Rick Ankiel has been called up as a power hitter to join the St. Louis Cardinals from their AAA affiliate Memphis Redbirds.

Considered one of baseball’s most promising young pitchers before uncontrollable wildness that emerged in a 2000 playoff game derailed his career, Ankiel last appeared in the major leagues in 2004.

Ankiel was hitting .267 with 32 homers and 89 runs batted in 102 games at Triple-A Memphis. He also struck out 90 times and had an on-base percentage of .314. Defensively, he had seven errors.

Ankiel will bat second and start in right field tonight. He should give a much needed boost to the lackadaisical Cards.

Rick and I met about six years ago and became friends.  He is the only Major League Baseball player to have ever left me tickets to a big league game.  It turned out to be Darryl Kile’s last home start before his untimely death in 2002.

Rick was ‘Minor League Player of the Year’ in 1999 as a pitcher and could possibly win the award again this year as a hitter.  He was runner up to Rookie of the Year in  2000.  He was 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA that year.

Rick’s 2007 Memphis Redbirds Stats

Rick Ankiel on Wikipedia