ST. LOUIS (AP) – St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter has been cleared to resume rehabbing from a lower back injury after the team got outside medical opinions about his comeback from nerve issues.
 
     General manager John Mozeliak said the 38-year-old Carpenter played catch Friday and was scheduled for a light bullpen session Saturday. How the former NL Cy Young winner responds to that activity will determine a course of action.
 
     Mozeliak said the back problem slowed Carpenter’s rehab from an injury that caused numbness and tingling on the right side of his body. He didn’t believe it was a major setback, although the team still is not counting on a contribution from Carpenter.