, but earned a no-decision as the Cubs won, 3–2. In an April 14 contest against
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, he allowed just one run in eight innings, but
Aaron Harang Aaron Michael Harang (born May 9, 1978) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariner ...
—who had the game-winning hit off Carpenter—and the bullpen muzzled the Cardinals on just five hits for a 1–0 Reds triumph. Carpenter stifled the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
for eight scoreless innings on April 19 at
PNC Park PNC Park is a baseball stadium on the North Shore (Pittsburgh), North Shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). It was opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, ...
and allowed just a pair of hits. After hitting the
leadoff hitter In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in any inning. Strategy Traditionally, the leadoff hitter has been utilized as a contact-oriented position. The leadoff hit ...
, he retired 15 consecutive batters before surrendering a single in the sixth inning. In that inning, he fanned
Nate McLouth Nathan Richard McLouth (born October 28, 1981) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. He was pr ...
for his 1,000th career strikeout. Making his 200th career start against the Pirates on April 24, Carpenter earned the decision in a 7–2 win. On June 13 against the Pirates, he struck out a personal and club season-high 13 batters, allowing just three hits in a 2–1 win. He was voted to his second
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
in July. He picked up his first victory against the last remaining club of whom he had not yet defeated—besides the Cardinals, whom he never faced in his career—the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
on July 4. He worked five innings in a rain-interrupted outing against the Braves on July 4 at
Turner Field Turner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997 to 2016, it served as the home ballpark to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the c ...
for that first career victory. In a complete game-shutout of the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
on July 14, he allowed just two hits and struck out seven in a 5–0 win. It was his tenth career shutout and fifth as a Cardinal. Following that contest, Carpenter was named the NL Player of the Week for the All Star-shortened week of July 13–16. His nine innings pitched paced the league and he was also tied for the league lead in ERA at 0.00. Debuting in
Coors Field Coors Field is a baseball stadium in downtown Denver, Colorado. It is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. Opened in 1995, the park is located in Denver's Lower Downtown neighborhood, two blocks from Union Station. The ...
on July 25 against the
Rockies The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
, Carpenter combined with
Randy Flores Randy is a given name, popular in the United States and Canada. It is primarily a masculine name. It was originally derived from the names Randall, Randolf, Randolph, as well as Bertrand and Andrew, and may be a short form (hypocorism) of th ...
and
Jason Isringhausen Jason Derik Isringhausen ( born September 7, 1972) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach. He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1995 through 2012 for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay ...
for the Cardinals' first-ever shutout win (1–0) in
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. Winless in his previous three starts after allowing 15 runs in 17 innings, he pitched a four-hitter against the Reds on August 15 for his 11th career shutout. Only one runner reached second base while Carpenter struck out six and walked none. The next start, he was the winning pitcher in a 5–3 victory over the Cubs, allowing two runs on seven innings. Along with teammate
Chris Duncan Christopher Edwin Duncan (May 5, 1981 – September 6, 2019) was an American professional baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2005 through 2009. He was the younges ...
, Carpenter was named NL co-Player of the Week for the week ending August 20. In two starts against the Reds and Cubs, he tallied 17 innings, was charged with a 1.06 ERA and struck out 13 without issuing a walk. On September 11, Carpenter shut out the Astros in a 7–0 final score for his fourth complete game and third shutout of the season. It was also his 50th win as a Cardinal. He became the third member of the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff to gain his 100th career win in 2006, joining
Jeff Suppan Jeffrey Scot Suppan (; born January 2, 1975), is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current professional baseball coach who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, ...
and
Mark Mulder Mark Alan Mulder (born August 5, 1977) is an American former professional baseball player. A left-handed starting pitcher, Mulder pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals. He is a two-time All-S ...
in a September 16 matchup against the
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. Facing former teammate Matt Morris for the first time, the Cardinals were victorious, 6–1. Carpenter used a newly evolved
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
over seven completed innings, allowing the lone run in the eighth inning. That run stopped a personal streak of 22 scoreless innings at home. Winning his third National League Player of the Week Award for the week ending September 16, he allowed just a 0.56 ERA with 15 strikeouts and a 2–0 record. Included in those totals were the games against Houston and San Francisco. For the season, he posted a 3.09 ERA with 15 wins in innings. His three shutouts led the Major Leagues and 1.069
walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. WHIP is calculated by adding the number of walks and hits allowed and dividi ...
(WHIP) led the National League. With the Cardinals facing the
Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
in the
NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
for the second consecutive season, Carpenter won both his starts and yielded a 2.03 ERA while striking out 12 in innings. He was less effective against the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
in the NLCS, allowing a 5.73 ERA while losing one of two starts. Carpenter made his first
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
start in Game 3 against the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
on October 24 at
Busch Stadium Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) f ...
in
St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
. He pitched eight shutout innings, allowing no runs on three hits and striking out six. Per the
Elias Sports Bureau The Elias Sports Bureau is a privately held company providing historical and current statistical information for the major professional sports leagues operating in the United States and Canada. Elias is the official statistician for Major League Ba ...
, that performance made him the first pitcher in Cardinals history to pitch eight innings and allow no walks and no more than three hits in a World Series contest. Just two other pitchers in the prior 20 seasons had accomplished the feat:
Greg Maddux Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves ...
(
1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
) and Clemens (
2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
). The Cardinals prevailed in five games over the Tigers, giving him his first
World Series ring A World Series ring is an award given to Major League Baseball players who win the World Series. Since only one Commissioner's Trophy is awarded to the team, a World Series ring is an individual award that players and staff of each World Series ...
. Carpenter finished third in the NL Cy Young balloting behind
Brandon Webb Brandon Tyler Webb (born May 9, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Webb pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2003 through 2009, and, after multiple shoulder surgeries, signed with but ...
and
Trevor Hoffman Trevor William Hoffman (born October 13, 1967) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2010. A long-time closer, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego P ...
, and 19th in the NL MVP voting, second to Hoffman among pitchers. His teammates voted him as that season's Darryl Kile Good Guy Award winner for the Cardinals. On December 4, 2006, the Cardinals announced they re-signed Carpenter to a five-year, US$65 million deal, keeping him with the team through 2011, with a $12 million option for 2012.


