Chris Carpenter (neck) will not throw on Friday. Carpenter has been dealing with some neck stiffness for nearly a week, and it's possible he might be scratched from his first spring outing next Monday. At this point, it doesn't seem to be a big concern, and Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said previously the Cards are "minimizing (the) situation." But, if Carp isn't ready on Monday, the odds that he starts the season on the DL obviously increase.