ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Chris Carpenter pushed himself Wednesday in his second bullpen session since elbow surgery, a 50-pitch workout that brought the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner another step closer to returning to the pitching-starved St. Louis Cardinals.
"He might have taken a step and a half today," said manager Tony La Russa, who sat next to GM Walt Jocketty and watched from the bullpen bench. "He's just feeling really good, and he's had no setbacks."
The Cardinals, last in the NL with a 5.08 ERA, have three former relievers in a banged-up rotation.
Bone spurs were shaved from Carpenter's elbow on May 8, and the team estimated a three-month recovery. He had been scheduled to increase his intensity on Saturday and throw at about 75 percent effort on Wednesday, but the life on his fastball indicated a much higher percentage.
"Today I felt normal, which is a great thing," Carpenter said. "From first throw to last throw I felt normal, and that's something for me that is exciting."
The right-hander, who won 21 games in 2005 and 15 games last year, said he'll guard against over-enthusiasm. He said the same thing in Oakland after throwing off the mound Sunday for the first time since surgery.
If Chris Carpenter is feeling fine, I'm feeling fine!
Obviously he has a ways to go before making his way back to the rotation, but this is really something to get excited about. I had no idea he had come along this far so soon.
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