Biographical

Portrait of Rick Ankiel

Rick Ankiel CFCardinals

Cardinals Player Cards | Cardinals Team Audit | Cardinals Depth Chart

Career Summary
Years PA AVG OBP SLG DRC+ WARP
13 2115 .240 .302 .422 84 3.6
Birth Date7-19-1979
Height6' 1"
Weight210 lbs
Age44 years, 8 months, 10 days
BatsL
ThrowsL
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

YEAR TEAM AGE G PA H 2B 3B HR BB SO HBP SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ DRAA BRR FRAA BWARP
1999 SLN 19 9 11 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 .100 .100 .100 -19 -1.7 0.0 -0.6 0.0
2000 SLN 20 35 73 17 1 1 2 4 20 0 0 0 .250 .292 .382 -2 -9.8 -1.4 -1.4 -0.1
2001 SLN 21 6 10 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 .000 .111 .000 -20 -1.5 0.0 0.3 0.0
2004 SLN 24 5 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 .000 .500 .000 -18 -0.3 0.0 0.2 0.0
2007 SLN 27 47 190 49 8 1 11 13 41 0 1 0 .285 .328 .535 108 2.6 1.4 2.0 1.0
2008 SLN 28 120 463 109 21 2 25 42 100 5 2 1 .264 .337 .506 108 5.9 0.9 -4.2 1.7
2009 SLN 29 122 404 86 21 2 11 26 99 3 4 3 .231 .285 .387 71 -13.2 1.5 4.6 0.4
2010 ATL 30 47 139 25 6 1 2 19 42 1 2 1 .210 .324 .328 72 -4.4 0.4 0.3 0.0
2010 KCA 30 27 101 24 7 0 4 7 29 1 1 0 .261 .317 .467 69 -3.5 -0.3 -1.2 -0.2
2011 WAS 31 122 415 91 20 0 9 29 96 2 10 3 .239 .296 .363 81 -8.4 0.6 3.6 0.8
2012 WAS 32 68 171 36 10 2 5 12 59 0 1 3 .228 .282 .411 61 -7.6 -1.0 4.2 0.1
2013 HOU 33 25 65 12 3 0 5 3 35 0 0 0 .194 .231 .484 68 -2.2 0.2 1.9 0.1
2013 NYN 33 20 71 12 4 1 2 5 25 0 0 1 .182 .239 .364 66 -2.6 0.1 -1.0 -0.2
Career65321154621011076162555122112.240.302.42284-46.62.48.73.6

