Rick Ankiel

Rick Ankiel
Ankiel with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008
Center fielder / Pitcher
Born: (1979-07-19) July 19, 1979 (age 45) Fort Pierce, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
August 23, 1999, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
June 8, 2013, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
Batting average	.240
Home runs	76
Runs batted in	251
Win–loss record	13–10
Earned run average	3.90
Strikeouts	269
Teams
St. Louis Cardinals (1999–2001, 2004, 2007–2009) Kansas City Royals (2010) Atlanta Braves (2010) Washington Nationals (2011–2012) Houston Astros (2013) New York Mets (2013)
Medals Men's baseball Representing  United States World Junior Baseball Championship 1996 Sancti Spíritus Team

Richard Alexander Ankiel (/ˈæŋkiːl/; born July 19, 1979) is an American former professional baseball center fielder and pitcher. He spent most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the St. Louis Cardinals, but also played for the Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, and New York Mets.

Ankiel was a pitcher with the Cardinals from 1999 until 2001 when he found himself unable to throw strikes consistently. After trying to regain his pitching form in the minor leagues and briefly returning to the majors in 2004, he switched to the outfield in early 2005. For two and a half years, he honed his skills as a hitter and fielder in the Cardinals' minor-league system. He returned to the Cardinals on August 9, 2007. As a Cardinal until 2009, Ankiel hit 47 home runs as an outfielder and two as a pitcher. After the 2009 season, Ankiel became a free agent. Subsequently, he was signed by the Royals and later was traded to the Braves.

Ankiel became the first player after Babe Ruth to win at least 10 games as a pitcher and also hit at least 70 home runs. Ankiel is also the only player other than Ruth to both start a postseason game as a pitcher and hit a home run in the postseason as a position player. His change of position, and the fact that he played for six teams in a five-season span, suggest that Ankiel's playing history represents "one of the stranger careers in baseball history" in the words of journalist Barry Petchesky.^[1]