Bring Rick Up!

by craig3410 on May 28, 2007 3:55 PM EDT

Today, Rick Ankiel is 3/4 with a double, 2 HRs, and 5 RBI.

Overall, he's hitting .262/.297/.517 with 11 HRs. His crappy April is really pulling him down; in May so far, he's .280.

Yeah, he's not a superstar, but wouldn't you rather have him as the second-to-last or last guy off the bench when your choices are him, Ryan Ludwick, or So Taguchi?

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No and here is why.

That .297 OBP will be all too easily exploited by MLB pitchers.
If he is here, he is a 4th OFer at best. More than likely he would be a 5th OFer behind Taguchi. He won't get regular playing time and that means he won't develop defensively or offensively.
If he fails, he must clear waivers to be sent down again.

I'd say let him stay in Memphis the whole year and get some solid playing time to develop. If he really can play, then the Cardinals can consider trading Jim Edmonds or Juan Encarnacion mid-year for prospect(s) This of course assumes either truely gets on track next month and July.

by Zubin on May 28, 2007 4:52 PM EDT reply actions

I'm not that big of a Ankiel fan but

I say if there is another injury, yeah sure why not? He'll definately be a september call up.

If there's a baseball heaven, Albert Pujols is God.

by kyle man on May 28, 2007 6:22 PM EDT reply actions

Would I rather have him, So, or Ludwick?

right now, Ankiel would be my 3rd choice of those 3. As many have pointed out, his grasp of the strike zone isn't there yet as he only has 7 BB in 152 plate appearances before today. Couple that with 35 K. He isn't ready and would have to be waived in order to be sent down again. He needs to play every day, not every 4th day or pinch hit every other day. He needs to be in the lineup every day, seeing pitches, and hitting and the best place for him is Memphis.

by chuckb on May 28, 2007 6:27 PM EDT reply actions

You are abso-effing-lutely brilliant!

I 100% agree.

by Zubin on May 28, 2007 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Ludwick?

Are you really more impressed with Ludwick's grasp of the strike zone? There seems to be nothing low and out of the strike zone that he doesn't flail at and miss.

by MikeG on May 29, 2007 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Leave Rick There!

Everybody off the bandwagon!

by Alxfritz on May 28, 2007 6:40 PM EDT reply actions

he's actually

hitting .275/.313/.578, Craig has his line from before today in the o.p.

I give him another month in Memphis; in May he's hitting .313 with an almost-adequate walk rate, and given the Cardinals' lack of punch in the outfield and the way in which Ludwick has tried desparately to give his job back to Skippy .313 with a slugging percentage approaching .600 is going to look pretty good pretty soon.

by DanUpBaby on May 28, 2007 7:08 PM EDT reply actions

Where do you play him?

And what are his L/R splits?

The big problem I see is if you call him up, he won't get regular playing time. Edmonds and Duncan almost certainly start ahead of him when a righty is on the mound and since he bats left-handed also, he offers no platton advantage against lefties.

This means there won't be adequate playing time for all of Edmonds, Duncan and Ankiel. Face it in order to play Rick we have to move an OFer, most likely Edmonds or Ecarnacion.

Lastly, I don't see Rick as the difference maker. If we aren't going to contend this year, we'd be wise to let him spend the whole year developing at AAA.