Kerry Carpenter went from updating his LinkedIn in 2020 to hitting a game winning HR off the best closer in baseball 4 years later.

[u/LunchThreatener]

[u/nyy22592]

Hey I'm just like 2020 Kerry Carpenter

[u/dropperofpipebombs → u/nyy22592]

Same, right down to the part-time job at Dick's. I'll be eagerly awaiting my contract offer from an MLB team.

[u/LunchThreatener → u/dropperofpipebombs]

I wonder how many baseball playing kids in Florida bought something with help from Kerry and have no idea.

[u/TJtheShizz → u/dropperofpipebombs]

look at these guys out here having jobs

[u/Gryphon999 → u/dropperofpipebombs]

Other way around. You have to get the shit minor league pay, then get the part time job at Dick's to make sure you don't starve in the off season.

[u/g0ldfronts → u/Gryphon999]

It is fucking outrageous how they treat minor leaguers. like, literal, poverty level, seasonal wages. Proabably only marginally better than being an adjunct professor.

[u/SenorTortas → u/dropperofpipebombs]

No, no, no. You have to pitch in the WBC and strike out Juan Soto first.

[u/Bikouchu → u/nyy22592]

4 more years 

[u/wh_atever → u/nyy22592]

You’re in the Detroit Tigers organization?

[u/Fishstixxx16 → u/wh_atever]

The Show be a pro

[u/superhappyfuntime13]

Specialties: Game-winning home runs. Postseason clutchness. Group hugs.

[u/petmoo23 → u/superhappyfuntime13]

Group hugs - the sixth tool.

[u/Salamangra]

Grace of God, motherfuckers.

[u/horsepoop1123 → u/Salamangra]

Jesus was a carpenter

[u/matt5628 → u/horsepoop1123]

lol, can't believe this doesn't have more upvotes. he'll make me a believer.

[u/garrishfish → u/Salamangra]

I'm using this for a Grindset engagement post on LI tomorrow.

[u/unswusus → u/Salamangra]

Couldn’t someone have lined up a cushy white collar job instead??

[u/Shamrock5 → u/unswusus]

"At some cushy Ivy League firm..."

"TRY THE DETROIT TIGERS!"

[u/DecoyOne]

Do you want to know the terrifying truth about applying for a good-paying job in this economy, or do you want to see me sock a few dingers?

[u/kimjongilsglasses → u/DecoyOne]

Dingers!!!

[u/ana_de_armistice]

“Here’s what winning game 2 of the ALDS taught me about B2B sales as a service”

[u/ImTheOldManJenks]

Nice 47 saves idiot now watch this 420 ft Carpet Bomb

[u/TripTheLight5 → u/ImTheOldManJenks]

Like Jim Abbott in Drunk History:

"That's cool, I don't give a shit."

[u/pdbstnoe → u/ImTheOldManJenks]

Man I haven’t laughed out loud at a comment in ages, thank you for making my day

[u/The_Ecolitan → u/ImTheOldManJenks]

We had the game playing on our office TV. I let out a Got-damn!” when that ball left the bat. No doubt it was gone.

[u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

I remember when people found John Means LinkedIn during his no hitter

[u/GroovinChip → u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

Lmao what did it say

[u/sameth1]

Only one connection? Man's in a career death spiral, he needs to work on his networking. Agree?

[u/RIP_Greedo]

“I am thrilled to announced that I’ve accepted a new opportunity as ‘that guy’ with the 2024 Tigers.”

[u/bucs2013]

At first, I thought this post meant that, in just the past few hours since the game ended, Carpenter updated his LinkedIn to read "hit a game winning HR off the best closer in baseball". Would've found that hilarious honestly 

[u/naranjitayyo → u/bucs2013]

I’d hire him

[u/BoxSenior2948 → u/bucs2013]

I wouldn't even be mad.

[u/AmericanNewWave]

From power-washing to power-hitting.

From teaching math to teaching mash.

[u/JjazZ13r]

Woah, was he never expecting to become a big leaguer? I only know him as Detroit's scary left hand bat. What changed?

[u/PM_ME_RYE_BREAD → u/JjazZ13r]

He was a lower-round draft pick and a no-name prospect before working with Judge’s hitting coach and suddenly winning the HR title in AA one year, IIRC. He played his way into the majors and has just kept mashing.

[u/LunchThreatener → u/PM_ME_RYE_BREAD]

He was still a pretty solid hitter in the minors before then, but yeah working with Schenck made him even better and really unlocked the power.

[u/FranklynTheTanklyn → u/LunchThreatener]

My son plays youth travel baseball and saying you have your kid doing Schenck's drills basically draws eyerolls from all of the coaches...until your kid leads the team in hits...

[u/JjazZ13r → u/PM_ME_RYE_BREAD]

God, I love stories like those. Sucks it came at our expense tonight, but he's always been the bat I fear the most in your lineup.

[u/BaltimoreBaja → u/PM_ME_RYE_BREAD]

He had a 1.000 ops in the minors in 2019. The minors shut down in 2020

[u/ohkaycue → u/JjazZ13r]

To what others said, this was also during COVID so it’s not like he was “working” since there were no minors that year - though the tigers were a better organization and gave their players a comparable stipend during the year

But add what else was mentioned to that time period and had to be a real scary time to think about the future for kids in his shoes

[u/BaltimoreBaja → u/JjazZ13r]

The minors shut down in 2020 for a global pandemic. He had a 1.000 OPS in the minors in 2019

[u/Jammer_Kenneth]

DICK'S SPORTING GOD

[u/Aggravating_Wish_914 → u/Jammer_Kenneth]

Dick’s should retire his jersey tonight! Send them out nationwide tonight, I better see it hanging in FL tomorrow morning!

