Carpenter nailed down

Matt Carpenter called agreeing to a new $52 million, six-year deal with St. Louis a no-brainer. The Cardinals are hoping their third baseman stays even longer than that. The deal includes a team option for a seventh year in 2020 at $18.5 million. Should St. Louis decline the option, they would pay Carpenter a $2 million buyout. “For a baseball junkie like myself, I can’t think of a better place to play than the city of St. Louis,” Carpenter said. “Playing in front of these fans, the city of St. Louis, Cardinal baseball as a whole, it’s just so much fun. It’s such a privilege to put on this jersey. It’s something I don’t take lightly at all.” Carpenter hit .318 while leading the N.L. in hits (199), doubles (55) and runs (126) last season while playing mostly second base. He is moving back to third this season. – Associated Press