Carpenter selected to MLB All- Star Game

Carpenter selected to MLB All- Star Game

MLB.com ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals will be represented in the 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard by baseball's most potent leadoff hitter, as Matt Carpenter was named to the National League team on Tuesday. It marked his third selection in the last four seasons.

As of now, however, the veteran infielder will be traveling to San Diego alone.

Unless the Cardinals have a late addition to the squad as an injury replacement, this will be the first time since 2002 (Matt Morris) that the Cardinals will send one player to the All-Star Game. In three of the past four seasons, the Cardinals have had six players named to the NL team.

'I feel like it would be odd, and it would be disappointing because like I said I feel like we've got some guys who deserve to go,' Carpenter said, shortly after manager Mike Matheny pulled him into his office to deliver the congratulatory news prior to Tuesday night's matchup against the Pirates. 'Maybe some arms aren't available or some injuries free open some spots because I'm certainly not the only deserving All-Star on our team.'

Matheny and general manager John Mozeliak both reached out to Mets manager Terry Collins, who filled out the NL roster, to lobby for several of their players. Starting pitcher Carlos Martinez, reliever Seung Hwan Oh and shortstop Aledmys Diaz are among those the Cardinals had hoped would garner consideration.

The fact that no Cardinals were selected to the team through the fan ballot or player vote hurt the club's chances of landing multiple All-Stars. Catcher Yadier Molina was overtaken in the final days of the fan vote by San Francisco's Buster Posey. His exclusion from the team snaps a string of seven straight All-Star selections.

'I was surprised. I really was,' Mozeliak said of the organization's one-man class. 'As all of you know, though, this is sort of day one of the announcement and lots of additions happen after [this]. Come Tuesday, I would be very surprised if we didn't have an addition.'

Carpenter was an obvious choice, as he entered Tuesday leading the NL in OPS (1.008) and onbase percentage (.427), and ranking second in doubles (25), slugging percentage (.581) and extra-base hits (44). He's been especially dangerous since returning from paternity leave, hitting .383/.496/.687 with 22 extra-base hits and 21 RBIs in those 30 games.

Carpenter acknowledged the possibility of correlation between the two. 'Carrying that weight early on in the season, that anticipation just the nerves that go along with having a child, once she arrived and was healthy and all that good stuff it's certainly been a relief,' Carpenter said. 'Maybe I got my dad strength that people talk about so if that's a real thing then maybe so.'

His newborn daughter, Kinley, will be accompanying the Carpenters to the All-Star festivities.

Carpenter will head to San Diego as a utility option for Collins. The return of Jhonny Peralta and ascension of Diaz led the Cardinals to move Carpenter to second base a month ago. He has started three games at first base, as well.

By Jenifer Langosch