Need I say anymore. I mean what the heck is going on there?? I know it's something that has happened before, but it's still hard to believe I'm watching this guy struggle night in and night out. Last night he went like 2/3 of an inning and threw 10 balls to the backstop. My god. I just feel bad for the guy. I can't ever remember seeing anything like this in basketball. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
I guess you didn't watch Vernon Maxwell play that much! Man, I can't believe nobody jumped on that one right away ------------------ If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!!
There's now talks that they might put Ankiel in the outfield to take his mind off pitching. Ankiel appears to be done at Triple-A The next stop for Rick Ankiel could be at the Cardinals' extended camp in Jupiter, Fla. Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that team officials will meet Monday to discuss Ankiel's future and it's likely the struggling left-hander will be told to leave Triple-A Memphis and report to extended camp. "If I would guess, he won't get another start (at Memphis)," Jocketty said. Jocketty, director of player development Mike Jorgensen, minor-league pitching coordinator Mark Riggins, pitching coach Dave Duncan and manager Tony La Russa will decide Ankiel's fate Monday. Ankiel's next start was scheduled to be Tuesday. With Triple-A Memphis, he has a 20.77 ERA with 17 walks and 12 wild pitches in 4 1/3 innings. He was 1-2 in six starts with a 7.13 ERA and 25 walks in 24 innings in the majors this season. "Unless somebody convinces me differently, that (going to Jupiter) is the step to take," Duncan said. "I could be convinced differently, but when I get involved in the discussions, I'm going to encourage that that takes place." Jocketty said Ankiel "needs to get away from pitching (in games) for a while." Jocketty also said the idea of Ankiel doing something other than pitching -- perhaps playing the outfield -- has been broached in the many brainstorming sessions the staff has had lately. Ankiel hit .250 last season but was hitless in eight major-league at-bats this season. "That's a little dramatic," Jocketty said. "It has been mentioned." Jocketty is worried about the kind of message that would send. Duncan has been in almost constant contact with Riggins, who has been with Ankiel the last two weeks. "What we've been doing hasn't been working," Duncan said. "Our main objective is to do whatever we can do to get Rick back as a pitcher. There's no timetable on it. He's so young (21) there's no immediacy to doing that. "It would be nice if it would happen tomorrow, but realistically it's not going to. We've got three or four different alternatives. ... For about the last four times, his pregame warm-up has been flawless. So, it's going to the mound now that's the problem. I don't think that's going to matter if it's the seventh inning or the first inning or if he's surprised by the appearance." Going to Jupiter certainly is an option, Duncan said. Sending him to a lower classification in the system is not so much an option. Removing him from the pitching role also is a possibility, Duncan said. "But it depends on what you do with him," Duncan added. "I don't think it makes sense to say, 'Go home. Get well. Come back and see us when you're ready.' That isn't going to work. We have to keep Rick active and involved." Ankiel's arm is fine, Duncan said. As for his psyche, Duncan said Ankiel and sports psychologist Harvey Dorfman had been in communication recently. Duncan said the matter boils down to this: "Trying to figure out what he needs in order to clear his mind of what he's going through, maintain his love and interest for the game and do whatever you can to not let the fun of playing the game of baseball get away from Rick." ------------------ Sell crazy someplace else. We're all stocked up here...
If I were the cardinals, I'd see if I couldn't get him to take a year or so off . . . it's too much to expect him to contribute this season. Let him take some time off and sort whatever it is out. Get away from pitching, get away from everything . . . Kindof like the kid in the movie "Searching for Bobby Fisher" -- take some time away from the game entirely and you'll get back on track. ------------------ blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
There's also talk of moving him to first base. That guy was going to be a star, a stud pitcher in the making. But he threw that wild pitch in the Division series against Atlanta and it was like something just short ciruited in his brain. It's one thing to fry your brain after giving up a long ball that eventually cost you a championship like Mark Wohlers, who took 5 years to get back his stuff, but to fry your brain after a few wild pitches in a playoff game? Wild. ------------------ "I'm not here to protect my reputation, I'm here to make my reputation! Mama Barkley didn't raise no chumps!" - Charles Barkley
