pcgd Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I'm sure most of you have heard the news, but today Rick Ankiel was brought up to the Majors. He will start in RF and bat second in tonight's game.If you can't recall, Ankiel was a very promising young pitcher that some said had a curve like Kolfax and could throw really good heat. He had 11 wins as a rookie and went on to start game one of the playoffs. He threw 5 wild pitches in one inning. He tried to start another game in the playoffs and again, was wild.From that point on, he was ruined as a pitcher. He was on the team the next year but was sent down to the minors where he slowly went the opposite way you should, and ended up in Rookie Ball. There he started DHing when he wasn't pitching.He seemed to have his control back for another go a couple years later. I believe it was 2004 and he was looking pretty good in Spring Training. However suddenly (I've heard he felt a twinge in the elbow) he announced his retirement as a pitcher and was going to try and be an outfielder.In 2005 he hit 21 home runs between A ball and AA ball. He was injured all of last year. At the beginning of this year he was a long shot canidate to make the team, but it was very long and he played for the AAA Memphis Redbirds. So far this year he's leading the Pacific League with 31 HRs but has 90 K's.Anyway, I'm absolutely giddy about this and I don't know why. For a guy to make it to the majors as a Pitcher, then come back as an outfielder is just amazing. I know if the Cardinals were doing better this year he wouldn't be called up, but still I'm so excited to see him play to at least inject some excitement into this terrible baseball team.Now if he only could play 2B we'd be set...he's like the 7th outfielder now, and they are replacement level or worse.Oh, and to make it uniform related, he used to wear his socks high. We'll see what he does tonight we may have another Cardinal that shows off those great striped socks!Here's the ESPN story:http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2967582 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFoA Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I remember watching his last game as a pitcher during the playoffs. That is one of the only times I've felt bad watching a guy stink it up on a field of play. He was BAD. If he can pull this comeback off, then this has got to be one of the best comebacks ever (besides John Lester and him KOing cancer.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC97 Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 So the Cardinals have two 'pitchers' in the batting lineup tonight, neither of them are batting 9th --- Chris Creamer Founder/Editor, SportsLogos.Net "The Mothership" • News • Facebook • X/Twitter • Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tp49 Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Ankiel hit pretty well as an outfielder in AAA. I think he was around .280 with 30 HR's in Memphis.Nice of the Cards fans to give him a standing o when he came up to hit for the first time tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilliesPhan1325 Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I hope he does well. I heard he was on a tear down in the minors. He had 30 some homeruns didn't he? "The 0-2 pitch... SWING AND A MISS! STRUCK HIM OUT! THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES ARE 2008 WORLD CHAMPIONS OF BASEBALL!" J M yoU wish you had a Duke Dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 He had 32 homers to lead the PCL.Tonight so far he's 0-2.He's popped up to SS and called out on strikes on a 2-2 pitch up and in (that is to say, it was probably a ball).But he's had some good hacks. And he's here. And that's incredible.He's wearing #24. I can't recall the numbers he's worn in his previous tenures, but I believe there's been a few. JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcgd Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 I thought he was 66 as a pitcher and then 49 as a player in the minors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I thought he was 66 as a pitcher and then 49 as a player in the minors.They just mentioned that on the game, but I wasn't playing close enough attention.He definitely wore 66 at some point (I guess, as you said, primarily when he was a pitcher--his rookie number), but I think he also wore 49 in his last comeback attempt as a pitcher in the majors (he pitched a few innings out of the pen one September).I think the announcers said that he asked Cardinals bench-coach Joe Pettini to let him wear 24, and Pettini said sure. And now Pettini is wearing 49. I think that's what they said. Haven't seen a shot of Joe that would confirm that.Was Rick wearing 24 in Memphis? JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whalersjets Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Was there a ball hit to him, and he threw the cut off throw into the second deck of seats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Third at bat, and Rick strikes out swinging hard.0-3 now. JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rams80 Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Go home folks...nothing more to see.The effort to bring in "new" blood for the hitters was admirable, though. On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said: You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now. On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said: Today, we are all otaku. "The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010 The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Red Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Joel :censored:ing Piniero's gone 7 scoreless innings?! Guy couldn't get anybody out in Boston... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tp49 Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 ...and Ankiel just hit a 3-run bomb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 YEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!!!As tp49 said, 3R HR Rick Ankiel!!!! JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcgd Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 2 k's and 3 run home run?I'll take it all day long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 One of the better moments of the season (I mean around the entire league--probably tops the Cards season right now) right there as far as I'm concerned. JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VandyDelphia Mike Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 High sock lovers will be disappointed. NCAA Baseball Champions | 2014, 2019 facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDR Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 He parked one? That's great. Good for you, Rick. I'm rooting for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CS85 Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 As a die-hard cub fan, I hate the stinkin cardinals, I will for all my days.But this is such a great story, I put all grudges aside from the rivalry to applaud Rick Ankiel turning his career around. Way to go! Quote "You are nothing more than a small cancer on this message board. You are not entertaining, you are a complete joke." twitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eye Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I think it is great that Ankiel has turned his career around. It's amazing that he is talented enough to convert from a pitcher to an everyday player. He is one of the good guys in the game it seems and I am rooting for him. Best of luck to Ankiel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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