2007–09

From 2007 to 2008, elbow problems persisted, causing Carpenter to miss nearly all of both seasons, and the Cardinals missed the playoffs in that period. He returned in 2009, helping leading the Cardinals to a Central division title. He made his third consecutive Opening Day start on April 1,
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, facing off against
Tom Glavine Thomas Michael Glavine (born March 25, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, for the Atlanta Braves (1987–2002, 2008) and New York Mets (2003–2007). With 164 victories durin ...
of the
Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. The Mets won, 6–1, giving Carpenter his first career Opening Day loss. He missed his next start due to apparent elbow
inflammation Inflammation (from la, wikt:en:inflammatio#Latin, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or Irritation, irritants, and is a protective response involving im ...
. The Cardinals placed him on the DL on April 9 for
impingement syndrome Shoulder impingement syndrome is a syndrome involving tendonitis (inflammation of tendons) of the rotator cuff muscles as they pass through the subacromial space, the passage beneath the acromion. It is particularly associated with tendonitis of t ...
and moderate
arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...
. On May 5, the team announced that he would require surgery to trim
bone spurs An exostosis, also known as bone spur, is the formation of new bone on the surface of a bone. Exostoses can cause chronic pain ranging from mild to debilitatingly severe, depending on the shape, size, and location of the lesion. It is most commonl ...
in the elbow. After a rehabilitation start following the surgery, swelling and stiffness developed, and, on July 19, the Cardinals announced that Carpenter required
Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
to replace the medial collateral
ligament A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the: * Peritoneal li ...
of the right elbow and would miss approximately another 10 to 12 months. He made his next major league appearance one year later on July 30,
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, against the
Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. He lasted four innings, gave up one run on five hits, walked two and struck out two. Despite receiving a no-decision, the Cardinals went on to win the game, 7–2. At one point in 2008, he began experiencing
numbness Hypoesthesia or numbness is a common side effect of various medical conditions that manifests as a reduced sense of touch or sensation, or a partial loss of sensitivity to sensory stimuli. In everyday speech this is generally referred to as num ...
in his pitching forearm, which lingered for rest of his career, and transformed into weakness, intermittently shifting from his arm to his hands, neck, and facial muscles. After making just four starts from 2007 to 2008, Carpenter returned for a one-hit performance on April 9 against
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in his 2009 season debut. He shut them out for seven innings at
Busch Stadium Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) f ...
struck out seven. In his second start of the season on April 14, he strained the left side of his
rib cage The rib cage, as an enclosure that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum in the thorax of most vertebrates, protects vital organs such as the heart, lungs and great vessels. The sternum, together known as the thoracic cage, is a semi- ...
, prompting the club placed him on the 15-day DL. A
magnetic resonance image Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves ...
(MRI) revealed an
oblique Oblique may refer to: * an alternative name for the character usually called a slash (punctuation) ( / ) * Oblique angle, in geometry *Oblique triangle, in geometry *Oblique lattice, in geometry * Oblique leaf base, a characteristic shape of the b ...
tear. On May 20, Carpenter returned after missing a month to make his 100th start for the Cardinals. He pitched five shutout innings against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
