When the Cardinals leave Florida tonight to return home after a lengthy road trip, ace Chris Carpenter will remain behind.

He has other travel arrangements.

Carpenter will fly to Dallas on Thursday morning to meet with a doctor who he has never met with and who has never "had his hands on me," he said. The goal is to get a fresh look at Carpenter's recurring nerve problem that has made it difficult for the righty to maintain strength in his pitching shoulder.

The examination will come a day after Carpenter woke up Wednesday encouraged by how his arm felt and moved to test it out on the field.