In 2005, Chris Carpenter had 21 wins, seven complete games and four shutouts for the Cardinals. No St. Louis pitcher has achieved even one of those totals in a season since.
On Nov. 10, 2005, Carpenter joined Bob Gibson (a two-time winner, 1968 and 1970) as the only Cardinals pitchers to earn a Cy Young Award.
Displaying remarkable consistency, Carpenter, 30, was a dominant and durable force for the 2005 Cardinals.
His 2005 statistics: 21-5 record, 2.83 ERA, 33 games started, seven complete games, four shutouts, 241.2 innings pitched and 213 strikeouts.
Carpenter received 132 vote points and 19 first-place votes from the 32 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America who were allowed to take part in the balloting.
The runner-up was the Marlins’ Dontrelle Willis, who received 112 vote points and 11 first-place votes. Willis in 2005 was 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA, 34 games started, seven complete games, five shutouts, 236.1 innings pitched and 170 strikeouts.
Roger Clemens of the Astros was third in the balloting, receiving 40 vote points and two first-place votes. Clemens in 2005 was 13-8 with a 1.87 ERA, 32 games started, one complete game, no shutouts, 211.1 innings pitched and 185 strikeouts.
“It’s a great feeling and honor,” Carpenter said to the Associated Press after learning he had won the award. “A couple of years ago, I didn’t think I’d even play again.”
While with the Blue Jays, Carpenter had shoulder surgery in September 2002. He became a free agent, signed with the Cardinals and had shoulder surgery again in 2003.
After a successful comeback with the Cardinals in 2004 _ Carpenter was named winner of the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award _ Carpenter emerged as the Cardinals’ ace in 2005.
Carpenter “had from the first day of spring training (in 2005) that feel that he could energize our rotation,” manager Tony La Russa said to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Right from the beginning he was setting the tone for our rotation and for our ballclub. He just kept elevating his performance.”
After a loss to the Red Sox on June 8, 2005, Carpenter was 8-4 with a 3.49 ERA. After that, he was, well, Cy Young-like.
The Cardinals won 17 consecutive games Carpenter started from June 14 through Sept. 13. Carpenter was 13-0 with four no-decisions in that stretch.
Also during that period, Carpenter had 16 consecutive starts of at least seven innings per start and never allowing more than three earned runs.
The total of 241.2 innings pitched by Carpenter in 2005 hasn’t been topped by a Cardinals pitcher since, though Adam Wainwright equaled it in 2013.
The 2005 season was the only one in Carpenter’s 15-year big-league career with the Blue Jays and Cardinals that he achieved 20 wins and 200 strikeouts.
According to the Post-Dispatch, Carpenter in 2005 was:
_ Quickest Cardinal to 20 wins since Dizzy Dean did it in his 23rd start of the 1934 season.
_ First Cardinal to strike out 200 batters since Jose DeLeon in 1989.
_ First Cardinal to win 20 games since Matt Morris in 2001.
_ First NL pitcher to win 10 consecutive road starts since Gibson won 12 consecutive in 1970.
Previously: Nobody did it better than Chris Carpenter in 2005
Previously: Cardinals debut helped ease doubts about Chris Carpenter
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