NEW YORK (AP) – A person familiar with the negotiations says pitcher Chris Carpenter and the St. Louis Cardinals are closing in on a $21 million, two-year contract.       The person spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because negotiations are not yet complete.  St. Louis has a $15 million option for next season as part of a $63.5 million, five-year contract agreed to in December 2006. That deal carries a $1 million buyout.  Carpenter is 9-9 with a 3.75 ERA in 30 starts this year. The
36-year-old right-hander won the 2005 NL Cy Young Award, then missed most of the followed two seasons due to elbow and shoulder injuries.  His talks for a new deal were first reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.