Carpenter Waiting to Return to Mound

St. Louis RHP Chris Carpenter will undergo a series of tests this week that will help determine when he will be able to return to the mound.  He has been suffering from a nerve condition that has led to both shoulder discomfort and weakness and he has not thrown a pitch in over three weeks since suffering a setback in Spring Training.  If Carpenter performs well in the tests then he will begin a throwing program, with the most optimistic reports having him back in the St. Louis rotation by May, although a more realistic timetable wouldn't have him back in their rotation until June.

Carpenter, 36, went 11-9 with a 3.45 ERA in 34 starts in the regular season and went 4-0 with a 3.25 ERA in four starts in the post-season and pitched a career-high 273.1 innings last season.