2008 Woodie Awards
Ankiel sparks resurgent Cardinals
Brendan Block
Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: Sports
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Periodically, Cardinals fans were being updated on Ankiel's unexpected success. On August 9th, the former pitcher got the call up to the big leagues.
His first three at bats looked pitiful, as he struck out three times swinging as if he had a huge hole in his swing. To add further mental damage, Ankiel must have been thinking,
"It has taken me 6 1?2 years to get back up to the big leagues, and I finally get back to Major League Baseball just to strike out and embarrass myself in front of the home crowd fans."
Showing true grit, the newcomer mustered his emotions and smashed a homerun in his first game back.
Instead of adding more to a tragic career, Ankiel received a standing ovation from the St. Louis crowd and even received a rare smile from manager Tony LaRussa. Since that game, Ankiel has received many comparisons including the uncanny similarity to the fictional baseball legend Roy Hobbs.
The story of Roy Hobbs, played by Robert Redford in a book turned movie The Natural is strikingly parallel to Ankiel's career.
The character Hobbs starts out as a young pitcher, who ends up getting shot ruining his pitching career. He comes back years later as an outfielder and an older man and gets to start when another outfielder runs into the wall for a ball and kills himself. Hobbs's addition to his team, along with his homerun hitting finesse catapults them to the playoffs.
On the other hand, Ankiel was devastated by his mental breakdown and other injuries, trying to work his way up through the minors for nearly six years.
Ankiel got the call up to the big leagues due to a rarity in baseball; utility player Scott Spezio put himself on baseball's restricted list due to drug problems.
Ankiel's presence has ignited a spark in the seemingly hapless Cardinals.
The pitching is starting to come through with Jim Edmonds, Yadier Molina and Brendan Ryan picking up the hitting.
In every game that Ankiel has hit a homerun (6), the Cardinals have won. In games that Ankiel has started, the team is currently 12-5 and back in the pennant race.
Though his presence brought the Cardinals gloom in 2000, Ankiel brings the magic of a downtrodden underdog hero when he steps on the baseball field this year.
His first three at bats looked pitiful, as he struck out three times swinging as if he had a huge hole in his swing. To add further mental damage, Ankiel must have been thinking,
"It has taken me 6 1?2 years to get back up to the big leagues, and I finally get back to Major League Baseball just to strike out and embarrass myself in front of the home crowd fans."
Showing true grit, the newcomer mustered his emotions and smashed a homerun in his first game back.
Instead of adding more to a tragic career, Ankiel received a standing ovation from the St. Louis crowd and even received a rare smile from manager Tony LaRussa. Since that game, Ankiel has received many comparisons including the uncanny similarity to the fictional baseball legend Roy Hobbs.
The story of Roy Hobbs, played by Robert Redford in a book turned movie The Natural is strikingly parallel to Ankiel's career.
The character Hobbs starts out as a young pitcher, who ends up getting shot ruining his pitching career. He comes back years later as an outfielder and an older man and gets to start when another outfielder runs into the wall for a ball and kills himself. Hobbs's addition to his team, along with his homerun hitting finesse catapults them to the playoffs.
On the other hand, Ankiel was devastated by his mental breakdown and other injuries, trying to work his way up through the minors for nearly six years.
Ankiel got the call up to the big leagues due to a rarity in baseball; utility player Scott Spezio put himself on baseball's restricted list due to drug problems.
Ankiel's presence has ignited a spark in the seemingly hapless Cardinals.
The pitching is starting to come through with Jim Edmonds, Yadier Molina and Brendan Ryan picking up the hitting.
In every game that Ankiel has hit a homerun (6), the Cardinals have won. In games that Ankiel has started, the team is currently 12-5 and back in the pennant race.
Though his presence brought the Cardinals gloom in 2000, Ankiel brings the magic of a downtrodden underdog hero when he steps on the baseball field this year.
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