, giving up just three hits, walking two, and striking out five in a 2–1 win. With that win, his winning percentage with the club increased to .726 (53–20), the highest ever by a Cardinal through his first 100 starts, surpassing John Tudor's 49–21 record (.700). He completed 19 total innings for the month of May and allowed just two earned runs for a 0.95 ERA; he also allowed just a 0.737 WHIP. On June 4, he threw his 26th career complete game, and lowered his ERA for the season to 0.71, the lowest for any Cardinals' pitcher in the first six starts of a season, exceeding
Harry Brecheen Harry David Brecheen (, , October 14, 1914 – January 17, 2004), nicknamed "The Cat", was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the St. Louis Cardinals. In the late 1940s he was among the team ...
's mark of 0.75 in 1948. In July, he was 4–0 in five starts and 36 innings with a 1.75 ERA and 1.222 WHIP. He hurled seven shutout innings while striking out ten
Reds Reds may refer to: General * Red (political adjective), supporters of Communism or socialism * Reds (January Uprising), a faction of the Polish insurrectionists during the January Uprising in 1863 * USSR (or, to a lesser extent, China) during th ...
on August 12. A 7–0 victory over
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
at
Petco Park Petco Park is a baseball stadium in Downtown San Diego, California. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, and has also been used as a venue for concerts, soccer, golf, and rugby. The ballpark is located between Se ...
on August 22 gave him his ninth win in ten starts with a 1.92 ERA in that span. It was also the unofficial 10,000th win in the Cardinals' all-time franchise history, dating back to the
American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...
era. The official total at the time, counted since their entry into the NL in 1892, was 9,219. Carpenter won the National League
Pitcher of the Month Award In Major League Baseball (MLB), the Pitcher of the Month Award is given monthly during the regular season to two outstanding pitchers, one each in the National League (NL) and American League (AL). The NL began awarding the honor in , and the A ...
for August with a 5–0 record and 2.20 ERA in six starts. He threw a one-hitter on September 7 against the Brewers at
Miller Park American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium used primarily for baseball. It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Milwauk ...
, striking out 10, and earning his first shutout since September 11, 2006. On October 1, he hit his first career home run, a
grand slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...
, in a 13–0 rout of the Reds at
Great American Ball Park Great American Ball Park is a baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It served as the home stadium of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB), and opened on March 31, 2003, replacing Cinergy Field (formerly Riverfront Stadium), the R ...
, and doubled home two more runs. He became only the fourth pitcher since the advent of divisional play in 1969 with at least six
runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBI) in a game. That total broke the Cardinals' club record for pitchers which Gibson established with five on July 26,
1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...
. For the year, Carpenter led the NL with a career-best 2.24 ERA in innings and a major league-leading .810 winning percentage with 17 wins and just four losses. Further, he struck out 144 while walking just 38 batters, and allowed just seven home runs. His 0.3 HR/9 rate also led the major leagues and his K/BB rate of 3.79 placed eighth in the NL. After the season, Carpenter won the NL Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award, Comeback Player of the Year Award by winning 27 of 30 first-place votes. He was the runner-up for the National League Cy Young Award. In one of the closest votes of the history of the award, winner Tim Lincecum garnered 100 total points while Carpenter had 94 despite being written in just nine of 30 first-place votes. He also finished 14th in the NL MVP voting, which was tops among all NL pitchers. For his performance in the 2009 season after missing nearly all of the previous season while recuperating from nerve ailments in his pitching arm and Tommy John surgery, he unanimously won the Tony Conigliaro Award.


