Would you ask Ankiel if he would pitch?

by sdangler on Aug 13, 2007 5:37 PM EDT Comment 12 comments

Sorry about another Rick diary, but I just wanted to get some other opinions. I know Tony would never do this, but if you were the manager, would you try and get him some mound time? Instead of Miles in a blowout, would you bring him in?

I say yes. He's 27 now, not 20-21, matured, seeming confident: I think he can handle an inning or so. I'm just a sucker for roster flexibility I guess.

Poll

Would you ask Ankiel if he would mind pitching?

Yes

19 votes

No

89 votes

108 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 12 comments

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Comments

No

He was pretty average in 2004 when he pitched for the Cardinals.

Call up PJ Walters!

by Hardcore Legend on Aug 13, 2007 5:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd love to see him pitch again...

but only if it's something he truly wants to do.

It would be disrespectful/ridiculous for someone to ask him that question at this point in time.

by musial6 on Aug 13, 2007 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As much as I would like to,

I'm going to have to agree with Tony LaRussa:

"Only if he came to me about it, and even then, not a chance."

by Jhusk on Aug 13, 2007 6:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

classic TLR

I can picture the wheels turning in Tony's mind as he answered that question. First thinking, "Well, maybe if he came to me..." and then realizing that not only would that be incredibly unlikely, but also that even if the pitching were absolutely overworked, he wouldn't risk throwing Ankiel back out there on the mound, no matter how willing Rick might be to take one for the team.

by john vb on Aug 15, 2007 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No way

Why? He seems to have settled into his new role quite well. Why ask him to do the one thing that left him a quivering mass of jelly?

by rockin redbird on Aug 13, 2007 7:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No

Did Roy Hobbs do it? No, and we all know Rick is just playing Roy Hobbs, and they won the pennent so don't screw it up.

Save the Kipper don't make him go back out there.

by gibbyfan on Aug 13, 2007 8:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's Forget this because....

this is a NON-issue!!!

Rick's NO-LONGER a pitcher...he's an outfielder AND a slugger!!! We need his bat...AND his spark!!
GO CARDS!!! THERE'S STILL TIME FOR A RUN!!!!!

GO CARDS!!!Bring LOU back!!! *** CARDFAN20 @@LOU BROCK@@

by cardfan20 on Aug 13, 2007 9:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Can we please drop all the Ankiel crap

The guy flaked once and now all anybody wants to do is call him Roy Hobbs, figure out if Jason Patric or Matt Dillon should play him in a movie, or if we should ask him to pitch.

And these are the same people who make fun of Cub fans.

How about this?

LEAVE HIM ALONE and let him play!!!!

Kennedy pissed me off the other day by calling him the St. Louis Savior. I'm sure that's the last thing he wants.

The guy wants to play baseball. Let's just let him and cheer him when he does well.

by Big Red on Aug 13, 2007 11:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Well said Big Red. He's doing well in this role, and a power hitter is more valuable than a power pitcher anyway, so don't mess with it.

by john vb on Aug 15, 2007 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

let him pitch batting practice

one day a week... if it taught our hitters to hit lefties he'd be more valuable than carpenter without having to deal with any stress at all.

"This is a ball club with issues." -Nats announcers (talking about the Cardinals)

by SleepyCA on Aug 13, 2007 11:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Let him be

Nothing would make me happier than to see Ankiel come in and show us some of the same stuff that made him such a feared young prospect in 2000. However, he has made it very clear to many sources, especially LaRussa, that he has no desire to return to the mound. He has been pleasantly effective in the OF so far and I hope he continues to be. Even though he has the potential, I believe that we will simply have to be content with his cannon coming from beyond the dirt and his bat providing some sorely needed support. Good question, but it simply isn't going to happen.

by PrimeTime5 on Aug 14, 2007 12:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Frankly,

I don't see why he couldn't someday. Right now, no. But let's put on the rose-tinted glasses and fast forward to spring training 2010. Rick's batting .285, slugging .500 to .600, a few dozen dingers in 2008 and 2009; in brief, he's up to stay and everybody knows it. Even him. He gets up in the morning on some gray February day and looks in the mirror. For fun, he pretends to have a ball and glove and winds up. He muses, "Why not? What's the worst that could happen? I could throw eight straight wild pitches and they'd...put me back in the outfield."

It's a different ballgame at that point. He doesn't have to confront that demon, now, then, or ever, but doesn't that very fact make the demon that much less fearful? Beatable, probably? How much harder could it be for Rick Ankiel to convince himself that Rick Ankiel could pitch long relief from time to time in low-leverage situations to spare the bullpen (like when the 2010 version of Mike Maroth gives up 12 in 2 2/3), compared to Rick Ankiel convincing himself that Rick Ankiel could become a major league outfielder?

by lordsummer on Aug 15, 2007 12:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs