Rick Ankiel

[KeepTheFaith1229]

This guy is awesome. Lost all accuracy as a pitcher a while ago so went back to the minors and came up as a hitter with 3 homers in 2 games for the Cards. He made a sick catch too.

 

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2000/B10030SLN2000.htm

 

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2000/B10120SLN2000.htm

[Cocos Disciples]

Great for him for being persistent. Wasn't he a highly regarded prospect as a pitcher? I remember him walking a ridiculous amount of guys, throwing the ball to the backstop constantly.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Great for him for being persistent. Wasn't he a highly regarded prospect as a pitcher? I remember him walking a ridiculous amount of guys' date=' throwing the ball to the backstop constantly.[/quote']

 

Threw five or six wild pitches in an inning or something like that.

[Youk Of The Nation]

BRAVES 3RD: Maddux walked; Furcal popped to first in foul

territory; Ankiel threw a wild pitch [Maddux to second]; Ankiel

threw a wild pitch [Maddux to third]; A. Jones walked; Ankiel

threw a wild pitch [A. Jones to second]; C. Jones was called out

on strikes; Galarraga walked [Maddux scored on a wild pitch, A.

Jones to third]; Jordan singled to left [A. Jones scored,

Galarraga to second]; Ankiel threw a wild pitch [Galarraga to

third, Jordan to second]; Sanders walked; Weiss singled to left

[Galarraga scored, Jordan scored, Sanders to second]; JAMES

REPLACED ANKIEL (PITCHING); Lopez popped to second; 4 R, 2 H, 0

E, 2 LOB. Braves 4, Cardinals 6.

[BoSox21]

Wasn't he a highly regarded prospect as a pitcher?

 

Apparently regarded as one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball

[Sox Fan In Indy]

He was runner up for 2000 Rookie of the Year, behind Rafael Furcal.

[Mr Crunchy]

the guy was a phenom as a pitcher

no s***(meaning he was real good)

then he developed steve blass syndrome ala mark wohlers and was toast mentaly

its a lonely place to be when you cant find the plate

kudo's for the long road back and his success is a nice story

[msubulldogs21]

I'm actually surprised they didn't call him up from Memphis sooner. I think he hit around 25-30 homers for them this season, and he's a lot better than some of the usual crap the Cardinals have in their lineup on a daily basis.

[See Red]

The guy hits two HR's in his career as a pitcher and then comes back and hits three in a couple of games?...

 

*

 

I kid, I kid. He's become a hell of a hitter. He was destroying the ball in the Minors. I was going to make a thread when he hit his first HR a few nights ago but I forgot to do so. Couldn't be happier for the kid... a great story in a time where sports could use a good one now and again.

 

Five past balls in one inning, about nine over four innings in that game or something like that. And then his next start was just as bad, went way backwards through the system. Then he was able to regain his form, come back up through the minors, tweaked his elbow and hit happened again... couldn't find the plate. Says a lot about the kid to not give up on himself.

[Mr Crunchy]

tim wakefiled was a 1st basemen when he made his pro debut in the minors

mayhay was an outfielder

 

all these dudes were the best pitchers and fielders on their teams in school

tommy glavine was the mass hockey player of the year which translates into a 1st round million dollar deal in nhl dollars

dave winfield was a 3sport stud

our man hondo havlicek was drafted by the browns but auerbach offered him like 2500 more to play hoop and he bit

all these guys are superior athletes

[See Red]

tim wakefiled was a 1st basemen when he made his pro debut in the minors

mayhay was an outfielder

 

all these dudes were the best pitchers and fielders on their teams in school

tommy glavine was the mass hockey player of the year which translates into a 1st round million dollar deal in nhl dollars

dave winfield was a 3sport stud

our man hondo havlicek was drafted by the browns but auerbach offered him like 2500 more to play hoop and he bit

all these guys are superior athletes

 

Yep... Jackie Robinson was an All-American RB, top Point Guard, and a Champion Long jumper. There's Bo Jackson, Jim Brown, Lou Gehrig... Bob Gibson was a Harlem Globetrotter for a year...

[Mr Crunchy]

and perhaps the worst of the bunch as a human being

1 neon deion sanders

i was in death valley when he went into the clemson tunnel and challenged their entire team by making the ""COME ON COME ON "" motion with his arns flayling like a chicken on acid

3? yrs at fsu and 10-12 in the nfl and i never saw him initiate contact

id like to see him go over the middle against the raider dbax from the 70s just once

mike irvin was a tuff gy and a football player and he had a huge mouth

deion ran a 4.2 and used it to avoid getting hit whiich is a challenge on defense

[26 to 6]

Yep... Jackie Robinson was an All-American RB' date=' top Point Guard, and a Champion Long jumper. There's Bo Jackson, Jim Brown, Lou Gehrig... [b']Bob Gibson was a Harlem Globetrotter for a year[/b]...

 

Was he really?? That's awesome.

[SCM33]

Other players who switched positions.....how about Biggio? CF, LF, C, 2B. Also there is Sheffield who was a SS, and 3B before becoming a pretty good OF. Manny Ramirez was a 3B in high school before being drafted. Troy Percival was a catcher.

 

Swiching sports.....Mark Hendrickson was an NBA foward and now big league pitcher.

[SCM33]

and perhaps the worst of the bunch as a human being

1 neon deion sanders

i was in death valley when he went into the clemson tunnel and challenged their entire team by making the ""COME ON COME ON "" motion with his arns flayling like a chicken on acid

3? yrs at fsu and 10-12 in the nfl and i never saw him initiate contact

id like to see him go over the middle against the raider dbax from the 70s just once

mike irvin was a tuff gy and a football player and he had a huge mouth

deion ran a 4.2 and used it to avoid getting hit whiich is a challenge on defense

 

Knock him if you want, hes a hall of famer and one of the first true "shut down" labeled CB's. When he was on the field opposing coaches would simply ignore the whole left side of the field because he was standing over there.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Swiching sports.....Mark Hendrickson was an NBA foward and now big league pitcher.

 

He also sucks, sooo...

[SCM33]

He also sucks' date=' sooo...[/quote']

 

Hes played 2 professional sports.....me and you have zero combined. He may suck, but that is still impressive is it not?

 

As fans I think we forget....the worst player in major league baseball.......is still a player in major league baseball and millions of players around the world woudl love to even sniff the big leagues.