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G PA oppAVG oppOBP oppSLG BABIP BPF BRAA repLVL POS_ADJ DRC+ DRC+ SD FRAA BRR DRAA BWARP
1999 SLN MLB NL 9 11 .273 .329 .416 .143 98 -2.3 0.3 1.7 -19 16 -0.6 0.0 -1.7 0.0
2000 SLN MLB NL 35 73 .277 .347 .453 .326 118 -2.4 0.1 11.3 -2 12 -1.4 -1.4 -9.8 -0.1
2001 SLN MLB NL 6 10 .265 .325 .426 .000 101 -1.8 0.0 1.5 -20 14 0.3 0.0 -1.5 0.0
2001 JCY Rk APL 41 118 .000 .000 .000 .290 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2003 TEN AA SOU 30 26 .000 .000 .000 .227 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2004 SLN MLB NL 5 2 .265 .359 .423 .000 115 0.1 0.0 0.3 -18 7 0.2 0.0 -0.3 0.0
2004 TEN AA SOU 2 4 .000 .000 .000 .000 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2005 QUD A MDW 51 223 .265 .344 .391 .285 101 5.7 2.3 -0.8 115 0 -1.3 -1.4 5.1 0.4
2005 SFD AA TXS 34 146 .263 .329 .405 .237 109 4 1.2 -0.6 109 0 -0.5 -1.6 2.0 0.1
2007 SLN MLB NL 47 190 .270 .336 .433 .306 102 5 5.6 -1 108 13 2.0 1.4 2.6 1.0
2007 MEM AAA PCL 102 423 .273 .338 .430 .270 97 11.3 12.7 0.4 117 0 -2.3 -0.1 10.6 2.1
2008 SLN MLB NL 120 463 .265 .333 .421 .289 97 15.3 13.4 0.5 108 9 -4.2 0.9 5.9 1.7
2009 SLN MLB NL 122 404 .259 .331 .413 .283 92 -7.4 11.6 -0.9 71 15 4.6 1.5 -13.2 0.4
2010 ATL MLB NL 47 139 .250 .314 .376 .307 95 -3.2 3.8 0.3 72 11 0.3 0.4 -4.4 0.0
2010 KCA MLB AL 27 101 .259 .326 .404 .333 115 0.2 2.8 0.2 69 11 -1.2 -0.3 -3.5 -0.2
2010 OMA AAA PCL 18 68 .273 .345 .440 .295 98 0.4 2.1 -0.3 90 0 -1.6 -0.6 -0.6 -0.1
2011 WAS MLB NL 122 415 .249 .310 .389 .297 97 -5.9 11.2 0.6 81 5 3.6 0.6 -8.4 0.8
2011 HAR AA EAS 1 4 .258 .363 .377 .000 84 -1.8 0.1 0 -6 0 -0.2 0.0 -0.4 0.0
2011 SYR AAA INT 2 8 .249 .331 .397 .200 97 0.3 0.2 0 61 0 0.6 0.6 -0.3 0.1
2011 NAT Rk GCL 1 3 .290 .362 .404 .500 102 0.5 0.1 0 134 0 0.0 -0.5 0.0 0.0
2012 WAS MLB NL 68 171 .255 .320 .408 .330 100 -3.3 4.7 0.4 61 14 4.2 -1.0 -7.6 0.1
2012 HAG A SAL 3 11 .264 .334 .414 .600 112 2.4 0.3 0 163 0 -0.4 -0.3 0.8 0.0
2012 HAR AA EAS 4 11 .281 .346 .441 .200 98 2.4 0.3 -0.1 162 0 -0.1 0.2 0.7 0.1
2012 SYR AAA INT 1 4 .271 .310 .419 1.000 93 0.3 0.1 0 43 0 -0.2 0.0 -0.2 0.0
2013 HOU MLB AL 25 65 .245 .304 .398 .318 100 -0.4 1.7 -0.6 68 13 1.9 0.2 -2.2 0.1
2013 NYN MLB NL 20 71 .250 .302 .385 .256 97 -2.6 1.9 0.1 66 12 -1.0 0.1 -2.6 -0.2

