Rick Ankiel's Comeback

Even though Duncan is a butcher in the field, he hits pretty well. How does Ankiel field?

 

I don't know what you are talking about. please explain. Ankiel, to my knowledge, is out of options to be sent back down to from the majors if he's called up.
What are you talking about?

 

You said there will be resentment in the clubhouse before you said anything about him being out of options.

 

I'm sure there are those in the Cardinals' clubhouse who feel that he's been given special treatment. That's where the resentment comes from.

 

What special treatment, boots? He's leading the PCL in home runs. If he gets called up, it's because he's earned it.

Now, if you want to talk about special treatment with keeping him on contract while he made the transition, well, it's not like the Cardinals were bending over backwards with a minor league deal. It was nothing for them.

Nobody got released like Crash Davis so Ankiel could have a spot on the bus. And if they did, nobody in the current Cardinals clubhouse is going to resent Ankiel for that. That makes no sense.

 

Exactly. Thanks for the backing up, Buck-dub.

 

Look, there are those in the clubhouse who resent Duncan's kid being there. Not everyone is going to agree with mangement and there were some who thought Ankiel's situation was treated with kid gloves. Then again, there were others who felt differently.

 

Duncan's kid earned the right to play in the Majors. He is a great hitter. Not too sound defensively, but he sure earned it. It wasn't a hand out. If he was hitting .190, they aren't going to push him through the minors.

 

Oh, I have no doubt there might have been resentment because it was Duncan's kid. But then he hit 19 home runs and drove in 55 runs in the first 81 games this season ... and it's funny how resentment vanishes when you produce like that.

You're making assumptions about a hypothetical situation, because Ankiel hasn't even been called up yet. Who are we to say how the current Cardinals -- most of whom have never played with the guy -- are going to feel when Ankiel gets called up? Personally, I think they're going to leave the guy alone, like they do with most players.

 

And you have first-hand knowledge of this, right?

 

I don't cover the Cardinals. But my MLB sources have yet to let me down.
Again, there are people pulling for him. There are some who think too much attention has been paid to him. It's not like this is a new revelation.

 

I'd like to know who your sources are...