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Lifelong Frog
Fox Sports: Cardinals value Carpenter's plate discipline more than his TCU coach did
By Stan McNeal
ST. LOUIS -- When Matt Carpenter played at TCU, he showed the same dogged discipline at the plate that he does for the Cardinals.
But in college, his excellent eye wasn't always so appreciated.
"I didn't need him to lead off. I needed him to hit," TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said Wednesday. "He would get in 3-1 counts with a runner on first and second and that pitch would be right there (just outside) and most left-handed hitters are swinging. He'd take it and now we would have the bases loaded for the next guy. 'Come on, Carp. The next guy is not as good as you. I need you to swing.'"
Carpenter, who spent five years at TCU, eventually listened to his coach, and in more ways than one. "He had double-digit homers his last two years (11 in each), so he did a little more of that," Schlossnagle said. "But his walks were always more than his strikeouts and the quality of his at-bats always were incredible." ...
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/story/cardinals-value-carpenter-s-plate-discipline-more-than-his-tcu-coach-did-080714
By Stan McNeal
ST. LOUIS -- When Matt Carpenter played at TCU, he showed the same dogged discipline at the plate that he does for the Cardinals.
But in college, his excellent eye wasn't always so appreciated.
"I didn't need him to lead off. I needed him to hit," TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said Wednesday. "He would get in 3-1 counts with a runner on first and second and that pitch would be right there (just outside) and most left-handed hitters are swinging. He'd take it and now we would have the bases loaded for the next guy. 'Come on, Carp. The next guy is not as good as you. I need you to swing.'"
Carpenter, who spent five years at TCU, eventually listened to his coach, and in more ways than one. "He had double-digit homers his last two years (11 in each), so he did a little more of that," Schlossnagle said. "But his walks were always more than his strikeouts and the quality of his at-bats always were incredible." ...
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/story/cardinals-value-carpenter-s-plate-discipline-more-than-his-tcu-coach-did-080714