Statistics For All Levels

Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
Year Team lvl LG PA AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG ISO SF SH
1999 SLN MLB NL 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 .100 .100 .100 .000 0 1
2000 SLN MLB NL 73 68 8 17 1 1 2 26 9 4 20 0 0 .250 .292 .382 .132 0 1
2001 SLN MLB NL 10 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 .000 .111 .000 .000 0 1
2001 JCY Rk APL 118 105 21 30 7 0 10 67 35 11 26 0 0 .286 .364 .638 .352 0 0
2003 TEN AA SOU 26 25 2 6 1 0 1 10 5 1 2 0 0 .240 .269 .400 .160 0 0
2004 TEN AA SOU 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0
2004 SLN MLB NL 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 .000 .500 .000 .000 0 0
2005 QUD A MDW 223 185 33 50 10 1 11 95 45 27 37 0 0 .270 .378 .514 .243 0 0
2005 SFD AA TXS 146 136 18 33 7 0 10 70 30 10 29 0 0 .243 .295 .515 .272 0 0
2007 MEM AAA PCL 423 389 62 104 15 3 32 221 89 25 90 4 3 .267 .318 .568 .301 0 0
2007 SLN MLB NL 190 172 31 49 8 1 11 92 39 13 41 1 0 .285 .328 .535 .250 4 1
2008 SLN MLB NL 463 413 65 109 21 2 25 209 71 42 100 2 1 .264 .337 .506 .242 3 0
2009 SLN MLB NL 404 372 50 86 21 2 11 144 38 26 99 4 3 .231 .285 .387 .156 3 0
2010 ATL MLB NL 139 119 17 25 6 1 2 39 9 19 42 2 1 .210 .324 .328 .118 0 0
2010 OMA AAA PCL 68 67 8 17 6 0 4 35 9 1 19 0 0 .254 .265 .522 .269 0 0
2010 KCA MLB AL 101 92 14 24 7 0 4 43 15 7 29 1 0 .261 .317 .467 .207 1 0
2011 WAS MLB NL 415 380 46 91 20 0 9 138 37 29 96 10 3 .239 .296 .363 .124 1 3
2011 SYR AAA INT 8 7 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 2 1 0 .143 .250 .286 .143 0 0
2011 HAR AA EAS 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0
2011 NAT Rk GCL 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 .500 .667 .500 .000 0 0
2012 SYR AAA INT 4 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 .333 .500 .333 .000 0 0
2012 HAG A SAL 11 8 2 4 1 0 1 8 4 3 2 0 0 .500 .636 1.000 .500 0 0
2012 WAS MLB NL 171 158 15 36 10 2 5 65 15 12 59 1 3 .228 .282 .411 .184 0 1
2012 HAR AA EAS 11 9 3 3 0 0 2 9 3 2 2 0 0 .333 .455 1.000 .667 0 0
2013 HOU MLB AL 65 62 6 12 3 0 5 30 11 3 35 0 0 .194 .231 .484 .290 0 0
2013 NYN MLB NL 71 66 7 12 4 1 2 24 7 5 25 0 1 .182 .239 .364 .182 0 0

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr% CSAA
2008 1731 0.4558 0.5199 0.7311 0.7402 0.3355 0.8185 0.5696 0.2689 -0.0103
2009 1401 0.4547 0.5332 0.7055 0.7316 0.3678 0.8391 0.4840 0.2945 -0.0063
2010 923 0.4735 0.5157 0.6176 0.7254 0.3272 0.7287 0.3962 0.3824 -0.0030
2011 1556 0.4775 0.4981 0.7058 0.6729 0.3383 0.7960 0.5418 0.2942 -0.0044
2012 623 0.4735 0.5088 0.6151 0.6508 0.3811 0.7188 0.4560 0.3849 0.0005
2013 539 0.4545 0.5399 0.5911 0.7388 0.3741 0.6464 0.5000 0.4089 0.0032
Career67730.46450.51760.68270.71260.34900.78250.50590.3173-0.0050

