Back in camp, Chris Carpenter unsure when he'll return to field
Cardinals right-hander Chris Carpenter returned to Florida from St. Louis where he underwent several tests on his ailing right shoulder. Carpenter said he's not sure when he will be able to start throwing again and it appears he will miss at least the first month of the season and probably more.
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Chris Carpenter returned to Cardinals camp on Monday, but he doesn't know when he'll return to the field.
Carpenter returned to St. Louis last week to try to find out what was wrong with his right shoulder.
After undergoing two MRIs, an ultrasound, X-rays, a spinal tap and a CT scan among other tests while he was in St. Louis, the 36-year-old said he had an "angry" nerve in his rotator cuff that is preventing him from throwing with his usual velocity or control.
"When the nerves don't function properly, the muscles don't function properly," Carpenter told reporters, including Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "We're going to rest. Let everything settle down. Then go from there."
According to the report, Carpenter will need three weeks of a strengthening program for his rotator cuff before he can start a throwing program. The right-hander said he expects to pitch this season, but he'd likely have to start his spring routine over from scratch once he's able to resume throwing. That could put him out until at least May, if not much longer.
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