The Case for Rick Alexander Ankiel
by smashmouthsteel on Dec 27, 2011 10:51 AM EST
Email
PrintI love Rick Ankiel and I know that you do to! That's why the Washington Nationals MUST bring him back for the 2012 season. He personifies everything you'd want in a player on your team, in society, and the US of A as a whole - a modern day Rocky Balboa who has never let the man tell him what he can or can't do. A true American Hero in the mold of the founding fathers. Five logical reasons below from someone who does not understand the fancy stats that have developed over the fifteen years and also owns a Rick Ankiel (43) Nationals jersey direct from our friends in the Far East. After the Jump!
1. Walk out music - Black Betty (Artist: Ram Jam) - The first time I heard our man Rick stroll out to this classic all time Rock Jam I almost fell off the Red Porch on to some unsuspecting visiting pitcher in the bull pen. For both ethical and legal reasons I will not share why this song shares such a profound place in my heart - but I must assume it shares a similar place in Ricks!
2. The most awesome, intimidating, bionic arm - IN THE GAME!!! Find me one other outfielder with the surgeon like precision of Mr. Ankiel. If there was a throw off from center in any park to home I would take Rick against Satchel Paige, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Mickey Mantle - Hands Down!!!
3. Rick is the man - he does not have to start every day - he will play where you need Rick - because Rick understands the team is more important - even more important than Bionic arms and rocking walk out music! Nyjer Morgan (Wiener), BJ Upton (Dugout Fight with Evan Longoria), Barry Bonds (Cheater), etc. etc. etc.
4. Bombs.. Rick may not hit for high percentage (.239 good for 17th - right behind Upton), he may not hit a load of bombs (9 good for 17th - ahead of Bourn, Span, Morgan, Crisp), and he may not have the most hits (91 good for 23rd) - but by god: Rick RAKES! He will swing, and he will swing hard, and if he hits it, he will run Fast!
5. Perseverance - Rick is chocked full of this stuff.. Check Wikipedia if you don't know the story... There is no stop, give up, or quit in Rick. Jayson Werth not hitting (Did Rick learn to hit?), Storen not closing (You wanna be Rick?), Harper not making the adjustment (Rick makes adjustments) - think of the leadership and personal experience and inspiration oozing from this man in the clubhouse.. Other players are ashamed of themselves if they don't give 110% when Rick is in their presence - like when the Police drive by and you think 'Jesus, lucky I was going the limit this time!'
At the end of the day, Rick is a consummate professional, he can play any outfield position, and would provide tremendous depth and flexibility to the Nats! Recognize he is not the day to day answer - but who would you rather have in the platoon? I don't always weigh in on platoon outfield choices - but if I do - I prefer Ankiel!!!
66 comments
|
6 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I'd say you're 4 for 5
…only because I reject the entire effen idea of “walk out” music – also exploding scoreboards, loud-ass and annoying announcers, racing “presidents” and all the other extraneous BS us old-school fans must endure these days – but that’s just me.
For all the other reasons you list above, I likes me some Rick Ankiel. I’ll actually add a # 6 to your list: No reason on earth NOT to re-sign him. As a #4 outfielder, somebody please explain to me how he hurts us.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
...anywayz, 4 for 5 ain't bad
rec’d
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
Okay
He is a big reason why the Nats bench produced negative offense.
He wants to start not be “the 4th outfield”. He would not have signed with the Nats in the first place
were he not promised that. On that day Roger Bernadina was destined for Syracuse.
Finally you had to know it was a Riggleman idea. No hit, can field, some speed, small/smart ball.
I still miss Rick
First off, I’m a Cardinals fan… but for this, maybe that’s irrelevant. Secondly, I’ll admit that I followed Ankiel throughout his career and was sad to see him leave the Cards… twice (once as a closer, and once as a outfielder).
The Nationals are crazy not to keep Ankiel. His love for the game is top notch. And (as our author put it) his perseverance to play at the top of his game is unmatched. He adds a unique veteran perspective to a team with a ton of young talent. He would be a very reliable spot-start outfielder and could pinch-hit (effectively) every single day. You can plan on an injury or two, and Ankiel would fill in just fine.
The problem: $1.5 M. This is a dramatic figure for what the Nationals would be asking of Ankiel. Lower that #, and you have to sign this guy… No brainer. Unfortunately, the business end of the game gets in the middle of what would make baseball great.
Also, I think Clemente could out-throw Ankiel… but we’ll never see that skills competition.
