Open Thread Day: Rick Ankiel
Since I received a couple of e-mails and a comment yesterday on the subject of the Royals possibly picking up Rick Ankiel, let’s talk about that for a moment.
For those of you who haven’t heard the news, here’s a little background: Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel is now Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel, as he decided to scrap the whole pitching thing and try to carve out a career as a hitter. The decision was apparently all his, whose total inability to throw a baseball anywhere near home plate became too much of a distraction and burden for him to bear. Although he seemed to have solved his control problems with a ten-inning, one-walk performance in five relief appearances at the end of 2004, Ankiel’s pitching career will likely be remembered as the Second Coming of Steve Blass.
By every account I’ve read in past scouting reports, backs of baseball cards, and quotes from people with the Cardinals organization, the belief has always been that Ankiel’s fine athletic ability would allow him to become an outfielder if he ever chose that path. However, the original idea was for him to be the Cardinals’ version of Brooks Kieschnick, a relief pitcher/pinch-hitter who would essentially allow the team an additional player on the bench or in the bullpen because of that extreme versatility. Such a strategy probably would’ve worked wonders for Ankiel, who, like division rival pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, can really swing it for a pitcher. In 134 minor league at-bats, Ankiel has a .908 OPS, and has hit a respectable .207/.258/.310 with two home runs in his 87 at-bat major league career. That was while pitching, and one could make a reasonable argument that he’d be much, much better than that focusing on offense only.
However, with the crowded outfield situation the Cardinals are facing, it’s highly unlikely that they’d carry him on the 25-man roster over John Mabry, So Taguchi, and/or Roger Cedeno. That means a trip to the minor leagues (and perhaps Hammons Field) would be in order, but because he’s out of minor league options, the Cards would have to sneak him through waivers to option him down. That’s where the question of what the Royals should do if he becomes available comes into play.
I’m operating under the assumption that no amount of convincing and miracle working from Guy Hansen could possibly get him to try pitching one more time. As it stands now, the Royals have David DeJesus inked in at centerfield, with Eli Marrero, Terrence Long, Abraham Nunez, and Aaron Guiel competing for playing time at the corners. Matt Stairs will also see some time in the outfield this year, but he’ll mostly be a part of the logjam at first base and designated hitter. Everyone except Guiel is on the 40-man roster. Since Marrero and Long are on guaranteed contracts and are guaranteed roster spots barring a trade, the question becomes whether or not Ankiel is a better player than Guiel or Nunez.
I really hate to be blunt, but I think the answer’s a resounding “no” if the Royals wouldn't be able to ship him to Omaha or Wichita. There’s just no reason for the Royals, already using one roster spot on Rule 5 draftee Andy Sisco, to waste another to carry a second guy learning on the job. Additionally, I don’t think there’s any reason to believe that Ankiel, for all his physical gifts, profiles as anything more than a fourth outfielder – exactly what Guiel and Nunez are. With that said, I’m declaring this an “open thread” for you all to share your opinions on this subject. Should the Royals, if given the opportunity, take a gigantic chance on this guy?