The headline seems scarier than it is. A battery of tests is rarely a good thing. All it would take is one activist judge to change the definition and make it an "assault of tests," and that would really sound scary. But Chris Carpenter is undergoing tests as a scheduled part of his recovery process.
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Carpenter has been back in St. Louis doing his rehab work at Busch Stadium since the team left Florida late last Wednesday night. His work has consisted of strengthening exercises, ones that he's had to do to rebuild the shoulder.This week's tests are designed to measure his improvement.
Doctors also will test the nerves that led to the weakness during spring.
The goal for his return is still May, though the Cardinals and doctors have been reticent to provide an exact date for obvious reasons. This is a little more ambiguous than a hamstring pull or something similar, so the Cardinals are going to make sure that Carpenter's discomfort is completely gone before they start him on a throwing program.