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Cardinals: Jeff Albert proven right by Carpenter, Goldschmidt

By Josh Jacobs

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 31: Hitting coach Jeff Albert #54 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws balls during batting practice before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 31, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 31: Hitting coach Jeff Albert #54 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws balls during batting practice before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 31, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 21: Matt Carpenter #24 of the New York Yankees hit a line drive to Yuli Gurriel #10 of the Houston Astros in the third inning for an unassisted double play against the New York Yankees during game one of a doubleheader at Minute Maid Park on July 21, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 21: Matt Carpenter #24 of the New York Yankees hit a line drive to Yuli Gurriel #10 of the Houston Astros in the third inning for an unassisted double play against the New York Yankees during game one of a doubleheader at Minute Maid Park on July 21, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

Veteran’s Finding New Success

Unforuntaely, Matt Carpenter’s hot streak is being done for the New York Yankees, but the adjustments Carpenter has made to his game are what Albert has been preaching.

For those who say “I grew up being told to just mash the baseball”, the game has changed. Pitchers do not think “just throw hard and make them miss”. They have bought into sports science and analytics more than hitters have, giving them an incredible advantage over hitters who refuse to adapt to modern baseball.

This is not just looking at numbers and letting front office guys change the game: this is about player’s using the data in front of them to give themselves the best chance at success.

Although Carpenter did not buy into this under Albert’s tenure, he did finally listen during his offseason tour, where his career was on the line and he knew he needed to make a change.

Now Carpenter is slashing .326/.448/.837 with 13 HR and 34 RBI in just 33 games for the Yankees. It’s clear that the adjustments Carpenter has made to his game has not only kept him in baseball, but has not made him one of the best bats in the game again.

Goldschmidt has always been a All-Star level slugger, but has found the influence of Albert to be important to his continued success. 2022 is the prime example of this, as he is slashing .330/.414/.590 with 20 HR and 70 RBI as the clear front runner for MVP in the National League.

These are just two examples of players who are finding success under Albert. Sure, you can point to veterans who are not finding the same success, but you will not find players who disagree with Albert’s approach. Albert is implementing hitting strategies that teams around the league have been bringing to the game for years, and veterans who pick up on that tend to find success.

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