RetroSimba

(Updated May 14, 2018)

Lacking an “h” in his first name was one of many differences between Cris Carpenter and the successful Cardinals ace of the similar name, Chris Carpenter. Still, there was a time when Cris Carpenter was regarded as a top talent in the St. Louis system.

Chris Carpenter, signed as a free agent by the Cardinals in December 2002, posted a 95-44 regular-season record in nine years with St. Louis (2004-2012)

Cris Carpenter was a first-round pick of the Cardinals in the 1987 amateur draft.

The Cardinals took Cris Carpenter out of the University of Georgia as the 14th overall selection, ahead of other No. 1 picks such as the Astros’ Craig Biggio (22nd overall), the Orioles’ Pete Harnisch (27th) and the Tigers’ Travis Fryman (30th).

After the draft, Cris Carpenter spent the summer of 1987 pitching for Team USA in the Pan American Games. He was 6-1 with five saves and a 1.37 ERA. He signed with the Cardinals in September 1987 and reported to the Florida instructional league.

Cris Carpenter began his first professional season as a starter for Class AAA Louisville in 1988. After seven appearances for Louisville, he was called up to the Cardinals and given a start against the Braves in his major-league debut on May 14, 1988.

The Braves were the boyhood favorite of Cris Carpenter, who grew up in Gainesville, Ga.

“It’s hard to believe I’ll be pitching against the Braves,” Cris Carpenter said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I watched Dale Murphy on television for so many years, but to see him in person and pitch against him … It’s going to be fun.”

Cris Carpenter’s debut game turned out to be one of the most memorable in Cardinals lore. The Braves won, 7-5, in 19 innings. Infielder Jose Oquendo pitched the final four innings for St. Louis and took the loss. Carpenter yielded five runs in six innings. Murphy was 0-for-2 with a walk against Carpenter. Boxscore

In five years (1988-92) with St. Louis, Cris Carpenter was 21-15 with a 3.66 ERA, primarily as a reliever. Under manager Joe Torre, Carpenter was 10-4 with a 4.23 ERA in 59 relief appearances in 1991 and 5-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 73 relief appearances in 1992.

The Cardinals made Cris Carpenter available in the National League expansion draft in November 1992 and he was selected by the Marlins. “He lost his confidence and tried to guide the ball,” Torre said. “When he gets into that mode of trying to guide the ball, he gets burned.”

Previously: Cardinals, once a nemesis, now tout Derek Lilliquist