When you look at the stats on Matt Carpenter, you can see His power, on-base percentage, and posture. However, you can’t help but notice how versatile Carpenter is. Below, we take a look at his versatility. If you are curious about what makes Carpenter such an attractive prospect, continue reading. Then, you can make an educated decision about his potential. After reading this article, you’ll know what to expect from Carpenter in the MLB.
Matt Carpenter’s versatility
A three-time All-Star from the St. Louis Cardinals, Matt Carpenter has the versatility to play first base, second base, third base, and the DH position. Despite a limited role in the Bronx, Carpenter has proven to be a spark plug in his limited time in the big leagues. In this article, we take a look at Carpenter’s versatility and how it may help him in the Bronx.
Despite his infrequency of contact, Carpenter is prone to shifts and has a high pull rate. The Yankees have tried to counter his 77% pull rate on grounders and elevate the ball in the air to avoid shifts. However, the shaky performance is not helping Carpenter’s value. Compared to his big-league debut in 2018, Carpenter has not been pulling in the air as much as in his breakout 2018 season. Then again, his on-base percentage is always the key factor in determining a player’s value.
The versatility of Matt Carpenter’s offensive ability is the most striking quality of his game. While the Astros’ offense is dominated by stalwarts like Jose Altuve, Robinson Cano, Chris Davis, and Ryan Zimmerman, Carpenter’s power is a different story. Carpenter’s ability to draw walks has been the most impressive trait, putting him ahead of superstars like Albert Pujols and Daniel Murphy and even ahead of MVPs Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Ramirez.
Since turning professional, Carpenter has had a plethora of roles. Although his primary position is first base, he has played second base for a variety of teams and has had success at both positions. He could also spell Jedd Gyorko at third base and field ground balls in the outfield. The Cardinals may decide to keep Carpenter at first base, where he has played second base. It may be more versatile than the Cardinals initially thought.
As a free agent, Matt Carpenter had nearly two hundred plate appearances in the postseason. In Game 1 of a doubleheader, Aaron Boone put Carpenter on leadoff, hoping to spread out left-handed hitters. Carpenter was perfect, launching a home run on his 11th pitch against Shohei Ohtani (who threw five pitches with two strikes). His home run kicked off the Yankees’ doubleheader sweep.
His power
Matt Carpenter has shown signs of power in his recent performances. He hit more home runs this season than in any other year of his career and has increased his power output in each category. In August alone, Carpenter hit five home runs, putting him in the top 15 percent of all players in baseball. Matt Carpenter’s batted ball profile has also changed in recent years, indicating a more aggressive approach to power hitting. His recent success may be a precursor to the power surge that will surely come.
While Carpenter has had some success in his career, his recent struggles have left him unsuitable as a regular full-time rotation player. While he can still be a good pinch hitter, he is no longer the same player he once was. He struggles to adjust to shifts and his power is not the same. Despite his strong defensive play, his ability to hit for power is limited and his power has diminished.
While bad luck is likely a contributing factor in Carpenter’s struggles, a better batted ball distribution could improve his results. By September, he’ll average over two total bases per plate appearance. His on-base percentage will be above 1.000 in both August and September. If he were to hit more home runs, his season would be worth twenty to thirty WAR. So, what should we expect from Carpenter? Let’s see what he can do to help his power numbers in 2018.
During his slump, Carpenter was more of a middle-infielder. He hit more fly balls than any other position in baseball. During his three-month reign of terror, he switched to first base. During that time, his contact rate has improved dramatically. Although his average walk rate has been down during his slump, his strikeouts remain low. But his line-drive rate remains high, and he’s been able to hit many of them above the “L” screen.
Since joining the New York Yankees, Matt Carpenter has begun hitting home runs again. While he had a poor season with the Cardinals last season, he hit over 30 home runs in his first two seasons with the club. With a healthy swing and a strong defensive game, Carpenter could become a productive player for the Yankees. So, if he can hit home runs again, the Yankees are definitely in the best position to make a move.
His on-base percentage
While batting average is important, a batter’s on-base percentage is even more important. His on-base percentage is better than his batting average because it accounts for a scarce resource. In addition to accounting for the scarce resource, on-base percentage also measures the most important job of a hitter at the plate. While getting hit by a pitch can hurt a batter, getting on base without creating an out helps the team.
One way to calculate a batter’s on-base percentage is to calculate the number of plate appearances that result in a hit or an out. Plate appearances that end in base on error are not counted, so they aren’t included in the calculation. This is a method known as ‘net out’. The difference between the two is that the former is a positive number, while the latter is a negative one.
For example, Ted Williams set the Major League “standard” for highest on-base percentage in 1941. Barry Bonds broke the record in 2002 and 2004 with a.582-percent on-base percentage. Both Williams and Bonds also have a.609 on-base percentage. However, the distinction is only relevant for players who played at least 1,000 games. The highest-ranked players in this category are those who had a minimum of 1,000 at-bats.
While the on-base average is a vital part of the game, an on-base percentage is even more important. Because teams get 27 outs per game, players with high on-base percentages will avoid making outs and extend games. However, sacrifice bunts and catcher’s interference are not counted when calculating the on-base percentage. If you want to know how to calculate a player’s on-base percentage, it’s essential to understand how the stat is calculated.
