Matt Carpenter was left off the Sporting News top fifty players list, but that means more of him for us - A Hunt and Peck

Wait, where is Matt Carpenter?

This is what many were saying as they glanced over the Sporting News top 50 Major League Baseball players. I imagine these people glanced over the list once, twice, maybe three times more to ensure they had not just missed his name. Still, he was no where to be found.

I, too, was startled over his omission. Since becoming a starter in 2013, Carpenter has been one of the best players in baseball, the sixth best by fWAR among qualified hitters, in fact, just above Miguel Cabrera, who was seventeenth on the list. Bernie Miklaz of 101 ESPN further lays out Carp's case in his recent article:

Carpenter's rankings among qualifying MLB hitters this season:

• 20th in the majors in Fan Graphs' version of WAR (2.8).
• Tied for 7th the Baseball Reference version of Offensive WAR (3.2).
• 2nd in the majors in weighted runs created plus (wRC+) at 162.
• Tied for second in OPS+ at 160.
• 17th in Total Runs. That's a Bill James stat combines offense, defense and base-running — with the value of a player's defensive position factored into the equation.
• Tied for third in RC/27 at 8.35 runs. That's another Bill James stat. Explanation: if a player could take every at-bat for his team in a game, how many runs would his team score? With Carpenter the answer is 8.35 runs. That's a big number. So far this season only David Ortiz (9.01) and Anthony Rizzo (8.62) top Carpenter in RC/27.

On top of that, in his career Carpenter has been a two-time All Star, a Silver Slugger, and earned MVP votes.

So it is weird, right?

As I sat and tried to figure this out, I realized something. It does not matter - in fact, this is better. Matt Carpenter has been one of my favorite players for awhile (I love walks). I liked him before it was cool and I do not want people who do not truly appreciate him getting their grubby mitts on him.

Because he is mine ours. And if some people do not value the beauty in moments like this

they don't deserve him. So keep Carp off your arbitrary lists. That just means there is more of him for me us.

A Fresh Serving of Stupid: Matt Carpenter Excluded From Top 50 List | 101Sports.com

what else is going on in baseball...

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• Breaking down the June MLB playoff odds update. | Sports on Earth
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• The Cavs' championship parade was so wild that even the Indians got caught in traffic | MLB.com
• Everybody doubted Zack Greinke's skills on the bases, so he stole second with a headfirst slide | MLB.com
• It's OK to be jealous of this picture of Ken Griffey Jr. and President Obama hanging out together | MLB.com
• Favorite MLB hat bracket first-round voting. | Sports on Earth
• Blake Snell Needs to Get Strike One | FanGraphs Baseball
• Zack Greinke is not what he used to be | Stats & Info | ESPN

what the cardinals are up to...

• Quick hits: Hochman on the Cardinals, the Blues and 'Hamilton' | Benjamin Hochman | stltoday.com
• Cards bullpen is back on track after rough spell | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
• Yes, Quality Starts Make a Difference. By the Way, It's 2016 | 101Sports.com

KNOW THINE ENEMY

the seattle mariners

• Series preview: Cardinals at Mariners | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
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• Boog Powell suspended 80 games for PED use | Lookout Landing
• A Seattle Mariners community | Lookout Landing
  (Just dropping a small personal note in here: I ADORE LOOKOUT LANDING. Seriously, check them out - the articles are wonderful as are the people and I AM SO SORRY I STARTED THAT BLOOD FEUD OVER JASON HEYWARD.)

the nl central

• Andrew McCutchen Clearly Doesn’t Have His Swing | FanGraphs Baseball
• Stanton leads Marlins to win over Cubs | MLB.com
• The Cubs’ record isn’t that special anymore | SBNation.com
• Five things we learned Thursday: Chicago Cubs are slumping | SweetSpot | ESPN
• The Cubs’ Pitchers Are Making Their Own Luck | FiveThirtyEight
• The year in Maddonisms -- 'If you think you look hot, you wear it' | ESPN
  *eye roll, eye roll, EYE ROLL*

viva el stuff...

• FANPOSTS:
  Cardinals Rule V Draft History | Viva El Birdos
  The Moss-Kaminsky Trade: A Look-Back | Viva El Birdos
  Tracking the Tough Signs from 2016 Draft | Viva El Birdos
• 2016 St. Louis Cardinals Game Recaps & Scores | Viva El Birdos
  (So... i am not doing the weekly scoreboard chart because it is a giant pain in the butt and i think you all get the idea)

other things...

• Vladimir Tarasenko Wins NHL 17 Cover Vote | St. Louis Game Time
• Blues Moves | St. Louis Game Time