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Sunday, June 17, 2007

Get Up Baby!: Slick Rick a children’s story

Checking up on Rick Ankiel...after yesterday’s 3-HR day.

But he’s on top, and who could’ve predicted that? Even if he doesn’t develop into a solid big league outfielder, he’s gone from the top pitching prospect of his generation to a laughing stock to a guy who hits tape-measure home runs on a relatively regular basis.

After he hit the third home run, but before he walked up to the plate with a chance to hit his fourth, I was thinking about his place in the Cardinals’ plans when I realized that it was the first time I’d ever thought about Rick Ankiel, Outfielder, completely outside the context of his 20-year-old self and that jaw-dropping curveball. So let’s take this opportunity, as we’re in between Rick Ankiel, major league pitcher and Rick Ankiel, major league hitter of long home runs, to think: holy crap, how did this happen?

Repoz Posted: June 17, 2007 at 08:35 AM | 14 comment(s)
Related News: General, Minor Leagues, St Louis

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1. Philippe Posted: June 17, 2007 at 08:15 AM (#2406863)

It should be restated how extremely rare pitcher to hitter conversions have been in recent decades, as opposed to hitter to pitcher conversions, which happen all the time. Only Andy Tomberlin and Ozzie Canseco have reached the majors after such conversions in he past three decades. Neither of them was a huge success. Before that, you have to go back to the late 1960's and Willie Smith and Bobby Darwin, both of whom at least had decent careers as hitters.

I'm rooting for Ankiel just because what he is attempting is so incredibly hard to achieve, even without all the extra baggage of why he had to give up pitching.

2. Ivan Grushenko of Hong Kong Posted: June 17, 2007 at 09:20 AM (#2406894)

Why has it become harder now compared to when O'Doul, Wood, Ruth and Musial did it?

3. shoewizard Posted: June 17, 2007 at 09:53 AM (#2406910)

Level of competition I guess.

4. Templeusox has reached his genetic threshold Posted: June 17, 2007 at 10:18 AM (#2406930)

That's a great headline.

5. We don't have dahlians at the Palace of Wisdom Posted: June 17, 2007 at 11:53 AM (#2406992)

I saw the headline and assumed it meant that Ricky Henderson has written a children's book. I'm somewhat disappointed.

6. Rough Carrigan

Posted: June 17, 2007 at 01:49 PM (#2407093)

Is he the same Slick Rick referred to in Kanye West's "Touch the sky"?

7. Шĥy Posted: June 17, 2007 at 02:11 PM (#2407134)

Slick Rick was a rapper best known for his line: "Ain't no way to put it subtle, when you want the buttle"

8. DCW3 Posted: June 17, 2007 at 02:29 PM (#2407165)

I saw the headline and assumed it meant that Ricky Henderson has written a children's book. I'm somewhat disappointed.

Rickey actually has a number of children's titles available, such as See Rickey Run, How the Rickey Stole Christmas and Also 1,400 Bases, Rickey's Friend John Olerud, and Rickey's Other Friend Who Coincidentally Also Happens to Be Named John Olerud.

9. robinred

Posted: June 17, 2007 at 02:48 PM (#2407187)

Who plays Ankiel in the Disney movie?

10. Justin T Posted: June 17, 2007 at 03:32 PM (#2407235)

Didn't Slick Rick get deported back to England after 9/11? How'd that turn out, I wonder.

11. ValueArbitrageur Posted: June 17, 2007 at 03:45 PM (#2407243)

Is a .300 AAA OBP really going to cut it in the majors?

12. Шĥy Posted: June 17, 2007 at 04:06 PM (#2407268)

Didn't Slick Rick get deported back to England after 9/11? How'd that turn out, I wonder.

No, the INS tried to deport him in 2003 but he ended up just going to jail for 17 months. The case was then brought up again in 2006 and I think it is still ongoing. Slick Rick is going to be on Chamillionaire's new single Hip Hop Police, which is coming out this week. He said that he is not going to release another album until there is a market for more mature artists like Avril Lavigne and John Legend, which is a shame because he really did have some classic verses such as:

Bout time to make a move upon the honey's little butthole
Meanwhile she acted quite passive
...
(Girl) ahh Rick it hurts take it out of me!
Knocked my magazine down, ##### threw my papers
You wanna keep it down I mean I do have neighbors!

13. Shake that Laffey Taffy Posted: June 17, 2007 at 07:10 PM (#2407340)

mature artists like Avril Lavigne

The Avril Lavigne who has a duet with Lil' Mama, best known for her opus about lip gloss?

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Sunday, June 17, 2007

Get Up Baby!: Slick Rick a children’s story

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