When baseball season ends and the weather starts to turn, David Carpenter returns home to West Virginia, where a partially-rebuilt 1979 Camaro Z/28 sits in the garage.
Carpenter loves Camaros. He has two of his own. But this particular car has a special meaning for he and his parents, Darrell and Barbara. It was their first car, the car they’ve had since the day they were married.
Now, Carpenter and his father, a recently retired mechanical engineer at an aluminum plant, spend their winter hours together rebuilding it.
“They’ve had it forever, and I finally talked them into, ’Hey, let’s do this thing right. Let’s get it all the way original,’” Carpenter said. “There’s a process to it, but the end result is going to be the fun part.”
Carpenter is just a guy from right down the road. “You hop on [Interstate] 68 and basically run into the hometown right there,” he said. He loves West Virginia football and basketball. He loves working on cars with his father. And he might prove to be a crucial midseason addition to an inconsistent Washington Nationals bullpen.
Roughly two weeks ago, Washington acquired Carpenter in trade with the New York Yankees, who had designated him for assignment. The Nationals had run through waves of minor-league relievers and needed the sort of stability in their bullpen that only a veteran can provide, so they turned to Carpenter, a 29-year-old converted catcher who spent the better part of two seasons as the setup man for Craig Kimbrel in Atlanta.
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“How could you complain coming to a team like this?” Carpenter said. “Great group of guys, a chance to make a big splash in the division. That’s what everybody’s aspirations are: To try and win the division. It’s everything that I saw from the other side. It’s a great place to be.”
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind, Carpenter said. He met the team in Milwaukee while simultaneously preparing to relocate to Washington, with the help of his agent and vice president of clubhouse operations and team travel Rob McDonald. He spent time with his teammates, the same players that he once viewed as division rivals.
Carpenter was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals as a catcher and switched positions in 2008. He then bounced from Houston to Toronto to Atlanta and, eventually, to the Yankees. Now he is back in the National League East, where he posted a combined 2.63 ERA with the Braves in 2013 and 2014. He’s also back in a familiar role, in the back of the bullpen.
It’s a welcome change for Carpenter after a brief and rocky stint in New York. Struggling to adapt to his surroundings, he posted a 4.82 ERA in 22 appearances.
“It was a different atmosphere, something I wasn’t quite used to,” Carpenter explained. “Never really got my feet on the ground there. It was kind of one of those things where I was comfortable in one spot and then kind of getting moved and shuffled around, it takes a little bit of time to kind of get your feet back on the ground. … It’s just a little different way some relievers are used over in the American League.”
Entering Wednesday night’s game against the Braves, Carpenter had given up just one hit and not allowed a run in five appearances with the Nationals. With a 95-mph fastball and rapidly improving slider, he has emerged as a reliable option in the seventh or eighth inning alongside Casey Janssen and Matt Thornton.
“David, obviously, stuff-wise, has the ability to pitch at the back end of a game,” Atlanta pitching coach Roger McDowell said. “He’s competitive. He competes. Good work ethic. And being a position change guy, I think he has a good idea of the game and a good understanding of the game.”
Carpenter said his familiarity with the division has helped make for a smooth transition. He’s happy in Washington and has fit in nicely in the clubhouse.
“What you see is what you get with David,” said Dan Uggla, who was also Carpenter’s teammate in Atlanta. “He’s a hard-nosed, strong guy that throws hard, and he has one of the biggest hearts you’ve ever seen. He cares about his teammates, cares about his friends. What you see is what you get.”
Growing up in Fairmont, West Virginia, Carpenter said he pulled for the Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates based on geography alone. The Baltimore Orioles were close, too, but their games weren’t televised. In recent years, he said, that has changed.
“With the Nats coming and really starting to make waves, they’re starting to get a little more traction back home,” Carpenter said. “It’s kind of neat getting to be this close to home, to have family and friends come over.”
When the season ends, Carpenter will return the favor. He’ll drive west on Interstate 68 until the surroundings look familiar. He hopes to return home with a division title, and possibly more. A 1979 Camaro will be waiting for him in the garage.
• Tom Schad can be reached at tschad@washingtontimes.com.
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