I think Mantle could out-drink Ankiel… but thats for another thread…
Happy New Year,
Wainwright for President
by cardsfan_waino on Dec 27, 2011 11:49 AM EST reply actions
Al Kaline
…had the third best throwing-arm I’ve ever seen, after Clemente and Mays. Mantle had an arm too, but not in a class with them others, and only marginally better than Maris (who beat Mick in both homers and assists in 1961*).
But they’re all dead. Real question is: who in today’s game has a better arm than Ankiel? Anybody?
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
May just be my Expos bias...
But Vladimir Guerrero had a cannon of an arm when he was a young man coming up in Montreal.
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Dec 27, 2011 1:13 PM EST up reply actions
Vlad is one reason why I value cannon-armed RFers.....
"...I don't want to go watch American League baseball." Lance Berkman......LBIMH...
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 27, 2011 6:40 PM EST up reply actions
Emphasis on "had", sadly
Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "Yes, ... wait, ... no, ... never mind"
Frenchy, possibly.
In addition to the HR derby this summer, they should add another couple of skills competitions, and pit Ankiel and Francoeur against one another in an outfield rifle competiton. Points for distance, accuracy, and quickness of delivery.
Of course, if they did that, I don’t doubt that every participant would be DLed shortly thereafter due to arm fatigue (or worse). Which is why there’s no skills competition for pitchers at the ASG.
by rarumberger on Dec 28, 2011 12:28 PM EST up reply actions
Value
Appreciate the comments – one thing I’m not close to is the baseball salary structure. From what I understand – there is no cap but a luxury tax hits at some point. So – is $1.5M very much money for a fourth outfielder? To me that sounds extremely reasonable – what would a reasonable fourth outfielder get paid?
by smashmouthsteel on Dec 27, 2011 12:58 PM EST up reply actions
Salary
$1.5 M might be another team would pay Ankiel (maybe). It’s all about what the Nats are willing to spend. They have a pretty wild situation in their bullpen that could either tie-up or free-up a bunch of cash (Storen and Burnett not living up to potential in 2011, and Tyler Clippard is going to get his chance soon). The Yanks/Cards/BoSox/etc. would easily pay $1.5 M for Ankiel, but they don’t need him. At 32 years old (not that old for baseball), its a $$$ decision for the Nats. It won’t be anything long-term.
by cardsfan_waino on Dec 27, 2011 2:18 PM EST up reply actions
Storen didn't live up to his potential in 2011?
Wow … you must think the ceiling is really high for Drew! Even setting aside his 43 saves as a misleading stat, a pitcher with an 8.8 K/9 and a 3.7 K/BB and a 1.022 WHIP is pretty darn good for most people :-)
Drew is the man
Just an example – love Storen!
by smashmouthsteel on Dec 27, 2011 3:09 PM EST up reply actions
cardsfan, you're two feet outside on this one
I know not what wild situation you refer to in the Nat’s pen. The jaunty Burnett was uneven at times, but Storen was consistently outstanding in 2011. Clippard too – and he ain’t walking unless he gets dealt (which indeed is 50/50, given his trade value).
As for the rest, dunno. Hell, maybe yer right and it’s the money – but in today’s wide world of sports, $1.5M per ain’t sh*t.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
It sounds reasonable to me, too ....
… especially for a team considering paying $250M for 3 great years and 7 sucky years from Fielder.
Thems table scraps in this town.
I hate Rick Ankiel
But this post was pure gold.
Ross Detwiler will have a breakout year...Believe It!...and I'm serious this time!
Perseverance is not the only thing the guy is full of
Steroids! It may sound weird from the roids reminder guy, but he makes a darn good 4th OF for this team and an ok starter for a year or two.
"What you know is often the enemy of what you can learn" Bill James
the throwing is worth it!!!
two guys “OUT!” at the plate on the fly………….the one-hopper to 3rd…
"...I don't want to go watch American League baseball." Lance Berkman......LBIMH...
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 28, 2011 12:13 AM EST up reply actions
So, apart from tying up $1.5M for a year, how would re-signing Ankiel hurt us? Hah?
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
great jawline....
"...I don't want to go watch American League baseball." Lance Berkman......LBIMH...
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 28, 2011 12:53 AM EST up reply actions
...slow day
but truly, I remain somewhat baffled. Kid you not.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
He'll take up space in the 25 man roster that COULD be used for a better player.
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
Got me there, ye' sly fox
…and we don’t have Doug Slayton to kick around anymore. Guess we’re full up.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
Yeah, like Mark DeRosa*
*Theory debunked.
Ross Detwiler will have a breakout year...Believe It!...and I'm serious this time!