2010–11

Early in the 2010 St. Louis Cardinals season, 2010 season, Carpenter began to experience increased symptoms related to the prior weakness and numbness in his pitching arm that was concentrated mainly in his shoulder. He gained relief through multiple remedies that included deep massage and muscle release that chiropractor Dr. Clayton Skaggs performed. The relief allowed him to play the entire season without a DL stay. However, over time, his condition became more resistant to treatment. He played in the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, All-Star Game, the third appearance of his career. In an August game, Carpenter was involved in a bench-clearing brawl with the 2010 Cincinnati Reds season, Cincinnati Reds. After a heated exchange with Reds' List of Cincinnati Reds managers, manager Dusty Baker following an incident between Cardinals' catcher Yadier Molina and the Reds' Brandon Phillips which cleared the benches, the two teams began shoving and grappling with each other. While pinned against a backstop, Reds' starting pitcher Johnny Cueto kicked wildly at several Cardinals, hitting Carpenter and catcher Jason LaRue several times. Cueto was suspended seven games for the incident. In the midst of the brawl, Carpenter could be seen exchanging words with several players, then the whole crowd of players including the Cardinals massed together in his direction. He was pushed up against the railing bordering the stands and almost fell in the middle of the chaos. For the 2010 season, Carpenter finished with a 3.22 ERA, 235 innings, 179 strikeouts and 16–9 record. It was the only time in his Cardinals career in which he played the full season but missed the playoffs. He led the major leagues in games started (35) and was second in the NL in innings pitched. He also finished in the top ten in the NL in wins, winning percentage, walks per nine innings, batters faced and hit batsmen. At the close of the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals season, 2011 regular season, the Cardinals called on Carpenter to consummate what ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' sportswriter Bernie Miklasz termed an "improbable comeback". The Cardinals were one game from realizing their quest of surmounting a games-won deficit over the 2011 Atlanta Braves season, Atlanta Braves that had commenced on August 28. They had tied the Braves for the Wild Card lead entering the final game of the season on September 29. Carpenter started that game against the 2011 Houston Astros season, Houston Astros, securing an 8–0 victory behind his two-hit shutout. Meanwhile, the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies season, Philadelphia Philles defeated the Braves 4–3 in 13 innings, giving the Cardinals the wild card title and eliminating the Braves from the playoffs. The games-won deficit marked the largest lead surrendered with 32 left to play. For the season, Carpenter pitched an NL-leading innings while posting a 3.45 ERA and leading the major leagues in starts with 34. He also struck out 191 batters, allowed a 1.256 WHIP, completed four games, and was ninth in the NL with 3.473 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Incidentally, the Cardinals faced off against the Phillies in the five-game 2011 National League Division Series, NLDS. On Friday, October 7, Carpenter started for the second time in the series for the finale in Philadelphia, matching up against former Blue Jays teammate and friend
Roy Halladay Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III (May 14, 1977 – November 7, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies between 1998 and 2013. His nicknam ...
. Carpenter defeated Halladay in a sensational 1–0, complete-game shutout where he allowed just three hits and received skilled defensive support. That game clinched the series and sent the Cardinals to the 2011 National League Championship Series, NLCS to face the 2011 Milwaukee Brewers season, Brewers. Carpenter started once, and the Cardinals also won this series. Meeting the 2011 Texas Rangers season, Texas Rangers in the 2011 World Series, World Series, Carpenter started Game 1. The Cardinals prevailed, 3–2, and he earned the decision. By winning his eighth career postseason game as a Cardinal, he surpassed Gibson for the all-time franchise lead. Carpenter also pitched Games 5 and Game 7. He completed six innings of the seventh game on three days rest, leading the Cardinals to a 6–2 win and his second career World Series win. It was also the third clincher of the season he pitched and won. His overall 2011 postseason totals included a 4–0 record and 3.30 ERA.


