ST. LOUIS -- Rick Ankiel's return to the major leagues might not be just a September cameo.

 

The left-hander, who'll be activated from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, has been impressive enough during his rehab from reconstructive elbow surgery that he'll be considered for the St. Louis Cardinals' postseason roster.

 

Manager Tony La Russa said he'd use Ankiel, who last pitched in the majors in 2001, in relief or use him as a spot starter to rest members of the rotation heading into the playoffs.

 

Asked if Ankiel, 25, was a candidate to pitch in the postseason, La Russa replied: "Yeah, sure, absolutely."

 

The Cardinals began a three-game series against the San Diego Padres with a 14?-game lead in the NL Central and a magic number of 18 for clinching the division.

 

La Russa said he'd treat Ankiel, who reached the majors at age 19 before being derailed by wildness and injuries, much like he did Matt Morris in 2000 when the right-hander was coming off reconstructive elbow surgery. In other words, he won't base everything on Ankiel's performance this month.

 

"The fairest thing is like Matt coming off that injury, it's what happened the next year," La Russa said. "That's really the fairest way to look at Rick.

 

"What you've got here is a bonus, for him and for us."

 

La Russa said there's a chance both Ankiel and Dan Haren, the staff ace at Triple-A Memphis most of the season, can be on the postseason roster. One spot could open if left-handed reliever Steve Kline, on the disabled list with a groin injury since Saturday, is unable to return.

 

La Russa said, though, that he expects Kline to be ready.

 

Ankiel was 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 2000, leading the staff with 194 strikeouts in 175 innings. His career took a drastic turn for the worse in the playoffs when he threw eight wild pitches in two games.

 

He missed the entire 2002 season with a sprained elbow and was 2-6 with a 6.29 ERA at Double-A Tennessee last year before tearing an elbow ligament in July. He began his comeback at Class A Palm Beach this year and in seven starts at three levels, he was 2-1 with an 0.79 ERA.

 

In 22 2-3 innings, he walked two and hit one -- but he did not throw a wild pitch.

 

Ankiel was expected to join the Cardinals on Tuesday, and La Russa expected a more mature pitcher.

 

"He's calendar years older, and he's gone through a lot," La Russa said. "You build some steel that way."

 

La Russa said the Cardinals wouldn't take special steps to shield Ankiel from the media, but said the pitcher likely would prefer to deal with his comeback in one news conference.

 

"A lot of it depends on what Rick wants to do," La Russa said. "If he asks my opinion, I'd say you ought to give everybody a shot to ask you whatever they want one time and then after that I'd try to resurrect my career.

 

"And I wouldn't be real nice about it."

 

La Russa doesn't anticipate a large contingent of minor league callups when rosters expand. Outfielder Ray Lankford will be activated from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday after rehabbing from a wrist injury, and catcher Cody McKay will be recalled from Triple-A Memphis.

 

On Tuesday, the Cardinals recalled Haren from Memphis and sent reliever Al Reyes outright to Palm Beach. That move makes Haren, who was 2-2 with a 7.03 ERA in seven games and made three spot starts, eligible for postseason play.

 

welcome back kid...

You should see how psyched I am.. I'm already decked out in my Ankiel jersey.. :notworthy .. LoL I'm so happy!

looks like he is back.

 

 

 

scary for the national league if he is.

Are you talking scary wise throwing at people or scary wise if the real Rick is back? lol

 

Cardinals Activate LHP Ankiel

 

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - Former St. Louis Cardinals phenom Rick Ankiel has completed his arduous road back to the major leagues.

 

The Cardinals on Wednesday activated the 25-year-old Ankiel from the 15-day disabled list. The lefthander's next appearance with St. Louis will be his first since the 2001 campaign.

 

Ankiel was 12-10 with a 3.84 ERA in three seasons with the Cardinals before undergoing elbow surgery following the 2001 campaign. After not playing in 2002, he went 2-6 with a 6.29 ERA and 49 walks over 54 1/3 minor league innings last year.

 

At the age of 21, Ankiel was 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA as a member of St. Louis' starting rotation in 2000. His control mysteriously vanished in the playoffs that year, however, and the problems continued into the next season. In six starts in 2001, he was 1-2 with a 7.13 ERA with 25 walks in 24 innings.

 

In the minors this season, his control appears to have returned. Over three levels, he walked just two batters in 23 2/3 innings. In his lone Class AAA start Sunday, he did not issue a walk over six innings, allowing just one hit and an unearned run in a win against Oklahoma.

 

Prior to making his major league debut in 1999, Ankiel was regarded as the top pitching prospect in the game. He went 13-3 with a 2.36 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 137 innings between Class AA Arkansas and Class AAA Memphis that year and was named SportsTicker's Minor League Player of the Year.

scary wise if the real Rick is back.

