For the Cardinals Fans - Pretty Good Write Up on Matt Carpenter

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ST. LOUIS -- With just a few games left in the season and a playoff spot clinched, Cardinals' third-base coach José Oquendo hits groundballs before a recent game against the Nationals to Matt Carpenter, Daniel Descalso and Rafael Furcal. They field ball after ball. Then Oquendo approaches Carpenter and Oquendo squats down, stepping back into a throwing motion while explaining one of the many possibilities of a routine groundball that could come Carpenter's way at second.

From the lonely winter practices Carpenter spent on his dad's high school baseball field this past offseason learning how to play second base, to a player with a .321 average and the most runs, hits and doubles in the National League, Carpenter has not only redefined himself as a solid second baseman but is in consideration for NL MVP. How did this transformation happen?

"I take a lot of pride in kind of being self-made, being a guy that is kind of an afterthought to even making the big leagues and then let alone even becoming an All-Star and playing second base," Carpenter said. "There have been points in my career where people have said, 'He'll never be good enough to play third, let alone second.'"

There is no clear-cut definition of what Most Valuable Player means. Even the BBWAA admits this. So we argue. We criticize the voters. All of baseball enthusiasts define valuable in a different way. For manager Mike Matheny, he says he's been trying to say to anyone who is willing to listen that Carpenter's season is MVP-worthy.

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