Cardinals starting pitcher Brad Penny is hoping to return to the mound this season. Penny has been sidelined since late May with an upper back injury. He said Monday that he's been playing catch for about a week. "Just playing catch," Penny said. "No changed status for me, at all. I'll be able to tell you something when I find out." St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said Penny was definitely not being counted out the rest of the season. "Yeah, he's making noise," La Russa said. "He's feeling pretty good, but he's a lot of steps away. He definitely isn't done for the season, in his mind or in ours."