34 Facts About Rick Ankiel

Richard Alexander Ankiel is an American former professional baseball outfielder and pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the St Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, and New York Mets.

Rick Ankiel was a pitcher with the Cardinals from 1999 until 2001, when he found himself unable to throw strikes consistently.

Rick Ankiel became the first player after Babe Ruth to win at least 10 games as a pitcher and hit at least 70 home runs.

Rick Ankiel is the only player other than Ruth to both start a postseason game as a pitcher and hit a home run in the postseason as a position player.

In 1999, Rick Ankiel was named the Minor League Player of the Year by both Baseball America and USA Today.

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Rick Ankiel was Texas League All-Star pitcher, Double-A All-Star starting pitcher, Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year, and Baseball America First Team Minor League All-Star starting pitcher.

Rick Ankiel threw a 94- to 97-mph fastball, a heavy sinker, and a fall-off-the-table curveball that was his main strikeout pitch.

Rick Ankiel came in second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Rick Ankiel received The Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa chose Rick Ankiel to start Game One of the National League Division Series against veteran pitcher Greg Maddux of the Braves.

Rick Ankiel allowed four runs on two hits, four walks and throwing five wild pitches before being removed with two outs.

Rick Ankiel shrugged off the event, joking that he was the first pitcher to throw five wild pitches in an inning since Bert Cunningham of the Players' League in 1890.

Rick Ankiel appeared again in the seventh inning of Game Five facing four hitters, walking two and throwing two more wild pitches.

Source of Rick Ankiel's problems were unknown, and his loss of control, often called "the yips" in sports, has been compared to that of Steve Blass, who became unable to consistently throw strikes for unknown reasons.

Rick Ankiel returned to the majors in 2001 but again had issues controlling his pitches, walking 25 batters and throwing five wild pitches in 24 innings, and was sent down to Triple-A.

Rick Ankiel was voted Rookie Level Player of the Year, Appalachian League All-Star left-handed pitcher, Rookie League All-Star starting pitcher, Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year, and Appalachian League All-Star designated hitter.

In 2002, Rick Ankiel sat out the season due to a left elbow sprain, and was not cleared to throw until December.

Rick Ankiel returned to the majors in September 2004, posting a 5.

However, on March 9,2005, after a successful winter pitching in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League, Rick Ankiel announced that he was switching to the outfield, after a spring training game in which he threw only three strikes out of 20 pitches.

In 2006, Rick Ankiel was invited to spring training by the Cardinals as an outfielder, with a slim chance to make the team as a reserve player.

Rick Ankiel's fielding impressed scouts and managers, and he had shown flashes of power hitting in the minor leagues.

Rick Ankiel was invited to the Cardinals' 2007 spring training and began that season at Triple-A Memphis Redbirds.

Rick Ankiel hit an RBI double and made an over-the-shoulder catch in deep center field that saved two runs.

Rick Ankiel was named a starting outfielder for the 2007 Triple-A All-Star Game.

Rick Ankiel was the home run leader in the Pacific Coast League, and tied for second in RBIs.

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Rick Ankiel had three hits, including two home runs and three RBIs and made a spectacular catch in right field.

Rick Ankiel's comeback prompted syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer to write on August 17,2007:.

Rick Ankiel was the Cardinals' leading hitter in spring training but struggled at the plate when the season started.

Rick Ankiel joined Barry Bonds as the only two players to hit a ball into the cove in the postseason.

Rick Ankiel played in 122 games for the Nationals in 2011, hitting.

Rick Ankiel began the season on the disabled list, rehabbing in the minors.

Rick Ankiel announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on March 5,2014.

Later that month, Rick Ankiel announced that he was planning a return to Major League Baseball for the 2019 season as a pitcher.

Rick Ankiel officially ended his comeback attempt on July 30,2019.