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2012-03-26 2012-04-14 15-DL 19 8 Left Thigh Recovery From Strain Hamstring - -
2012-03-25 2012-03-26 Camp 1 0 Left Thigh Strain Hamstring - -
2012-03-13 2012-03-20 Camp 7 0 Left Thigh Strain Hamstring - -
2011-06-15 2011-07-01 15-DL 16 14 Left Trunk Strain Intercostal -
2011-05-03 2011-05-24 15-DL 21 19 Right Wrist Sprain -
2010-05-03 2010-07-22 15-DL 80 69 Right Thigh Strain Quadriceps -
2010-04-25 2010-05-01 DTD 6 6 Right Thigh Strain Quadriceps -
2010-03-12 2010-03-29 Camp 17 0 Right Ankle Soreness -
2009-07-28 2009-07-29 DTD 1 1 Groin Strain -
2009-07-13 2009-07-13 DTD 0 0 Right Shoulder Soreness -
2009-05-25 2009-05-29 DTD 4 3 Right Shoulder Soreness -
2009-05-05 2009-05-24 15-DL 19 17 Left Abdomen Strain Oblique -
2009-03-03 2009-03-05 Camp 2 0 Ankle Inflammation Achilles Tendinitis -
2008-09-10 2008-09-29 DTD 19 18 Surgery Sports Hernia 2008-09-24
2008-08-28 2008-08-30 DTD 2 1 Abdomen Strain -
2008-07-27 2008-07-29 DTD 2 2 Abdomen Strain -
2008-07-23 2008-07-24 DTD 1 1 General Medical Gastrointestinal GI -
2008-07-12 2008-07-12 DTD 0 0 Left Ankle Sprain -
2008-06-04 2008-06-10 DTD 6 5 Right Knee Infection Cellulitis -
2008-05-17 2008-05-21 DTD 4 4 Right Shoulder Soreness -
2007-09-24 2007-09-24 DTD 0 0 Foot Contusion -
2007-05-11 2007-05-21 Minors 10 0 Lower Leg Strain Achilles Tendon -
2006-04-01 2006-10-28 60-DL 210 161 Left Knee Surgery Patellar Tendon 2006-05-26
2006-02-28 2006-04-01 Camp 32 0 Left Knee Strain Patellar Tendon -
2005-05-06 2005-05-28 Minors 22 0 Low Back Strain -
2005-03-23 2005-04-28 Minors 36 0 Low Back Strain -
2004-04-05 2004-09-01 60-DL 149 131 Left Elbow Recovery From Surgery Tommy John Surgery 2003-07-16
2003-07-09 2003-09-05 Minors 58 0 Left Elbow Surgery Tommy John Surgery 2003-07-16
2003-06-03 2003-06-10 Minors 7 0 Groin Strain -
2002-03-27 2002-06-05 60-DL 70 57 Left Forearm Strain Wrist Flexors -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2013 HOU $750,000
2012 WAS $1,250,000
2011 WAS $1,500,000
2010 KCA $2,750,000
2009 SLN $2,825,000
2008 SLN $900,000
2006 SLN $335,000
2005 SLN $400,000
2004 SLN $320,000
2003 SLN $400,000
2002 SLN $400,000
2001 SLN $400,000
2000 SLN $202,500
YearsDescriptionSalary
13 yrPrevious$12,432,500
13 yrTotal$12,432,500

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
9 y 46 dScott Boras1 year/$0.75M (2013)

Details
  • 1 year (2013). Signed by Houston as a free agent 1/17/13 (minor-league contract). Salary of $0.75M in majors. Performance bonuses: $75,000 each for 200, 250, 300 plate appearances. $0.1M each for 350, 400, 450 PA. Contract purchased by Houston 3/31/13. DFA by Houston 5/6/13. Released by Houston 5/9/13. Signed by NY Mets as a free agent 5/13/13. DFA by NY Mets 6/9/13. Sent outright to Triple-A 6/10/13 (refused assignment).
  • 1 year (2012). Re-signed by Washington as a free agent 2/5/12 (minor-league contract). Salary of $1.25M in majors. Performance bonuses: $0.2M each for 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 PAs. $0.25M for 375, 400 PAs. Contract purchased by Washington 3/30/12. DFA by Washington 7/19/12. Released by Washington 7/27/12.
  • 1 year/$1.5M (2011). Signed by Washington as a free agent 12/18/10. Performance bonuses: $0.2M each for 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 PAs
  • 1 year/$3.25M (2010), plus 2011 mutual option. Signed by Kansas City as a free agent 1/22/10. 10:$2.75M, 11:$6M mutual option, $0.5M buyout ($0.25M buyout if club exercises & player declines). $0.5M in performance bonuses: $0.5M performance bonus ($0.125M each for 90 games or 405 PAs, 100-450, 110-495, 120-540). Acquired by Atlanta in trade from Kansas City 7/31/10 (Royals paid about $1M of money left on contract).
  • 1 year/$2.825M (2009). Re-signed by St. Louis 2/12/09 (avoided arbitration, $3.3M-$2.25M).
  • 1 year/$0.9M (2008). Re-signed by St. Louis 1/18/08 (avoided arbitration). Performance bonus: $25,000 each for 350, 400, 450, 500 PAs.
  • 1 year (2007). Re-signed by St. Louis as a free agent 1/07 (minor-league contract). Contract purchased 8/9/07.
  • 1 year/$0.335M (2006). Re-signed by St. Louis 2/06. Non-tendered 12/06.
  • 1 year/$0.4M (2005). Re-signed by St. Louis 1/05 (avoided arbitration). Performance bonuses. Released 4/05, re-signed 4/05 (minor-league contract). Contract purchased 10/05.
  • 1 year/$0.32M (2004)
  • 1 year/$0.4M (2003). Re-signed 1/03 (split contract, $0.32M in minors).
  • 1 year/$0.4M (2002). Re-signed 3/02.
  • 1 year/$0.4M (2001). Re-signed 3/01.
  • Drafted by St. Louis 1997 (2-72) (Port St. Lucie HS, Fla.). $2.5M signing bonus.

