As I wrote on Viva El Birdos earlier this morning, there's been a weirdly premature impulse, in coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals' disappointing season-to-date, to lionize Chris Carpenter like he's fallen off and is on the verge of retirement. Considering he's due to make another $15 million in 2011 just for showing up, the strong version of that position is weird on its face.
↵But as pedestrian as his start yesterday was, I think it's worth noting that it put him within two innings of newly minted ace Adam Wainwright for second in the league in innings pitched, and vaulted him into the league lead in games started, which isn't bad for a guy who's missed most of three separate seasons with severe arm injuries.
↵In some sense he's done this to himself, by being so flukily perfect in 2009—any season looks disappointing when it follows up an .810 winning percentage and seven home runs allowed. But after getting knocked around on Monday Carpenter's ERA rose all the way to... 3.28. Third on the Cardinals in ERA but, it should be noted, 25th in the National League. Which is worth something.
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