St Louis Cardinals: Chris Carpenter Will Miss 2013 – Considering Retirement

The St Louis Cardinals Sr. VP/GM John Mozeliak  announced that it is unlikely that pitcher Chris Carpenter will pitch in 2013.  Carpenter, 37, made three regular-season starts for the Cardinals in 2012, and he started three times in the postseason after missing most of the regular season with a shoulder injury. Carpenter is is said to be considering retirement.

Carpenter had begin throwing in January to test his arm and that another setback or injury would cause him to think about the end of his career.  “If I have more health issues I’m not going to continue to try to battle through,” Carpenter said.

Mozeliak said retirement for Carpenter would ultimately be a decision he would have to make, and only generally mentioned at the press conference. However the somber tone of the press conference would imply Carpenter has thrown his last pitch in the majors.

The Cardinals will enter spring training with Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook and Lance Lynn in the rotation. Carpenter is now 144-94 with a 3.76 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 1,697 strikeouts, 33 complete games, 15 shutouts and a 116 ERA-plus in 2,219 1/3 innings. In the postseason, he has gone 10-4 with a 3.00 ERA, winning two World Series championships.

Carpenter won the 2005 NL Cy Young, the 2009 NL Comeback Player of the Year and made three All-Star games

.