In light of the media beating (and rightly so) Ankiel took with hgh story last year, perhaps a more personal story will soften the hearts of vebbers. This article in the Palm Beach Post explores the tumultuous relationship between Rick and his dad.

Admittedly, last year I was a bit ambivalent about his return - maybe a bit leery of the spectacle and concerned that he would again let us down as Cardinal fans. But lo and behold, his presence was absolutely magical. He gave us hope last year. Sadly, after the hgh media blowup, he had a couple precipitous moments - ugly strike-outs, followed by some horrendous defensive mistakes. But somehow, with TLR's guilt-ridden patience, he rebounded and now appears to have become a viable major-league hitter.

I'm not sure what to expect out of him this year. His k's and low obp will likely continue to be an issue. But as he seems to have a matured and created a more stable life away from baseball, his prospects are looking up.

Not sure if this has been discussed, but I found it to be rather humorous.

Continue reading this post »