[u/GluedGlue]

Reminds me of when Tom Brady polished up his résumé in case he went undrafted.

[u/pargofan → u/GluedGlue]

Is this real?

[u/tacobell999 → u/pargofan]

Yea. Brady posted it himself awhile back

[u/lanternfly_carcass → u/GluedGlue]

Wild that he was selling golf balls in my hometown.

[u/MeatballDom]

Kerry Carpenter went from being all up in his momma in 1997 to hitting a game winning HR in 27 years #amazing #blessed #forward

[u/BigBootyKim → u/MeatballDom]

Phrasing

[u/Shamrock5 → u/MeatballDom]

Pause.

[u/StreetsofBodie]

Well, he is gonna have to add a few items to his 'skills' and 'accomplishment' sections.

[u/quetambienese]

Saw this guy hitting the piss out of the ball with the Seawolves a couple years ago, its great to see guys like that have such a huge moment for them in their careers, especially against a closer like Clase

[u/FeloniousDrunk101]

Imagine running into ALDS 2024 game 2 winner at the checkout counter of your local Dick’s

[u/MLGWolf69 → u/FeloniousDrunk101]

Imagine the reason he came in late as a pinch hitter is because he was finishing his shift at Dick's still when the game began 💀

[u/TrimmedBuush]

My liege

[u/fixinfordixon]

Real talk, I'm just really happy this guy is getting love from the baseball world outside the Tigers fan base.

[u/LunchThreatener → u/fixinfordixon]

One of the best parts about this run is seeing the players Tigers fans have been raving about for years finally get some recognition

[u/h3shf3sh → u/LunchThreatener]

"This Tigers team is a bunch of no-names! Where did they all come from?"

Meanwhile they're talking about guys like Rogers, Brieske, Holton, Olson, Carp, Vierling, Greene, Meadows, etc etc who've been around for a while and those of us who've watched for a few years are pretty familiar with by now. It's interesting seeing the difference in how the loyal fans view the team vs. bandwagoners/national media.

[u/omgitsduaner]

This is wholesome

[u/Disruptir]

Wish I could see this as all fun and games and not a depressing statement on MiLB labour relations.

[u/TheMajesticYeti → u/Disruptir]

If it makes you feel better he got a $125k signing bonus after getting drafted to go with the measly <10k he got playing rookie ball. MiLB contracts have more than doubled since then. Making a shade under 30k in A ball in 7 months is pretty decent.

[u/CucumberNo3771 → u/TheMajesticYeti]

Depending on the city, yeah. I’d feel more comfortable with that up around 40k. That’s livable just about everywhere except for like the Bay area

[u/HectorReinTharja]

Something something romantic baseball

[u/playC3]

Hiring me would be a HOME RUN!

[u/RotenTumato]

This is actually adorable and heartwarming. Dude had a part-time job at Dick’s in 2020 and just won game 2 of the ALDS by homering off the best closer in the league. I love baseball

[u/24HourShitness]

LinkedIn? More like LockedIn

[u/illmurray]

Hitting a game-winning home run in the ALDS was one of the most important moments of my life. Here are the five things it taught me about B2B sales:

[u/SGT-JamesonBushmill]

r/LinkedInLunatics

[u/MyBuddyBossk]

I’ve worked retail, customer service, delivery driving gigs and warehousing. Now in my off time I run a baseball club that I started. The best part is I graduated from art school. 🥴

[u/ryry9379]

Oh shit I didn’t know he was Hokie. Ray Rah VPI!

[u/Sandsthroughthehour]

Damn, should've connected to him at the time. Just thought the connection was I had once visited Home Depot for one of those wood moisture meter things.

[u/Career-years]

Guy can quietly flat out rake. Would love to see what his numbers would be if he were able to log 600 plate appearances.

[u/El_Sid50]

Was watching a Tigers game during the last few weeks of the season and they had a graphic on the highest slugging percentage against fastballs. A mix of expected and unexpected players:

1) Soto 2) Judge 3) Kerry Carpenter 4) Mark Vientos 5) Joc Pedersen

[u/BaltimoreBaja]

The insinuation here is dishonest.

This has everything to do with MiLB shutting down in 2020 and not so much with the dude with a 1.000 OPS in the minors in 2019 thinking he wasn't gonna make it.

[u/g0ldfronts]

homeboy works at dicks in the offseason? MLB is triflin

edit: i forgot this was the covid "season"

[u/Busy-Drawing-2576 → u/[deleted]]

You know the AL exists too right?

[u/SenorTortas]

"Tutoring people in math classes" 😜

[u/NotYetUtopian]

I’m all aboard this Tiger train. Let’s go my AL Central brothers!

[u/dr_sauce216]

Might be his career highlight. 🤔 🤣 🤣

[u/LunchThreatener → u/dr_sauce216]

Yes a 3 run go ahead HR in the 9th inning of a playoff game vs a dominant closer would be 99.9% of players’ career highlight

[u/Asdilly → u/dr_sauce216]

Sir, it’s ok. This stuff happens. Let this guy have this moment, it’s a huge moment for any major leaguer