It seemed like Chris Carpenter spent far more time on Injured Reserve then he did on a Major League roster.  That wasn't the case but damned if it wasn't an unfortunate pie chart that was freakishly close to even.

When the Toronto Blue Jays released Chris Carpenter after his 2002 season was cut short by a shoulder injury, they saw him as a typical example of potential unfulfilled due to injuries. They offered him a minor league contract, but he chose to decline and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals instead. He spent all of 2003 in intensive rehab under pitching coach Dave Duncan's supervision. In 2004, the tall right-hander finally took the mound at Busch Stadium. His return was more than just a career comeback; it marked the rise of a fiercely competitive pitcher, one of the most formidable big-game leaders in modern baseball history.

Carpenter announced his arrival with a solid 15–5 record in 2004, but his standout performance came during the legendary 2005 season. With an improved, sharp sinker and a powerful 12–6 curveball, he dominated National League lineups. He achieved a remarkable 21–5 record, with a 2.83 ERA over an extensive 241.2 innings. His frequent complete games, totaling seven, effectively shut down opposing offenses. These feats earned him the 2005 National League Cy Young Award and his first All-Star selection, establishing him as the top starter in the league.

He showcased his elite peak during the historic 2006 season, with 32 high-intensity starts and leading the National League with a mere 1.069 WHIP. His calm, consistent execution under pressure drove manager Tony La Russa's rotation. In October, Carpenter became a postseason menace, culminating in a brilliant three-hit, no-run performance over eight innings in Game 3 of the World Series, helping secure the championship against the Detroit Tigers.

As he established himself as a local icon, the physical strain from his intense playing style finally took a toll. Carpenter faced a tough series of medical procedures, including Tommy John surgery and shoulder reconstruction, which ended his 2007 season and limited him to only four appearances in 2008. For many in baseball, a second comeback appeared unlikely based on the numbers.

Yet, Carpenter engineered an iconic, roaring return during the unforgettable 2009 campaign. In what stands as one of the most resilient displays of grit the sport has ever seen, he captured the National League ERA title with a microscopic 2.24 mark, going 17–4 to easily secure NL Comeback Player of the Year honors and finish as the runner-up for the Cy Young Award. He followed that triumph by leading the league with 35 starts and a massive 235 innings in 2010.

That renowned durability reached its peak during the iconic 2011 championship run. This postseason is best remembered for Carpenter's pivotal high-pressure moment. In a memorable Game 5 winner-takes-all against his close friend Roy Halladay and the formidable Philadelphia Phillies, Carpenter delivered a historic, complete-game 1–0 shutout, securing St. Louis’s spot in the NLCS. He carried that exact momentum through the Fall Classic, starting and winning the epic Game 7 finale against the Texas Rangers to hoist his second World Series trophy. The immense physical strain of that workload ultimately took its final toll, as a severe thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis limited him to a brief cameo in 2012 and forced his official retirement.

Carpenter finished his nine-year St. Louis stint with a 95–44 record, a 3.06 ERA, and 1,085 strikeouts in 197 games. He was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2016.

Strategic voting. What you have to do when you have too many choices and not enough time or opportunities to realize all those choices.

Sounds like voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame for the last few years, doesn't it?

The good news is that since the Shutout of 2013, when the eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) could not muster the 75 percent of the vote necessary to elect any one ballot candidate to the Hall of Fame despite a wealth of candidates from whom to choose (I counted 14), the BBWAA has sent a dozen players to Cooperstown. Based on that trend, and barring any unusual or unforeseen wrinkle, the writers are certain to elect at least one player for 2018.

The St. Louis Cardinals have announced the latest class to their organization’s Hall of Fame.  It is a group of three former players and a former owner.

For many, the headliner is one of the two men voted in by the fans, Chris Carpenter.  Arriving in St. Louis following a release from the Toronto Blue Jays, Carpenter would finally live up to his potential, recovering from elbow issues and would become a fixture in the Cardinals rotation.  The following year, Carpenter would have his best individual season winning the Cy Young Award going 21 and 5 with 213 Strikeouts.  The year after, Carpenter would finish third in Cy Young Voting and would ace the Cardinals to a World Series Championship.

The injury bug would strike again and his problem elbow would force the Pitcher to miss almost all of 2007 and 2008 but he would be back in ’09, finishing second in Cy Young voting and winning the ERA title.  Appropriately, Carpenter would win the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award.  Two years later, Carpenter would assist St. Louis in winning the World Series in 2011.

Overall as a St. Louis Cardinal, Chris Carpenter was a three time All Star with a 95 - 44 Record with 1,085 Strikeouts and an ERA of 3.07.

The second fan inductee is Joe Torre, who entered the Baseball Hall of Fame for his managerial prowess two years ago.

As a St. Louis Cardinal, Joe Torre was the team’s Catcher for six seasons and was named an All Star four times.  He was named the National League MVP in 1971 in a season where he led the league in Hits, Runs Batted In and Batting Average.  Overall as a Cardinal, Torre had 1,062 Hits, 98 Home Runs and a Slash Line of .308/.382/.458.

Carpenter and Torre won in the fan vote over Keith Hernandez, Jason Isringhausen, Mark McGwire, Matt Morris, Edgar Renteria and Scott Rolen.

As selected by a special committee, Terry Moore and Sam Breadon were also chosen for the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame. 

Moore was a Cardinal for his entire MLB career earning All Star honors four times.  He was a member of two World Series Championship Teams, and had 1,318 Hits over his career. 

Breadon was the President and Majority Owner of the Cardinals from 1920 to 1947 and during his tenure St. Louis won the World Series six times and the National League Pennant nine times. 

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the latest Cardinals Hall of Fame Class.

Once Chris Carpenter oiled his trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, he became a bonafide ace. Carpenter captured the National League Cy Young Award in 2005 and was the runner up and second runner up for the Award in 2009 and 2006 respectively. The three time All Star was often decimated by injuries, which took away a large chunk of his career and forced him to an early retirement. With a career bWAR of 35.5 and realistically only three really good seasons, it is hard to make a strong case for Cooperstown.



The Bullet Points:
Country of Origin:
U.S.A. (Exeter, New Hampshire)

Eligible In:
The 2018 Vote

Position:
Pitcher

Played For:
Toronto Blue Jays
St. Louis Cardinals

Major Accolades and Awards:
Cy Young Award (1) (NL) (2005)
3 Time All Star (2005, 2006 & 2010)
Lowest Earned Run Average (1) (NL) (2009)
Lowest WHIP (1) (NL) (2006)
Most Innings Pitched (1) (NL) (2011)
Most Complete Games (1) (NL) (2005)
Most Shutouts (1) (NL) (2006)
World Series Rings (2) (St. Louis Cardinals 2006 & 2011)

Other Points of Note:
Top Ten MVP Finishes:
(NL: 2005, 8^th)
Top Ten Cy Young Finishes: (Won the NL Cy Young in 2005)
(NL: 2006, 3^rd) & (NL: 2011, 2^nd)
5 Top Ten Finishes (Earned Run Average)
5 Top Ten Finishes (Wins)
4 Top Finishes (WHIP)
4 Top Ten Finishes (Innings Pitched)
2 Top Ten Finishes (Strikeouts)
6 Top Ten Finishes (Complete Games)
3 Top Ten Finishes (WAR for Pitchers)

Notable All Time Rankings:
None