2012–13

After producing three successful seasons (2009–11) that had followed two injury-plagued seasons (2007–08), Carpenter would again miss nearly all of two consecutive seasons. This time, they were his final two major league seasons under contract. He did not pitch for much of 2012 St. Louis Cardinals season, 2012 because of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), diagnosed on June 28 after a visit to a Dallas-area specialist. Initially, a three-month strengthening program to remedy shoulder weakness was the goal. However, the treatment failed, leaving surgical intervention as the only option. On July 3, the team and Carpenter announced he would have surgery to repair the TOS. It involved removal of his first rib, the amelioration of two scalene muscles in the neck and extrication of nerves within the brachial plexus. Initial recovery time was estimated at six months, meaning he would miss the remainder of the 2012 season and be ready for spring training the following February. Dr. Greg Pearl performed the surgery on July 19 and the procedure involved removal of a rib. Defying expectations, his speedy recovery allowed him to return to the mound in a September 21 game against the 2012 Chicago Cubs season, Cubs. According to Carpenter, "I worked my butt off to try and get back, and it worked out." His postseason win on October 10 in the third game of the 2012 National League Division Series, 2012 NLDS against the 2012 Washington Nationals season, Washington Nationals made him the first winning pitcher in a postseason game at Nationals Park. The win gave him a 10–2 record, 2.88 ERA and 100 innings in 16 postseason starts. The 10 wins placed him seventh on MLB's all-time postseason win list at the time, just one behind Curt Schilling (11–2, 2.23 ERA) and
Greg Maddux Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves ...
(11–14, 3.27 ERA). However, he allowed five runs—two earned—in only four innings to take the loss in Game 2 of the 2012 National League Championship Series, NLCS against the 2012 San Francisco Giants season, San Francisco Giants, and turned in an identical performance in the potentially-clinching Game 6. The Cardinals lost in seven games. On February 5, 2013 St. Louis Cardinals season, 2013, an MLB.com report on the Cardinals official team website stated that Carpenter was considered unlikely to pitch for the team in the 2013 season, his final under his contract. According to Cardinals List of St. Louis Cardinals owners and executives, general manager John Mozeliak, Carpenter informed team officials he was again experiencing symptoms in his right shoulder that sidelined him for much of 2012, namely numbness, weakness, and general discomfort. In mid-January, he disclosed to reporters at the Cardinals Winter Warmup event that he'd experienced no problems with the shoulder in his off-season throwing routine. However, according to Mozeliak, several attempts by Carpenter to throw bullpen sessions had caused a resurfacing of the shoulder issue. Carpenter stated on February 11 that he would not travel to spring training in Jupiter, Florida, deciding to stay in St. Louis fearing he could be a distraction. At a press conference that same day, he said he still held out hope of pitching in 2013, and refused to talk about retirement. On February 22, the team placed him on the 60-day disabled list. He hoped to return to pitch out of the bullpen after stating on May 4 he was feeling good and resuming a throwing program. Mozeliak believed he could return in late June or early July. He threw a bullpen session of around 70 pitches on May 10, with all his pitch types, and said afterwards he felt good and was ready for his fifth session on May 13. He made two minor league rehab starts but was shut down because of continued discomfort. He did not pitch for the Cardinals in 2013. On October 13, his Sports agent, agent Bob LaMonte stated Carpenter would retire, and may pursue a career in the Cardinals organization. Mozeliak confirmed his retirement during a press conference on November 20, 2013.


Post-playing career (2014–present)

The Cardinals announced in January 2014 that Carpenter would join the team's front office. Mozeliak said that he would work in Scout (sport), scouting. He resigned the position after the 2014 season for personal reasons. In October 2021, Carpenter joined the Los Angeles Angels organization as a mental skills coach for minor league pitchers.


Pitching style

Like teammate Adam Wainwright, Carpenter's repertoire consisted mostly of sinker (baseball), sinkers (90–94 mph), cut fastball, cutters (87–90), and
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
s (74–77), with occasional four-seam fastballs and a
changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
used against left-handed hitters. His curveball was his preferred pitch with two strikes. "He's just the entire package," List of St. Louis Cardinals managers, manager Tony La Russa said. "He's got really tough stuff. He has a lot of pitches [and] can show a hitter one thing, mix it two or three times and show him something different, and he's competitive as all get-out. He's the complete package." He was also a good fielder, having pitched three full seasons (2001, 2006 and 2009) without making an error (baseball), error. Carpenter's sinker generally averaged about in 2011, his last full season, slightly lower than its average speed of in 2009. His sinker and four-seam fastball combination averaged in 2011. Against right-handed hitters, his sinker was most effective with horizontal movement rather than with marked sink. His cutter actually had more sink on it than his sinker, along with the effective, familiar cutting motion. It averaged between 86.5 and 88 mph over the last few years of his career. The curveball had significant downward movement, and, at or below , was slow for a pitcher who threw as hard as Carpenter did. Carpenter has credited former List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches, pitching coach Dave Duncan (baseball), Dave Duncan with helping prompt him to rethink his pitching strategy. After arriving in St. Louis in 2003, he "was able to sit around and listen and watch (Duncan)," Carpenter stated. "When I was a young kid, I didn't think about up and down and things like that. I was just trying to throw the ball away, trying to throw the ball in, I wasn't thinking about throwing my curveball for strikes." When he won the 2005 Cy Young Award, he became the fourth pitcher to win with Duncan as coach, and the seventh overall in Duncan's playing and coaching career. "When I came here (St. Louis), (Duncan) talks about throwing the ball down in the strike zone and getting ahead and attacking the strike zone. All these things have helped me progress and be successful, and I owe him a lot for what I've done the last few years."


