ST. LOUIS — The leadoff spot is to Matt Carpenter as a security blanket was to Linus.
The St. Louis Cardinals first baseman, who was moved to the third spot in the lineup at the start of the year with the addition of center fielder Dexter Fowler via free agency, should have been a good fit for the new placement. With his power and patience, Carpenter is capable of 25 homers and 100 walks.
However, Carpenter is also capable of hitting for a good average, and for whatever reason, that average had slipped as low as .