Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter is working to refine his fielding, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Carpenter took part in extra reps prior to Wednesday's game. He worked with assistant hitting coach, and former third baseman, David Bell, and infield coach Jose Oquendo. Despite moving back to his natural position during the offseason, Carpenter has dealt with some defensive struggles early. Oquendo is quick to point out that though third is his natural spot, Carpenter did not play the position much last year.
Manager Mike Matheny also hinted at Carpenter's lack of comfort transitioning to his play in the batter's box. "I don’t think you can take that out of the equation either," Matheny said. "Meanwhile, he’s still trying to get a little more comfortable offensively, too."
Through 132 at-bats, Carpenter has hit .288, with one home run.