Ankiel done pitching

Brock Landers · Mar 9, 2005

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Cardinals' Ankiel Ending Pitching Career

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By Associated Press

March 9, 2005, 9:54 AM CST

JUPITER, Fla. -- Rick Ankiel is ending a pitching career plagued by record wildness and will try to make the St. Louis Cardinals' roster as an outfielder.

Ankiel, 25, had yet to appear in a spring training game as he tried to revive a career interrupted by control problems and injuries. He was to have pitched in a "B" game Wednesday, but it was rained out.

"We are fully supportive of Rick's decision to convert to an everyday outfielder," Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said. "Rick will continue to train with the major league club this spring, and we look forward to seeing his development as a full-time batter and outfielder."

Ankiel missed most of the 2003 and 2004 seasons after reconstructive elbow surgery, and also sat out the entire 2002 season with a sprained left elbow.

quantumleap · Mar 9, 2005

Certainly there have to be dozens of players that are better outfielders than this ex-pitcher. Is the club stuck with him at this point because of a contract? Or can they release him and get a better outfielder?

UWinSports · Mar 9, 2005

The guy can hit. But no power.

WorldNumberOne · Mar 9, 2005

their is an entire league of hitters that are happy with his decision...

nothing like a little reconstructive face surgery compliments of some guy that doesnt belong in the game..

joepro · Mar 9, 2005

He can hit and has been called up as a pinch hitter in the past by the birds. Being from St. Louis, I'm kind of relieved that he's done as a pitcher. That being said, I'm sure he has tried just about everything to remain a pitching candidtate, but sometimes you have to let things go. I only wish him the best in his future endeavors -- he's a good kid.

GMON · Mar 9, 2005

Ankiel: He's a hitter, he's a good kid, he's a phenom, he's an outfielder.

He's everything except what he's supposed to be..................................a good pitcher. Dudes cooked.

aceduecetrey · Mar 9, 2005

AnthonyRichkas said:
The guy can hit. But no power.

10 hrs in 100 ab aint to bad.......

Rick Ankiel's athletic ability makes his move from the mound to the outfield an option, and his hitting background, as both a professional and as an amateur, indicate his move to the outfield has a small chance of succeeding.
As a major leaguer, Ankiel is 18-for-87, including a .250/.292/.382 season in 2000, when he went 11-7, 3.50 on the mound. Ankiel also homered twice that season, which is when his control problems cropped up in the playoffs.

When his wildness forced him out of the big leagues in 2001, the Cardinals dropped Ankiel to Rookie-level Johnson City in the Appalachian League to clear his head. As a 22-year-old, Ankiel pitched and hit for Johnson City and hit .286-10-35, striking out 26 times in 105 at-bats. If he had qualified, he would have led the league with a .638 slugging percentage.

In 1997, as a high school senior, Ankiel played for USA Baseball's junior national team, which won a bronze medal in the World Championships. The roster included future big leaguers such as Reds outfielder Austin Kearns, Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday and Twins infielder Michael Cuddyer. Kearns led the team in hitting and Cuddyer topped the club in home runs and RBI. Ankiel, meanwhile, was the team's fourth-leading batter, hitting .387-3-16 in 62 at-bats.

"At the time, (Rick) was as good a hitter as he was a pitcher," said Paul Seiler, CEO of USA Baseball and the general manager of the U.S. Junior national team in '97. "He's athletic enough to do it; he flipped between pitching and first base for us with Austin Kearns, who was considered more of a pitcher in high school. He was a smooth hitter who could go yard at any time. He was hitting against legit guys in our trials like Ryan Anderson, Matt Riley, Corey Vance, Kearns ... It would be a great story if he were able to become a contributor as a hitter."
-- John Manuel, Baseball America