I love the idea of Ankiel as a 4th OF
but am not sure it would work. IIRC, his hitting was putrid as a backup, and didn’t rise to mediocre until he became a semi-regular.
Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "Yes, ... wait, ... no, ... never mind"
He did have a pretty good hot streak in mid-summer,
when he came back from injury. But then he settled back into mediocrity.
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
Virtually all bench players are mediocre.
That’s why they’re not starters.
Not true
The best bench players are those who possess the most of the 5 traditional tools or the best single tool. They’re not starters because either they are missing too many tools or one of those tools is so bad that they’re a liability. Since the AL uses the DH the very best bench players typically wind up over there, as DH’s, but a great bench player is typically someone who possesses two above average tools, ie someone who is very fast and plays great defense but can’t hit to save their life or someone who has both the hit tool and the power tool, but whose defense is atrocious. Sometimes someone who is very very fast, can be a good bench player or someone who possesses extreme power, ie Dave Kingman make great bench players because they be used only in situations where that tool is necessary. If teams would go back to a 10 man pitching staff with fewer bullpen specialists you would like see the return of bench players such as this.
Ross Detwiler will have a breakout year...Believe It!...and I'm serious this time!
Uh-huh. And the Post Office will concurrently announce the return of 12-cent first-class postage
Not. Gonna. Happen. The bottle has been uncorked, and the Genie of Situational Relief Specialists (patron — TLR) is free and about…
Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "Yes, ... wait, ... no, ... never mind"
I could see it happening in Texas
There’s still a few people left in the game, like Nolan Ryan, who think that pitchers are pandered to, too much. Another way you could see that happen is for teams to go to a 26 man roster.
Ross Detwiler will have a breakout year...Believe It!...and I'm serious this time!
Nah, them days are gone for good
and Walter Johnson’s record for career shut-outs (110) is safe as Ft. Knox – maybe safer.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
Cy Young isn't losing any of his long sleep worrying about someone else getting to 511 wins either
THAT record is far more unbreakable than DiMaggio’s or Ripken’s records, IMNSHO.
DiMaggio will be bested eventually
It’s just statistics. Ripken? That one’s harder to fathom given the nature of the game these days. I suppose it could happen, but a team would have to want that sort of thing to happen from the get-go. There’s only one player in the entire Major Leagues who played in 162 games in 2011.(*)
(*) His name is Prince Fielder.
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
Touché
Also, you’d need another player who was selfish enough to put his personal pursuit ahead of the team goals and never take a day off even though it’s in both his and the team’s best interest.
Ross Detwiler will have a breakout year...Believe It!...and I'm serious this time!
It's unlikely, but not impossible.
It could happen, if a manager got it into his head to try it out for a couple of seasons to get the ball rolling. I still think that’s what Manny Acta had in mind for Ryan Zimmerman for a while there. Once you get, say, three seasons under your belt, it’s enough of a thing that you can justify continuing it even during a slump or minor injuries. (Which isn’t to say it’s a good idea – read the latest theories about Lou Gehrig’s possible misdiagnosis for one thing).
But Cy Young’s 511 wins? At 33 starts per season, a pitcher would have to go 33-0 for 15 straight seasons… or average 25.55 wins per season over 20 seasons. Note that Cy also has the record for losses with 316. Both untouchable (though Nolan Ryan sure gave Cy a run on the losses record).
Hell, I figured Ironman Gehrig's record would never fall
…but it did, and amazingly, not to a first-baseman. After Lou’s death, autopsy revealed that his glove-hand had been broken 17 times. Gehrig showed up every day, played hard and played great, and he never bitched. A manager’s dream.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
Sam Crawford with 309 triples is just as safe.
I say bring Rick back, I enjoyed watching him play. Lots of K’s though……..
by Grandpaallewis on Dec 29, 2011 8:16 PM EST up reply actions
Similarly, 316 Losses; 815 starts; 29, 565 BF, 7356 IP, 7,092 H and 2,147 ER
are other Cy Young records that stand to this day, and will stand forever. Back in the 1870s, pitchers had to work for their pay.
Thirty years later, Walter Johnson came along, and the game had matured – that is, compared to the reconstruction period immediately following the Civil War.
Ax me, by any reasonable metric, greatest pitcher ever was the “Big Train.”
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
OK, you made me look!
Cy debuted in 1890…..there was even some overlap between Cy and Walter – 1907 to 1911.
If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!
Still before my time, either way
Would have enjoyed watching either of them in person immensely.
If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!
