Chris Carpenter goes for another throwing session
The St. Louis Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter threw 40 pitches on Sunday, March 18, to pronounce his possible return in the Spring Training. It was on March 3 that he last threw any pitch, dealing with a bulging disc in his neck.
Chris Carpenter forms the important component of the rotation along with other starters of the Cardinals. Adam Wainwright, who has yet to fully gain his speed and force, is another Cardinals starter who has been recovering from the injury.
But Sunday’s workout at Jupiter has brought back the confidence and morale Carpenter actually needs at this juncture. Carpenter has yet to play any Grapefruit League game. 40 pitches on Sunday, if anything, mean he is all ready to gradually prepare his throwing arm for the upcoming games.
As to whether he will start throwing in the Grapefruit League, Chris Carpenter did not give an exact timeframe.
"We'll answer that question tomorrow or the next day," Carpenter said. "I'm just happy with what happened today. I'll come in tomorrow, evaluate what's going on, play some catch and see what my next step is."
The team manager, Mike Matheny, on the other hand, is pleased with the enthusiasm Carpenter shows on and around the field.
"He's just intense," Matheny said. "It's good to have him out there. Guys see that he's into this game. He's got no chance of being in there and he's out there watching every pitch and paying attention. Instead of a bunch of guys just sitting around on their hands, you've got Lance [Berkman] saying something funny and Carp yelling at everybody.”
The neck stiffness, among other things, can affect the velocity of the Cardinals' starting pitcher. But the session he had on was reassuring, bolstering his case to be as strong and effective starter as he has always been known.
It remains to be seen whether his will be the sole name for the Opening Day game , considering other factors. That can only be ascertained once he has pitched in the Cactus League. The more game he plays here, the better it is for Chris Carpenter.
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