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ VORP FRAA WARP
Weighted Mean???????00??.000.000.00000.0?0.0

BP Annual Player Comments

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BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Rick Ankiel

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2013-02-27 20:00:00 (link to chat)Any news out of camp on Trevor Crowe?
(MarcoVillaCards from New York)
Hi Marco. Crowe signed a minor league deal with the Astros. It's doubtful he'll break camp with the club, though it doesn't take a lot of imagination to see him beating Rick Ankiel out for a spot. Crowe is organizational depth, though, and unless you're in a super deep AL-only Ultra league, I'd cross his name off of your list. (Mike Gianella)
2012-10-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)Danny Hultzen. Just what the hell with his second half? Are we looking at a Rick Ankiel or Steve Bass type situation with his loss of control (though the Ks still seemed to be there)?
(Paul from DC)
It's premature to start the Ankiel and Blass comparisons, though the degeneration of Hultzen's command and control is one of the most surprising developments of the year. No one seems to have a good reason for why it happened, but I think it's fair to wait until we see how he looks next year before downgrading him significantly. (Bradley Ankrom)
2012-04-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)Is it possible to gush too much about Rick Ankiel? Better story than The Natural...and my God what an arm.
(Geer from Bham)
I don't know... it's nice to see Ankiel earning a living after his pitching days came to an end, but I think I'll always think about what could have been. (Bradley Ankrom)
2012-04-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)Why should we gush about Rick Ankiel? Decent outfielder, great arm, but he can't hit his way out of a paper bag. Guys like that are a dime a dozen.
(Chris from KC)
Human interest. It's a good story, but he'll never be a difference-maker on the field. (Bradley Ankrom)
2011-08-26 16:00:00 (link to chat)Does the Braves Front Office have any regrets trading away Yunel Escobar who has been terrific since joining the Jays?
(Zooey from LA)
None. We root for Escobar because we want every trade we make to be win-win for both organizations involved. Alex Gonzalez helped us reach the playoffs last year with his Gold Glove defense and had a huge hit in Game 2 of the NLDS to tie the score. Gonzalez has helped us have a great season again in 2011. Escobar is an extremely talented player and we hope he does well in Toronto and, to his credit, he's shown his 2010 numbers in Atlanta were an aberration.

