By the time Cardinals manager Mike Matheny got to the top step of the corridor between the dugout and clubhouse after the Cardinals had beaten the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night, third baseman Matt Carpenter was there to greet him and plead his case to play in Sunday’s game.
“I just wanted to make the decision easy for him,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter had had to leave the Saturday game after five innings because of some hip tightness, but he wanted to assure Matheny, and later the media, that he would be able to play in the Cardinals’ home finale.