Rick Ankiel

About Rick Ankiel

Richard Alexander Ankiel (born July 19, 1979, in Fort Pierce, Florida) is an outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball.

Ankiel began his career in the majors as a starting pitcher, posting a solid rookie season in 2000 with 11 wins and 7 losses, but during the playoffs that year, he suddenly found himself unable to consistently throw strikes. After a few years of struggling with injuries and command, he abandoned pitching in 2005 and began to work his way back up to the major leagues as an outfielder, finally succeeding in August 2007. He is the only active major leaguer to have played as a full-time major-league pitcher and position player, and one of only a handful in history. In early September 2007, his homecoming was mired in controversy when the New York Daily News revealed that he had received shipments of human growth hormone in 2004, prior to when HGH was banned by Major League Baseball. Ankiel admitted to using HGH as a therapeutic treatment soon after, and was not disciplined by the MLB after investigation.

Ankiel attended Port St. Lucie High School in Florida, where he went 11–1 with a 0.47 ERA during his senior season, striking out 162 batters in 74.0 innings pitched, and was named the High School Player of the Year by USA Today in 1997. He was also named 1st High School All-American pitcher.