The interesting thing about that deal, which often goes unmentioned, is the second and third players we got in the trade. Tim Collins, who was used a couple of weeks later to help facilitate a trade for Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel, has spent the entire 2011 season in the Major Leagues as a left-handed reliever for the Kansas City Royals. The third player, Tyler Pastornicky, projects for us as an everyday shortstop and has hit .315 with 7 HR and 27 SB as a 21-year old in Triple-A. There was a lot more to that trade than just Escobar and Gonzalez. (John Coppolella)
2010-08-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)Atlanta's offense has looked utterly moribund since the break, and the Phillies are tearing through the NL sans Utley. Time for Braves fans/front office to start panicking?
(atlexile from Detroit)
I would like to see them call up Captain Marvel Jr, Freddie Freeman, and give him a shot instead of the dead-in-the-water Troy Glaus (last 40 games: .187/.325/.306). I guess they weren't about to bid on Adam Dunn, or didn't get anywhere when they did. I don't see too many big bats sliding through waivers, so they may be stuck with internal options and hoping that Rick Ankiel shows a little life. (Steven Goldman)
2010-06-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)Re: Alex Gordon. Mere mortals are not permitted to question "the process". In theory he is learning how to play LF/RF. Unfortunately for the moment those two positions are occupied. DeJesus is having a better season than we could expect Gordon to have and Pods is, well, Pods. GMDM doesn't admit to mistakes about players he acquires thru trade or free agency. Until the Royals cut bait on Jose Guillen there is no roster spot for Kila. And Mitch Maier is a much better option as a 4th OFer who can play all the positions as opposed to Rick Ankiel who can't play any of them.
(kcboomer from kc)
See, that sounds like megalomania. I know things that Moore has said about "the process" sort of SOUND like that, but I doubt he really believes it inasmuch as he doesn't know what he really should say. Which means that what he's really thinking remains a mystery, or he's not confident enough in what he's thinking to tell us, or... Gee, maybe megalomania really is the simplest answer. (Steven Goldman)
2010-05-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Marc, I need some serious help. I thought I drafted really well with a bunch of 4 and 5 star guys, but here I sit in 12th place. I have Kinsler back and Wright and Teixeira seem to be turning things around, but Justin Upton, Brett Anderson, Bucholtz and Kershaw have been disappointments and Ianetta, Jurrjens, Javi Vazquez and Scherzer have been awful. There trade value is non-existent to low. Time to cut bait on any of them?
(DanDaMan from 12th Place)
DanDaMan, it's been just over a month. Here's my take on fantasy: you get frustrated before you get worried. I try to be very patient, because if you get rid of a player that you had that much faith in just weeks ago based on a small sample, then you're going to regret it later far more often than not.

