Carpenter Ready for Spring Training…But Will He Start in 2009?

The Cardinals have received good news on Chris Carpenter:  The former Cy Young winner, who made only four appearances last year thanks to a nerve condition, threw off a mound for the first time in five months Wednesday and is on-track to make his spring training debut February 28.  Pitching coach Dave Duncan expects Carpenter to have a normal work-load throughout the spring despite having surgery in November to transpose a nerve near his elbow (I don’t know what that means but it sounds like something you don’t want to have).  Carpenter last pitched a full season in 2006, going 15-8 in 32 starts.  He is currently penciled in as a relief pitcher for the Cards but, when you take a gander at the five guys listed as starters on their depth chart (hint: Todd Wellemeyer is their #3 right now), it’s hard to believe St. Louis won’t do everything they can to get Carpenter into the rotation.