Matt Carpenter discusses his time with the Cardinals, retirement, and coaching future

Matt Carpenter was a Cardinal through and through, and he was one of the club's best players throughout the 2010s. Throughout his 12 years with the Cardinals, Carpenter slashed .261/.366/.446 with 159 home runs and 591 RBIs. He's an easy candidate for the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame following his retirement announcement on May 14th.

Upon his retirement, Carpenter discussed his desire to spend more time with his family. "God really just put it on my heart that it was time to come home and be a dad,” he said. Professional athletes are away from home for long stretches of time, and Matt was growing weary of missing out on time with them.

Carpenter recently caught up with the gentlemen at Foul Territory, and he discussed several topics including his retirement, his time with the Cardinals, and his future plans. "I think that road came to an end," said Carpenter of his retirement. "(I) was fortunate enough to play for a long time, and now the focus is on my family. I got two little ones at home, coaching both of their sports, and just really enjoying it."

The 39-year-old Carpenter has a daughter in third grade and a son in first grade, and he's been busy coaching their sports. He looks forward to some quality family time in the near future.

Former Cardinal A.J. Pierzynski asked Matt Carpenter if he intends on coaching down the road and following in the footsteps of his former teammates like Jon Jay, Daniel Descalso, and Skip Schumaker. Pierzynski pushed a bit further, asking Carpenter if he's considered coaching down the road.

"I could see (coaching) happening one day. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to it. I do love the game of baseball. I feel like coaching is in my blood a little bit." Carpenter was raised by a baseball coach as a child, and he looks to emulate that role for his own children. "Maybe in the future something a little more serious than seven-year-old All-Star baseball may show up."

Should Carpenter decide to coach, he would be another name in a long list of former Cardinals who are coaching in the major leagues. Jon Jay and Daniel Descalso are both with the Cardinals currently. Skip Schumaker, an award-winning manager, is working in the Texas Rangers' front office. Matt Adams is a minor-league coach with the San Diego Padres. Even Matt Holliday had a chance to be a coach in the majors recently.

Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols are essentially locks to be MLB managers within the next couple of years, too.

Matt Carpenter would make for an excellent coach at any level and in any role for a baseball organization. He was a fantastic hitter for most of his career, and his baseball IQ was strong. Carpenter could join former Cardinals Descalso, Jay, and Ryan Ludwick as coaches in the St. Louis system.

Matt Carpenter calls Galveston, Texas, home. Should he enter the coaching world while wanting to spend time with his family, he would have to find an organization that will work within those limitations. If the Cardinals or Carpenter are willing to be flexible, he would make an excellent addition to the coaching staff.