MLB's Chinese Calendar: Summer of the Carpenter

How good of a Summer is Chris Carpenter having you ask? Well he is on the same team as baseball' best hitter, Albert Pujols, and the league leader in wins, Adam Wainwright, and yet neither has been the best player on the team since July 1st. That title belongs to Chris Carpenter.


Since July 1st Carpenter is 11-0 with a 1.97 ERA, and add to that 2 CG and 1 SHO the man has been unstoppable in the Summer sun. With a 16-3 record and a 2.16 ERA he has all but sured up his case for NL CY Young, the award which since about April 15th was already being handed to Tim Lincecum. The two starts in which he didnt factor into the decision the Cards did lose but in both outings Carpenter only allowed 2 runs to score. This brings up another discussion though. Is it possible the Cardinals are the only NL team that can beat an AL team in the WS this season?

Granted the Phillies won it all last year, but they defeated the scrappy Rays who dont have a makeup of say the Angels or Yankees. Theres also the Dodgers but there questionable starting pitchers and the over use of their relievers could spell elimination. The Cardinals have 2 CY Young canidates leading there starters and very reliable pitchers after that in Pineiro and Smoltz (although Smoltz will not dominate the AL as he has NL). The hitting is no joke either with NL MVP Albert Pujols in the lineup along with Ludwick, Molina, Rasmus, Schumaker, and key midseason additions Matt Holliday and Julio Lugo. There closer, Ryan Franklin, has put up numbers comparible to what Brad Lidge did last season, and there other relieves such as Reyes, McClellan, and Miller have been lights out. People may talk about there weak division, but they are playing consistently no matter who they face up against. No matter how it shapes up these Cards will definitely be fun to watch come postseason baseball, and you never know this just may be The Year of the Cardinal.

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