Ankiel certainly made a comeback after what I guess could be called a fallout on his behalf.

It really does make you feel warm and fuzzy whenever you see a guy turn tragedy into marvel like Ankiel did, he was averaging .267 in the minors with 32 homers and 89 RBIs... Going from a pitcher to center was obviously the best move of his whole baseball career.

I cant wait until he has to throw someone out at the plate.... and he guns the ball into the 4th row of seats behind home plate.

 

This guy may be turning his career around, but he's still a headcase. Hes psychologically fragile at best. It will really be interesting to see how he handles his first real slump, he may never come out of it.

He should retire while he is one top.  JK... 

 

The best thing to happen to the Cards all year.

What a great Story...Congrats to Ankiel

All year long the Cardinals have gotten alot of good things from there younger players.  Brendan Ryan, Skip Schumaker, Ryan Ludwick and now Rick Ankiel have all breathed new life into a team that has aged considerably right before St. Louis' eyes.  I was skeptical of having Ankiel's first games be against the likes of Chris Young, Brad Penny and Derek Lowe for fear of immediate failure but last night he looked calm and relaxed in his at bats.  He went 1-4 with a couple of K's against Young but he came through with some insurance in the 7th off Doug Brocail.  The reaction from the fans, team and LaRussa himself was something this team hasnt had alot of this season.  Last night, with the announcement about Spiezio the Cardinals needed something and Ankiel helped provide it.  Hopefully the Cardinals can capitalize on this youth movement and ride the wave back into the National League Central race.

Damn YouTube police (or, more accurately, damn you MLB Advance Media).

I would like to thank bookiebuster for his concern about Rick Ankiel's ability to throw the ball from the outfield. Perhaps his anxiety will be abated if he watches the video highlights from the last three days and sees Ankiel's two spectacular plays throwing runners out at second and third base from the outfield wall. Those left everyone smiling -- including the umpire in the first instance. If one is going to analyze sports, it may help to set aside the loopy California psychoanalytic orientation. Here in the Midwest we understand that baseball is about what goes on on the field, not in the head of the person who is watching. (Tony LaRussa is another Californian confused on this precise count.) Focus on the sport as it is played on the field, not on peripheral events and what is going on in your own head. For example, sitting in a kayak and sipping red wine while you wait for a drug addict to hit a baseball into San Francisco Bay may be a "happening" of some sort, but it is not baseball.

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What you see happening on the field has a lot to do with the psychology of the player. In case you forgot, when Ankiel was a pitcher he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn to save his life.

I better stock up on his rookie cards.

You'd be better off giving your money to a homeless bum on the street. Ankiel will be lucky if he hits .260 for his career.

I guess I can do something with them for charity on Ebay like all the other bandwagon retards. Or let my cat crap on them in the litter box and sell them.

Hahahahaha, glad theres a few realistic fans left. The guy spends 8 years in the minor leagues, gets called up, has a good week and people are ready to declare him the next Ted Williams. Its really comical.

 

Ankiel sucks. I estimated its only a matter of time until pitchers exploit his weaknesses and he starts looking for a new position yet again, except unfortunately for him if you don't pitch, you have to hit. He's running out of options. Hahahaha.

 

Rick Ankiel. What a joke.

There can't be many things stranger than the string of gratuitously rude and hostile comments posted here by the "KIE" boys -- oKIEdays and booKIEbuster. Such antipathy and smugness toward Rick Ankiel because. . .? I guess the KIEs figure they will end up the summer with Player Hatin' Fest. It's hard not to picture these guys riding around in big oversized pickup trucks in an attempt to make up for their insecurities and inadequacies. Let's do this once more, slowly and in big letters. BASEBALL IS NOT ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR HEAD AND CONSTRAINED BY YOUR NEUROSES AND LACK OF INTELLECTUAL ACCUMEN. BASEBALL IS ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE FIELD. With regard to Rick Ankiel, are you paying attention to what is happening on the field? No, apparently not. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

You're a piece of work. I hope you find a hole deep enough for you and your bandwagon once Ankiel comes back to Earth, which I can assure you is inevitable.

 

Take your loopy weird comments elsewehere, it seems to me like you're the only one here with a "lack of intellectual accumen". Bandwagon hopper.

Does the radio work in your big pickup truck?  Are you listening to the sports news over the past 21 hours ?  Rick Ankiel: Three home runs and 9 RBI's.  His production doesn't seem to be falling off at the pace you predicted/were hoping for.  Pretty soon he will do at least a little less well --  and in your world we can all feel better about ourselves.  And that is because why, exactly?  Oh yeah, now I remember.  It's because we are big, dumb, ill-tempered jocks.

I have no wishes to see Rick Ankiel fail. I just predicted that pitchers would eventually exploit him, and I still stand by my prediction.

 

If I end up bieng proven wrong and his stay in the majors is permanent and productive, I will do nothing but tip my cap and admit that it is a good story.