The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, whose career has been derailed by a myriad of injuries, has been

Chris Carpenter was expected disney world vacation packages to serve as a cheerleader from the St. Louis Cardinals dugout this season, but surprisingly he is slated to make his season debut next week, and just in time as his club is trying to hold off the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies in the race for the National League s second wild card
Now 37, Carpenter started for the Cardinals in Game 7 of the World Series last October. In spring training after throwing 273.1 innings the year before (including 237.1 in the regular season and 36 frames in the postseason he was sidelined after encountering numbness and weakness in his shoulder, arm and neck.
Following a three-month period of rest, Carpenter attempted to pitch again, but he didn t feel right and visited a Dallas-area specialist who recommended surgery to treat thoracic outlet disney world vacation packages syndrome. During the procedure on July 19, Carpenter's top rib was removed along two of the connecting muscles to free nerves, and scar tissue was also taken out. He was projected to miss the entire 2012 season, and there was no guarantee he would be healthy disney world vacation packages enough to pitch in 2013, the final year of a deal that pays him $10.5 million a year.
The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, whose career has been derailed disney world vacation packages by a myriad of injuries, has been throwing simulated games to work his way back to the Cardinals rotation. If all goes well in a 90-pitch simulated game slated for Saturday, Carpenter could make as many as three starts for St. Louis before the end of the regular season.
At 76-68, the Cardinals have a two-game lead for the second wild card over Los Angeles, a three-game advantage over Pittsburgh disney world vacation packages and a four-game cushion over Philadelphia. With Jake Westbrook out with a strained oblique, the St. Louis rotation could use a veteran arm. Left-hander Jaime Garcia has struggled disney world vacation packages this season, and rookie Lance Lynn was moved to the bullpen after an ineffective stretch of starts.
Last year, the Cardinals caught fire in September and took advantage of Atlanta s collapse to claim the wild card on the last night of the regular season and eventually winning the World Series. This month, St. Louis is 5-7 and trying to fend off the suddenly disney world vacation packages healthy and confident Phillies, the retooled disney world vacation packages Dodgers and the young Pirates. Carpenter s unexpected return gives the Cardinals a frontline starter whose presence is desperately needed.
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