Notes: Righty seeks playoff return

Carpenter receives encouraging news from doctor

By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

 

 

Chris Carpenter has been out since Sept. 18 with nerve irritation in his right arm. (James A. Finley/AP)

 

ST. LOUIS -- Chris Carpenter's season is over. Or is it?

 

Manager Tony La Russa said before Wednesday's Game 1 of the National League Championship Series that his best starting pitcher would not be available to pitch, even if St. Louis makes it to the World Series. But Carpenter isn't so sure, after getting some encouraging news from the doctor.

 

"I went in and they basically said it was normal," Carpenter said of the irritated nerve in his right arm that has sidelined him since Sept. 18. "Now, after not doing anything for so long, it's atrophied and a little weak. So I have to build some strength back and not push it too hard, but push it hard enough to test it and see if it's here."

 

Carpenter played some catch on Wednesday, the first time he has thrown a ball at all since the diagnosis of nerve irritation. He's still a long way from being able to pitch in a game, but the first and most critical step has been overcome.

 

"Obviously I haven't thrown in 3 1/2 weeks or whatever," he said. "But I played catch today, threw like 40-45 throws. I definitely wasn't lobbing it, but I also wasn't throwing as hard as I could. It was a nice, easy first day. We'll see how it feels tomorrow and do it again tomorrow.

 

"[There is] no soreness, no nothing. It's just a little weak."

 

Earlier in the day, La Russa had all but written off the man who was his team's de facto ace this year.

 

"I actually talked to him today, and he had a good exam yesterday," La Russa said. "He's feeling improved. I just think it's so unrealistic to have him feel good enough to get in shape to pitch. I think you just feel real good that he's healing, and he should be 100 percent and we'll see him next year."

 

In response to a follow-up question, La Russa was even more blunt: "I don't see how it's possible," he said of a return this postseason.

 

"I'm always going to have hope, but realistically, I don't know," Carpenter said. "Day-to-day. We'll see how it goes, how I recover. When I start to stretch it out and put a little more stress on it, we'll see how it goes."

 

Carpenter was removed from a game against the Diamondbacks due to what was diagnosed as a strained right biceps. Further examination revealed nerve irritation in the arm. The right-hander has slowly made progress, but he still doesn't have sufficient function in the nerve to begin throwing. The only real treatment, according to the team's medical staff, is rest.

 

In his first season pitching for the Cardinals, Carpenter went 15-5 with a 3.46 ERA, 152 strikeouts and 38 walks in 182 innings. If healthy, he almost certainly would have been the team's Game 1 starter in the Division Series and LCS.

 

(Thanks for everything you have done this year Carp. Nobody, including myself expected you to be the Cardinals ace.. I dont think he's coming back even with this news. But ya never know. )

He'd be a great asset, but the cards can win it all without him.

You cant shut down a guy for a month or more and then throw him into a playoff game to start. It's nuts.

You cant shut down a guy for a month or more and then throw him into a playoff game to start. It's nuts.

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If there's one team that could it'd be the Cards.. With that lineup they have :lol

it might be risky having him start right off the bat....maybe have him come out of the bullpen once or twice to get the rust off before he makes a start

it might be risky having him start right off the bat....maybe have him come out of the bullpen once or twice to get the rust off before he makes a start

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I was thinking the bullpen too but I just dont see how it's possible of him returning this year.

Why don't you have a simulated start? I'm sure with just half of the Cards lineup it would be a difficult task, making him plenty ready for a postseason go.