Rick Ankiel

[POJO_Risin]

five or so years ago...this guy was hyped up as much or more than Kerry Wood or Mark Prior...and he had the goods...

heat...control...and he had a fantastic rookie season...until the playoffs...in which he hit everything but the strike zone...even the "fucking bull..." He had five wild pitches in one inning...a record...and 9 in four...lmfao...not to good...

lmfao...

He goes through five years of trying to come back...and can't...sometimes being brilliant...mostly just fucking hitting the backstop ten feet over the batter...2 serious arm injuries...

In the meantime...he's been occasionally seeing time in the field as a position player...at first and right...and as a DH...and he was good...

now he's quitting pitching at 25...and moving to the outfield...

Most don't know this guy at this point...but I hope he makes it...would be a great fucking story...

I can't believe he's only 25...

[ALinChainz]

Think he went 1 for 2 or 1 for 3 in his debut at the plate this spring.

[POJO_Risin]

I watched him pitch and bat a year or 2 ago for St. Louis' AA team...he won the game...and hit a dinger...here in cackalacky...

I remember thinking then he may give up pitching...

[vanzilla]

Saw Ankiel play in Nashvegas a few years back right when his skills were imploding. Although it was funny as hell to see him throw some wild ass pitches, I felt sorry for the guy. He was pretty stand up during the post game interview. You could tell he was genuinely frustrated and also a little worried about his job security. He did hit pretty well when he was playing outfield in the minors. I hope he does well.

[POJO_Risin]

Yeah...it's always tough to see young guys like that hit a fucking wall...and can't throw...

20 years old...and in the playoffs...how can you not feel the pressure...but damn...to completely lose it like that...it's amazing...

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Flashbacks of Steve Blass...

Same story as Ankiel, except Blass was much more successful when he could hit the strike zone....

Won both Game 3 and Game 7 of the 1971 World Series for the Buccos vs. the Orioles.....

[POJO_Risin]

Yeah...Blass...and a whole slew of others as well...

that closer for the Braves...not the douchebag in SI...but the one before him...I remember watching him throw 5 or 6 straight pitches about 8 feet out of the strike zone in a minor league game...before literally walking off the mound without anyone coming out to get him...

Blass was a 10 year vet when it happened to him...

He had 4 or 5 years where he was considered on of the top 6 or 7 pitchers in the NL...in particular with that Series win in 71...I think he won 20...or close to it...in 1972...then the bottom fell out...almost like the success got to him...

With Ankiel...to much pressure as a young kid...

with Blass...well...your guess is as good as mine...

like Sax's phobia throwing it from 2nd to 1st...later to envelope Knoblach...of course...it happened to both in NY...lmfao...