 

 

nightmares will ensue for NL batters.

hes still only 25

 

awesome

 

 

 

how do most of you expect he will do?

i wubb that dood

 

and i expect him to be used in non pressure spots at first but you never know...

hes still only 25

 

awesome

 

 

 

how do most of you expect he will do?

536635[/snapback]

 

I expect him to fill in outta our bullpen fairly good IMHO. He's expected to get 1 or 2 spot starts aswell as the Cards have like 20 games in 20 days this month. Also I believe he'll make the team for the post-season.

 

I know I'm probably expecting big things outta him so soon but I'm really not. I just want him to concentrate and get back on track and see how things go from there.

 

BTW at the earliest Ankiel wont pitch til around Friday since he started on Sunday

Nice Wild Thing is back!

i expect him to still be a bust

That's great for him! Too bad his hometown is gonna get destroyed by Frances though.

Older, wiser Ankiel back in Majors

 

 

Rick Ankiel might get a spot start for the Cardinals later this month. (Cardinals/Scott Rovak)

 

ST. LOUIS -- More than three years after his last Major League appearance, Rick Ankiel finally made it back to the show on Wednesday, with a new pitching elbow and a new outlook on the mound.

 

The much-scrutinized left-hander has completed his minor league rehabilitation assignment after last summer's Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery, and he could pitch in a game in St. Louis as soon as Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The last time he appeared in a regular-season, big-league game was May 10, 2001.

 

"It feels good," Ankiel said at a news conference before the Cardinals' game against the Padres on Wednesday. "I'm looking forward to getting out there for the first time."

 

"[i'm] more mature because I'm older," he said, "and definitely [from] going through what I went through. I think it's a new beginning, because you have a new arm, and also I'm older and more mature."

 

Ankiel also has a bit of a new approach to pitching. Even at his best, he was somewhat prone to allowing walks, to go along with his high strikeout totals. Lately, though, he's been focusing on quick outs and efficiency.

 

"Before I really tried to strike people out," he said. "Now I just want to get outs. That's the way you get wins. You stay in the game longer and keep your pitch count low."

 

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The Cards can afford to use him basically whenever they want, that's the beauty of a 15 game lead in September in your division......

 

I wish Ankiel the best, if he figures out how to get that SICK SICK stuff over the plate, it makes an incredible Cardinals team even better....

Rick RETURNS!!!

 

Rick looked very very sharp that 6th inning. Even on that hit he allowed he was ahead in the count 0-2 to Nady.. Was ahead of every batter.. Yesssssss!!!

 

Ankiel: 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K, 14 pitches

 

I know I know it's only one inning but he looked very sharp..

 

May pitch the 7th..

 

Nope here comes Ray King

Ankiel Returns to Major's with shutout inning

 

 

St. Louis Cardinals' Rick Ankiel makes his first major league appearance in more than three years, relieving for the Cardinals in the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2004, in San Diego.

 

SAN DIEGO -- Rick Ankiel made his first major league appearance in more than three years Tuesday night, throwing a scoreless inning for the St. Louis Cardinals against the San Diego Padres.

 

The left-hander's once-promising career was derailed for more than three years by wild pitches and reconstructive elbow surgery. He last pitched for the Cardinals on May 10, 2001.

 

With the Cardinals leading 4-2, Ankiel started the sixth inning in relief of starter Jeff Suppan. He allowed a leadoff single to Xavier Nady, then retired the side. Ankiel threw 14 pitches, 11 for strikes.

 

"I think my curveball could have been a little sharper, but I was there," Ankiel said. "That's the main thing, and it's only going to get better from here."

 

Ankiel received a rousing reception in the dugout after the sixth inning, getting high-fives and slaps on the back from his teammates.

 

"It's just such a relief to get out there and finally get back in the mix again," Ankiel said. "The welcome was great, and I'm happy to be back."

 

Manager Tony La Russa called Ankiel's appearance "a very special inning."

 

"We've been waiting to see him, we saw him, he thrilled us all and he was very good," La Russa said.

 

Ankiel is best known for throwing nine wild pitches and walking 11 in four innings in the 2000 playoffs. He was 1-2 with a 7.13 ERA and 25 walks in 24 innings when he was demoted to the minors in May 2001, and he missed the entire 2002 season with a sprained elbow.

 

In July 2003, he was 2-6 with a 6.29 ERA at Double-A Tennessee when he found out he needed reconstructive elbow surgery.

 

"No matter how many games you throw in the minors, there's nothing like being back out on the main stage," Ankiel said. "It just feels good."

:thumbup Great to see him back. Hope he stays healthy and focused.