Legacy, honors and accomplishments

As a pitcher who missed considerable playing time due to injury, Carpenter won three major Comeback Player of the Year awards in two separate seasons. Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors wrote that "injuries to Carpenter shortened what could have been one of the most impressive careers of a generation, but few were better than Carpenter when he was healthy. From 2004–11, [he] posted a 3.06 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in innings." Said Mozeliak, "When you think back to everything this organization has been through in regard to his ups and downs, he will still go down as one of the greatest we've ever had. … We think back to his career and what an amazing one it was. He was part of so many highlights and I think he really created a culture of higher expectations." List of St. Louis Cardinals owners and executives, Chairman William DeWitt, Jr., remarked "Chris will always be remembered as the leader of the pitching staff during one of the great eras of Cardinals baseball." Carpenter won one Cy Young Award and finished in the top three twice more. Despite reaching 28 or more starts in just six of his nine seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, he won 95 games with a 3.07 ERA over innings. He is the franchise's all-time leader in
strikeout-to-walk ratio In baseball statistics, strikeout-to-walk ratio (K/BB) is a measure of a pitcher's ability to control pitches, calculated as strikeouts divided by bases on balls. A hit by pitch is not counted statistically as a walk, and therefore not counted ...
(3.666) and is tied for eighth in league-average adjusted ERA+ (133), fourth in strikeouts (1,085), fifth in walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP, 1.125), fifth in strikeouts per nine innings pitched (7.240), ninth in bases on balls per 9 innings pitched (1.975) and eighth in Win–loss record (pitching), winning percentage (.683) His .683 winning percentage also was second all-time for Cardinals starting pitchers with at least 100 starts and led the Major Leagues over the period of his Cardinals career. On December 9, 2014, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame announced Carpenter as an inductee in their 2015 class. The Cardinals announced on April 29, 2016, that Carpenter was voted by fans into the franchise St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum, Hall of Fame, with the enshrinement taking place on August 27, 2016. Statistical achievements Bold: League leader
†: led both Major Leagues * Pitched in the American League from 1997 to 2002 * Pitched in the National League from 2004 to 2012


Personal life

Carpenter currently resides in Bedford, New Hampshire and Clayton, Missouri. Chris filed for divorce from first wife Alyson Ickes in December 2013. He remarried in October 2015 to his present wife. His Sports agent, agent is Bob LaMonte. In May 2014, he put his Ladue, Missouri, home on the market for $3.65 million. Two months later, he listed his Palm Beach, Florida, home for sale for $675,000. In the 2011–12 offseason, Carpenter and Roy Halladay were fishing in the Amazon River with fellow pitcher B. J. Ryan and professional Recreational fishing, sport fisherman Skeet Reese when they encountered a wounded man who was stranded. The man was attempting to catch fish to sell as aquarium pets when an anaconda attacked him. The snake bit him, but the victim was able to free himself. The snake attempted to wrap itself around the man, but instead wrapped itself around the motor of his 14-foot canoe, flipped it over and broke the motor off. When the pitchers discovered him, they flipped the boat back over, recovered his belongings and towed him home. Less than three weeks after Carpenter announced his retirement, Halladay signed a one-day contract with the 2014 Toronto Blue Jays season, Blue Jays on December 9, 2013, and announced his own retirement. Carpenter's friendship with Halladay received increased media attention during the 2011 NLDS. Drafted two years apart, Halladay made his Major League debut for the Blue Jays one year after Carpenter in
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
. They met the year before while assigned with the Syracuse Chiefs and developed a competitive bond. Although they both pitched together in the Toronto rotation for four years, Carpenter had yet to achieve the success for which he is now recognized until after the Blue Jays released him following the 2002 Toronto Blue Jays season, 2002 season. That season, Halladay achieved a breakthrough with his first 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, All-Star selection and winning 19 games with a 2.93 ERA.


See also

* List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders * List of World Series starting pitchers * List of St. Louis Cardinals team records * St. Louis Cardinals award winners and league leaders


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carpenter, Chris 1975 births Living people People from Exeter, New Hampshire Sportspeople from Rockingham County, New Hampshire Cy Young Award winners National League All-Stars National League ERA champions St. Louis Cardinals players Toronto Blue Jays players American expatriate baseball players in Canada Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from New Hampshire Medicine Hat Blue Jays players Dunedin Blue Jays players Knoxville Smokies players Syracuse SkyChiefs players St. Catharines Blue Jays players Tennessee Smokies players Palm Beach Cardinals players Memphis Redbirds players Springfield Cardinals players