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Stronger Carpenter and trade for a lefthanded hitter would help Cardinals balance their lineup

After undergoing a series of physical exams at the end of the season, Matt Carpenter, the former All-Star leadoff hitter, has started an offseason program the club hopes will help him regain some of the weight and strength he lacked throughout this past season. Carpenter, 34, had a career-low .226 average and .726 OPS as well as a drop in his bat’s exit velocity — all of which prompted the Cardinals’ performance department to search for causes. John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, said tests suggested it was Carpenter’s inability to maintain weight and strength.

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“When you look at last year vs.