More to the point, I think you have it backwards.  The camp that would like to ignore the OBP is the camp that sentimentally roots for a talented pitcher gone haywire.  The camp that points to his below average OBP are just realistic about his ability and his chances.

...so its no fluke watching him better his power numbers at AAA this year, the kid can hit...and if he can accomplish what he has so far, he might learn to be more selective and turn pitches he cant hit with power into singles vs. SOs or FOs.

If he wants to "live the dream" and start in the bigs, then he has to know OBP is the weakest link to the next step up and be working on that aspect of his game. Its pretty much up to him?! Injuries may be more a worry for Ank?

ANY talk about Kingman comparisons scares me! He struck out 1,816 times in 1,914 games....the 4th-highest total in history at the time. He was also traded, waived, had his contract sold and was released....all in ONE season. Not to mention sending a dead rat to a reporter and having his best season ever with the Cubs...Yow!

dont give up. dont ever give up.

Rick is doing what any one of us would be doing if we could. holding on for dear life to that deam of one day being a star in the majors. but unlike the rest of us, he has the GOD given talent to make that dream a reality. and you know what? one day soon he'll prove all the haters & doubters out there wrong. he will be a star. he has to be.

screw the "lack of options" and call him up NOW!

down with the haters & the doubters!

here's to those who wish Rick well! and those who dont can go to,,,,

....."haters" to be "down with"...This is OUR team we're talkin' about here, the Cardinals, right?

But yeah, no downside to calling him up now.  You can keep him up the rest of the year, so no more worries about him not clearing waviers to be sent down or anything (maybe waivers is the wrong term here, but I recall something about how b/c Ankiel was on the original 40 man roster, the Cards risked losing him to another team if they called him up and sent him down again during the year).  

My interest in Ankiel has more to do with trying to find somebody who can hit the damn ball NOW!  If he fulfills his dreams, then that's a good thing.

Good post, erik...the concept of not giving up, what ever you do, is one that should be taken to heart by all of us.

On the subject of Ank, I will be attending the Portland game on Tuesday (I hope) and will provide a report.  I'd be more excited to see a Springfield game, but this should be fun--I'm looking forward to seeing Mather and hopefully Perez play (and Ank, of course, if he isn't up by then).

I have to agree with your assertion that given more time, his OBP might improve.  Anyone else, five years younger with this power potential, would be quite the prospect...so, come on, Ricky, for all us thirty-somethings wondering where our dream went, get er done....

No 2nd basemen is posted at the PD site.

He put up this line:

IP   H  R  ER  BB  SO  HR  ERA  
7.0  6  2   2   1   2   1  3.50  

 With 10 groundouts to 8 flyouts.

A great natural athlete often gets forced into roles, positions or even sports, that they may not best be suited for.  Sometimes they can switch late without much problem, but injury has made this a particularly long haul for Ank.  His great arm could help lead in outfield assists, something we haven't seen jed do for a couple of years now.

I think he could have languished on tlr's bench this summer, or shown off his stuff with a full year in Memphis.  At this point there is very little to be gained by bringing him up until their season ends Sept. 3rd.  Let him have a shot to retain his league lead in hr's and bring him up then.  (Memphis is also trailing their division no thanks to all of the fabulous call-downs from STL.)

Once he has proven he has power, I think he can learn more plate discipline.  I also don't think enc would be dealt before he has accomplished a good April in STL, and any risk of new injury in the spring has passed.  He won't be given RF, but I think he will have a good shot at earning it.

And there is NO better place to engage in some healthy experimentation than with a thoroughly failed team like the 2007 Cardinals.  This is a perfect nothing-to-lose situation.

And while you're at it, TLR, how about giving Lil' Dunc some PAs against lefties the rest of the year?

He also went 2 for 3 with a solo HR.

If we are going to watch Looper, Pineiro, Maroth, Reyes, etc pitch as poorly as Morris, I'd rather just have Matty Mo back in the BOB.  He'd atleast be able to eat innings.

Perhaps you could start a complementary, juvenile-detention baseball league, and help get the best players on track to the Cardinals farm club---synthesizing your vocation and avocation.

Tony, if you are going to do this "pitcher in the 8 spot" thing with AW (instead of putting him in the 6 spot where he belongs), please don't have him bunt.  

I am a CPA and my job requires that I talk to various dignitaries at multi-billion dollar companies about their role for various reasons.  I have crossed paths with Larry Ellison, Charles Schwab and multiple other multi-billionairres along the way and at some point something in me snapped and I started developing severe anxiety - I would meet with these people and other people and would have to fight the shakes with my hands/voice, and various other malladies everyday (this is where I analogize to Ank trying to throw a damn strike).  

It got so bad that it wasn't just the big wig I couldn't talk to, it was the starbucks lady, my own family. etc. etc.  (At various points a year and two years in I never thought I'd get over it, just like I wondered if Ank would ever make it back)

It has been about three/four years since all this started for me and over that period of time I have fought through it, and am doing well on the job and in life once again (not perfect, but ALOT better),,,

but through my struggles, much like Rick I have been humbled - and Rick's comeback strikes a very deep chord for me much like others (and has served to increase my general compassion for others me thinks)...

Anyway - long winded way of saying - Great post and I am with you...Go Rick!

Get him off the field.

Hearing his "See...You...Later!" made me shudder though.  That strike three call to Ludwick made me shudder too.

We're not good enough for a Cubs-like turn around - but he made me feel like winning this game meant something - just to spite some cocky umpire.

Maybe Eckstein with his sudden uppercut swing should try doing that from now on.

I'd rather see a struggling Ayala against Wainer than Ray King dominate Adam Kennedy.

and heres a bad line: now yu will die...as shall you..after a really bad battle...crouching tiger hidden dragon

Also, Kerry Wood pitched for the first time this year - 1 inning (so far), 1 hit, 1 K. Here's hoping he has a good rest of the season that he can build on for next year; I've always really liked him (even though he's a Cub) and have been saddened by his never-ending string of injuries.