I'm currently in a super-deep AL-only league where you need five outfielders--three of mine were Jack Cust, Mike Cameron and Rick Ankiel. I'm panicking a little more in that league just because there are literally no replacements (the best available OF on waivers has 8 at-bats), but in all of my others that have bad things going on (injuries, early struggles, etc.) I'm just waiting it out. Don't panic. (Marc Normandin)
2010-01-14 16:00:00 (link to chat)Where will Conan end up?
(Mulraney from Downtown)
He'll do a Rick Ankiel and come back as a country singer. (Russell A. Carleton)
2009-04-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)Rick Ankiel is a servicable outfielder now, but he's the type of guy that could be sub-replacement level in a couple of years. If that happens, does he hang 'em up or try pitching one more time?
(Loren from Berkeley)
In talking to Ankiel, he would retire before going back to pitching again. He will never step on a mound again. (John Perrotto)
2009-04-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)Joe, have pitchers figured out how to pitch to Rick Ankiel or is it still too early?
(Dan from Saint Louis)
Too early. His rates are stable. The power will come, but you have to expect a .260 BA. He's not that much different from Duncan at the plate. (Joe Sheehan)
2009-01-26 14:00:00 (link to chat)How likely is it that Rick Ankiel is still developing as a hitter, given his unique situation and minimal experience with the bat - regardless of his age?
(ericmilburn from San Francisco)
How's this for an answer -- I don't know. So much of what I do is based on trends and patterns and history and comparables, that I just don't have enough of a roadmap to be sure at all. I think you could easily argue on either side of that one. (Kevin Goldstein)
2008-11-24 15:00:00 (link to chat)Who brings back more in a trade Rick Ankiel or Ryan Ludwick--and what kind of package would the Cards be looking at?
(Andy from Chicago)
Tough call. Ankiel has two more years of service time, roughly, while Ludwick is a year older. Ankiel can also play center, so excepting contracts, I think he's the very slightly more valuable commodity. As for packages, they could sure use some help in the middle infield. (Caleb Peiffer)
2008-11-03 13:30:00 (link to chat)Tell us, O trademeister (I've never heard the term "trademistress"): Do the Cardinals trade Colby Rasmus during the off season?
(Bill from New Mexico)
Hi Bill... actually, I prefer the term "editrix," but try putting that on a business card. I don't think so, no; Rasmus' value is down because of his injury-plagued season, so I can't see the Cards getting value, nor do I see all that much incentive for them to give up on him already. And to be blunt, as cool as the last two years of Ludwick's production have been, would you bank on anybody past Rick Ankiel? Can we even bank on Ankiel. That's not to say I don't like them, it's a fascinating group of talent, but I don't know if I'd have the confidence to deal from it. To say that John Mozeliak has some interesting options would be an understatement. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-07-22 13:00:00 (link to chat)Can Adam Loewen become the next Rick Ankiel or is his career over?
(Mark from Baltimore)
I think Rick Ankiel is a very unique situatino, and to expect any of these conversion guys (Loewen, Bogusevic, etc.) is to expect a bit much. That said, Loewen was an outstanding hitter as an amatuer, and would have been a high draft pick even if he never took the mound. There's a chance certainly, but it's not a huge one. (Kevin Goldstein)
2008-07-21 15:00:00 (link to chat)Any health-related issues with Adam Loewen becoming a hitter? Even if he becomes Cal Ripken on the durability front he has to face some monumental odds at getting back to the majors after taking six years off from hitting.
(Drungo from SoMd)
No I don't think so. The screw in his elbow shouldn't affect hitting. I'm still trying to figure out if it's staying in or will need to be re-fixated. My question is if Loewen does it, does it make Rick Ankiel's feat a bit less impressive? Someone figure out who else could do this - John Van Benschoten comes to mind, though I'm told he has no interest. Brian Bogusevic? Where's KG when you need him? (Will Carroll)
2008-07-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)Why didn't Rick Ankiel just become an OF in the first place? I mean, he's gone from a novelty to a really good center fielder.
(Jake Brigance from Clanton)
Did you see him pitch? He was the No.1 pitching prospect in baseball at a time. (Kevin Goldstein)
2008-06-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)I maintain to my buddies that what we've seen the last two years from Josh Hamilton (not just the drugs, but never playing above A-ball and very little playing time the prior few years) and Rick Ankiel (conversion to hitter) are probably the two most amazing stories I've seen in my baseball-fan lifetime (I'm 33). Where would you put them in the history of the game?
(Clint from Chicago)
I think you're absolutely right - this came up in the last chat some - when F. Scott Fitzgerald said there are no second acts in American lives he was full of it. The problem, Scott, is that there are no second acts if you can't get your head out of the bottle. Well, he was right in the sense that most people don't get their heads out of the bottle. They don't get their heads out of whatever problem has crippled them. Hamilton and Ankiel did, and that's always something admirable in any field. It's the same reason that I admire Casey Stengel so much - because he had spent 25 years being dismissed as a kook and an idiot and yet he kept coming back. There are many more Hack Wilsons in the history of the game than there are Hamiltons. Ankiel's problems were different, not substance related, but there are only so many Ankiel/Lefty O'Doul (Johnny Cooney?) -type stories to go around. (Steven Goldman)
2008-05-09 14:00:00 (link to chat)Two quick ones: 1) Have you ever seen an outfielder make two throws in a game as good as Rick Ankiel the other night in Colorado? 2) A team that carries Izturis, Brendan Ryan and Aaron Miles can't really stay in 1st all year, can it? Aren't Miles and Ryan redund
(akrieger from ATX)
1) Yes, but then on some level I'm always going to be in awe of Cory Snyder, and that's no slight of Ankiel. 2) Why not? The NL Central has a couple of very talented teams, but the Cubs and the Brewers have yet to put together the sort of hope-killing talent that could crush the rest of the field. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-05-09 14:00:00 (link to chat)Rick Ankiel...for real...he's so confusing to me. Would Owings do something similar? What's more valuable?
(chuckstein17 from Long Beach, NY)
I forget if Kevin said Owings would be a second- or third-rounder or what if Owings had been selected for his bat after a fine career slugging in college. So, in a word, yes, Owings could probably hit well enough to play in the majors, like Ankiel. I'd still take the starting pitcher version of either of them, though, if we're talking Ankiel at his best and before the yips, or Owings in terms of what he's becoming. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-03-11 12:00:00 (link to chat)I'm sure you're hearing this from everyone...but what are you seeing with Pujols' value in light of all the surgery talk? I'm in a 10-team 5x5 league that keeps 2 players per team, and I'm sure that Pujols won't be kept in that league. Given that, how far do you let him go before you give it a shot?
(stevedevries from Boston, MA)
Got into a good discussion about this with the Fantasy 411 guys and Will Carroll. I still see Pujols as a late-first, early-second pick. It really comes down to your risk tolerance.

