Carpenter set to begin rehab assignment on Sunday

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, sidelined since opening day in 2007 by an elbow injury, will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday with hopes to join the rotation in August.

The final stage in Carpenter’s climb back from reconstructive surgery begins as the team prescribed two weeks of rest for rehabbing left-hander Mark Mulder. Mulder had his twice surgically-repaired shoulder examined by a handful of doctors during the week, and the team said Saturday the situation would be re-evaluated after the rest period.

Manager Tony La Russa appeared somewhat hopeful after Friday’s 11-7 victory over the Padres, saying Mulder had relayed the opinion of Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala.

“It was interesting what he said,” La Russa said. “So we’ll see. Maybe there’s still hope.”

Mulder has been on the 15-day disabled list since July 10 with a shoulder strain, a day after he left a comeback start after facing only three batters. Mulder threw only 16 pitches in that game against the Phillies, working one third of an inning.

The former 20-game winner hasn’t won a game in nearly 25 months, and allowed two runs and four hits in 1 1-3 innings over two relief appearances before getting cleared to start. He made three disastrous starts last September, going 0-3 with a 12.27 ERA before undergoing a second operation to repair the rotator cuff.

Carpenter, the 2005 NL Cy Young winner, begins his rehab stint with Double-A Springfield. The team is hopeful he won’t need the full month before joining the staff and anticipate him being part of the rotation rather than easing him back as a reliever.

Carpenter is starting his rehab at Double-A because the organization feels it’s a fair early test, plus hitters at lower classifications are too free-swinging to judge performance.

“They swing at anything you throw up there, so you can hardly throw a strike,” La Russa said. “At least at Double-A they start playing the game a little bit.

“He might get hammered there, too, but I think it’s a better test.”

Right-hander Adam Wainwright, the opening day starter in Carpenter’s absence, is expected to begin throwing off a mound in the next week or so. He’s been sidelined by a ruptured tendon in the middle finger of his pitching hand and could rejoin the rotation in August.