"The Natural" Moves On

This week, Rick Ankiel signed with the Kansas City Royals. He's 30 years old, and his previous career had been wholly with the Cardinals. His biography is truly unique ...

In his rookie season with the Cardinals (2000), he won 11 games and struck out 194 batters. In the postseason of the same year, he threw nine wild pitches in four innings. Soon after, he disappeared into secret pitching sessions, and finally, the minor leagues.

In 2001, he posted a stellar ERA of 1.33 in the minor leagues. He also hit 10 home runs as an occasional DH.

In 2004, he returned to the majors, and won a game in relief.

During spring training in 2005, he retired from baseball as a pitcher. One day later, he returned as an outfielder.

In the latter part of the 2007 season, he made the big leagues as a hitter, and blasted a three-run homer in his first at-bat. He returned full-time the next season to hit 22 home runs in the first four months before suffering an injury. He was plagued by injury during his remaining time with the Cardinals.

Ankiel was able to tantalize us with flashes of greatness, both as a pitcher and hitter - thus my moniker "The Natural". He was also chased by demons of wildness (as a pitcher) and injury (as a hitter).

In the end analysis, Rick Ankiel is simply a young man who, despite problems and unusual gifts, continues to push ahead. I wish him well.