The critical factor is the Cards' performance. They probably can't win anything this year, but you could make a case for 2009. So there's not much reason for Pujols to put that season at risk once we know 2008 is a dead issue.

So Pujols' playing time is as much tied to Chris Carpenter's comeback, and Rick Ankiel's development, and Colby Rasmus' playing time, as his own elbow. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-02-29 13:00:00 (link to chat)Dan, it would seem logical that a pitcher who threw 90+ MPH would have a pretty strong OF throwing arm. That said, I think Rick Ankiel still surprised a lot people last year with a very good, and at times outstanding, throwing arm. How does his arm stack up against his peers, and how good should we expect his OF play to be for a full season?
(Patrick from STL)
Rick Ankiel played 22 adjusted games in right, 2 in left, and 15 in center field. When you add it all up he was a very impressive +3.3 (+2.1 in RF and +0.3 in CF, his LF numbers are a little skewed since the part of the system that deals with stretching hits works on probabilities and so small sample sizes are problematic).

So I would assume in a full season we'll see him as above average at least at the corners. (Dan Fox)
2008-02-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)Christina, Love your Transaction Analysis... Speaking of transactions...do the dodgers keep A. LaRoche on the roster if they give the job to Nomar? Why would you give the job to Nomar? Short term? Who do you like better this year...Rick Ankiel, WMO Pena or S. Hairston? Also, down the road..M. LaPorta or I. Stewart or the kid in Atlanta - Schafner?
(BMcG from NY)
Thank you, I'm always gratified by compliments.

I wouldn't waste LaRoche's time with a spot on the bench, should Ned and Joe elect to make that kind of mistake; as Earl Weaver might observe about backups in general, Las Vegas is only a phonecall and a short flight away.

As for the middle question, one of those things is not like the others, so let's take Hairston out of the equation right off. Between Ankiel and Wily Mo, I'd pick Ankiel, not despite his career path being so extraordinary, but perhaps because of it. I don't know if we know how good he can be yet. No slight of Wily Mo intended--he might turn out to be a totally solid everyday left fielder this season.

Finally, we have another broke-leg trio there, because Stewart doesn't belong in a comparison to LaPorta or Jordan Schafer. I'd take Schafer, which again isn't a slight of LaPorta's obvious gifts as a hitter, but because it's easier to find a guy who can hit and play left than a guy who might be a star in center field. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-01-17 14:00:00 (link to chat)What do you think of the Cardinals offering Chris Duncan, Anthony Reyes and your choice of Wellemeyer, Thompson or Jiminez for Tom Gorzelany?
(Jack from (Charleston, WV))
As much as I really, really like Gorzelanny, that's too much to give up. But then I can't shake the anticipation I have of seeing the Cards line up a trio of lefty-hitting howitzers in their outfield at some point: Rick Ankiel, Duncan, and Colby Rasmus. That's just a fun bunch to have at your disposal. (Christina Kahrl)


BP Roundtables

DateRoundtable NameComment
2010-04-05 09:30:00Season Opener RoundtableSo, mid-meltdown, the viewers of the Royals game have been polled as to which newcomer will help the most:

Rick Ankiel 28%
Chris Getz 28%
Jason Kendall 17%
Scott Podsednik 27%

Clearly, "None of the above, they're all godawful, now please let me start my 162 games of suffering in peace" wasn't accepted as a valid answer. (Jay Jaffe)
 

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