Re-signing Ankiel--it's not the money
Ankiel feels he can be a regular starting CF. The Nats apparently won’t commit to that for him. Somebody’s gotta budge or he’ll sign somewhere else.
Damned if that don't beat all
but your opinion sounds authoritative. What makes ye’ say this, NatsLady – if the information can be told. Seriously, I’m all ears.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
Re-Sign Ankiel
In addition to his notorious throwing arm, Rick is a terrific flychaser. A couple of years back when he was playing every day, Ankiel appeared regularly on Baseball Tonight’s ‘best plays’ segment for his outstanding catches. Jayson Werth and Roger Bernadina are a substantial drop off from what Ankiel can provide defensively.
One of the problems with our offseason machinations is that Rizzo is looking to solve two problems with one acquisition….obtain a combination CF and leadoff hitter with a high OBP. There is no one available that I know of who fits the bill – so, sign Ankiel Mr. Rizzo.
And what is Plan B, assuming that Rizzo cannot land a leadoff hitter ? Roger ‘the hit man’ Bernadina and Jayson Werth
Back then he made spectacular catches for the same reason bernadina does now.
He got horrible jumps. He’s slower now but gets better jumps. I think he arm is the only thing that is above average defensively.
Aim for the head baby Jesus
Horrible jumps? Come now, Roger just does that on purpose
…gives the fans a thrill, and shows off how fast he is
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
Ankiel highlight catches
So are you saying that Rick Ankiel is not better fefensively than the Werth/Bernadina option?
No Brainer..............
Even at 1.5 mil…………He just has to know that he is the 4th OFer…………DeRosa is the question mark for me. Wants this deal all about?………….Everyone has forgoten MORSE playing 3rd?…………
Flores
Lombo
Bernadina
Ankiel
LoRosa?
The signing of Fielder would have left Morse on the bench a thrid of the time to PH and finish at first or left.
LoRosa is a waste…………….
How do you figure that?
The signing of Fielder would have left Morse on the bench a thrid of the time to PH and finish at first or left.
Who would you put in the OF with Werth?
Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "Yes, ... wait, ... no, ... never mind"
Why do you have Flores and Lombo on the MLB roster?
They don’t belong there.
Aim for the head baby Jesus
Flores is likely to be on the ML roster
Unless you think that Solano is the backup catcher.
I think Flores is likely in the Opening Day lineup...
"...I don't want to go watch American League baseball." Lance Berkman......LBIMH...
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 30, 2011 12:19 AM EST up reply actions
Because Ramos struggles or because Flores takes off?
At this point I would be shocked if Flores started over Ramos. I don’t put that much stock in winter league stats one way or the other.
I'm only saying that when Jesus Flores is 100%, he'll be hard to sit on the bench.
and I think his Winter stats show he’s back at 100%…
"...I don't want to go watch American League baseball." Lance Berkman......LBIMH...
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 30, 2011 5:20 PM EST up reply actions
But Ramos > Flores.
"I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you."
-Leslie Nielsen, Airplane
I guess we'll find out in ST....
"...I don't want to go watch American League baseball." Lance Berkman......LBIMH...
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 31, 2011 9:00 AM EST up reply actions
Flores demonstrated prior to his injury that this may not be the case…it is a true luxury having both on the team. If not for the concerns with durability, I might be inclined to think that Flores is the better of the two. Having two starter quality Catchers likely leads to a trade eventually though, and hopefully the team ensures a “HUGE” return for either of them.
Occurs to me that Rizzo must have a deal for a CFer all but nailed down
…a deal for somebody, and we know not who – because Rizzo plays his cards close to the vest – and if not, he wudda re-signed Ankiel by now. Real simple.
On t’other hand, if Ankiel is re-signed, that will be the day that Rizzo has thrown in the towel. All other negotiations will have failed.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
Between Werth, Shark and Cameron
Remember, if Bernadina and Cameron platoon the Shark will get 3/4 of the starts because of the relative scarcity of LHP.
yup
…but Nat’s FO just don’t seem to like Rick Ankiel overly much. Why? Search me.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
I think this.
Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "Yes, ... wait, ... no, ... never mind"
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
GAMETHREAD SPONSOR
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- Benches clear at Fenway as Red Sox-Rays rivalry heats up
- Keeping good company: Albert Pujols becomes fourth-youngest player to hit 450 home runs
- Giancarlo Stanton misses cutoff man, and Logan Morrison is thankful he did (Video)
- Snoop Dogg delivers memorable first pitch at U.S. Cellular Field
- The Juice: Mesoraco’s grand slam helps Reds complete four-game sweep of Braves
