Rick Ankiel went from ascending superstar to punch line in less than 60 seconds. That’s the amount of time it took for his nine wild pitches in last fall’s playoffs to go from his left arm to the screen.
His formerly can’t-miss career has become a project for the St. Louis Cardinals, and there’s nothing funny about it. But the feeling is that Ankiel is doomed until he and his overly protective team stop acting like this is the Cuban missile crisis.
The New York Yankees are facing the same battle with second baseman Chuck Knoblauch. But the two teams are fighting it in a very different way–the Yankees in the light of day and the Cardinals in the shadows, where they hope Ankiel will be left alone to overcome his inner demons.
But in the modern era of professional sports, nobody is ever left alone. You either confront your problems head on, conquer them and move forward or you are reminded about your unrealized potential for the rest of your life.
That’s the reality for Ankiel and Knoblauch.
These are easier days for Knoblauch, certainly. He has tasted success and earned lifetime security in his 10 seasons with the Minnesota Twins and the Yankees. Ankiel, 21, was the youngest pitcher in the majors when he began last season in the Cardinals’ rotation. He doesn’t have a track record to sustain him.
But at least Ankiel didn’t hit Keith Olbermann’s mother in the head with a throw last season. The unfortunate Knoblauch did. It was the moment that defined the mental block that has kept him from doing one of the simplest tasks in baseball–throwing the ball from his second baseman’s position to first base, a toss of perhaps 75 feet.
Knoblauch had the yips. As a result, the four-time All-Star became a part-time player. He was used exclusively as a designated hitter in the World Series. But Yankees manager Joe Torre doesn’t plan to baby Knoblauch this time around. He wants to use the DH spot for a platoon of ex-Cubs Henry Rodriguez and Glenallen Hill.
When spring training began, Torre told Knoblauch that he had better get his act together at second base. He didn’t do it in private, either, letting the New York writers in on the mandate.
Knoblauch was charged with an error when he bounced a throw trying for a forceout in the Yankees’ exhibition opener Thursday against Toronto. But both he and the Yankees made light of the misplay on an off-balance throw.
Torre says Knoblauch’s throwing is the No. 1 issue in camp. That says a lot considering the Yankees must address a bullpen shortage caused by the departure of Jeff Nelson and Ramiro Mendoza’s slow recovery from shoulder surgery.
“He’s my second baseman, and I don’t want to put a defensive replacement out there for him,” Torre said. “But over the course of the year, you’d obviously do what you think is best for the team. . . . He means so much to this team. We’re a much better team with him here.”
The Yankees have a lot invested in Knoblauch’s ability to handle the pressure. He will earn $6 million this year and owner George Steinbrenner reportedly has a side agreement that will pay Knoblauch $18 million in 2002-03. Beyond the money, there’s a question of who hits leadoff if Knoblauch doesn’t.
Last year Knoblauch was at times candid and at times defensive when asked about his throwing problems. But he was in great spirits when camp began, which might be the best sign of all for the Yankees.
“My frame of mind is, `Today was a great day for me,”‘ Knoblauch said. “And I’ll come back tomorrow expecting the same thing and working toward that and thinking about what I did today. . . . I’m not even thinking about it, I’m just throwing. I’m way beyond all that stuff.”
Torre said he initially denied Knoblauch had a serious problem. He credits Knoblauch with confronting it.
Knoblauch and Ankiel both received counseling over the winter. But while Knoblauch appears to have learned how to relax, Ankiel remains on edge.
You wonder if the Cardinals are helping or hurting the situation by treating the young pitcher as if his affliction could be contagious. They have essentially put him off limits. Ankiel awkwardly read a statement on the first day of camp, and generally has declined to discuss his situation since then.
“It’s an issue that deserves to get its attention,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “But there’s also the factor of controversy that sharks feed on. You can’t talk to one person who you know is doing his job legitimately and not the other one who is relishing in his struggles.”
Wildness on the mound isn’t the only cloud hanging over Ankiel. His father is in prison resulting from a plea on drug charges. Ankiel addressed both topics in a magazine interview over the winter, saying he thought he would handle pressure better this year because he wasn’t keeping secrets.
But Ankiel has been skipping balls to the screen since he arrived in Florida. La Russa decided to have him do his throwing early in the morning, with only pitching coach Dave Duncan and catcher Mike Matheny present, to avoid the attention of the media and fans at the regular workouts. For the time being, he won’t be pitching in exhibition games.
Progress has been slow for Ankiel, who won 11 games and had a 3.50 earned-run average in 175 innings last year. He might return to the minors when the season begins. The Cardinals added to their pitching depth with a trade for Dustin Hermanson and have Matt Morris poised to complete his comeback from Tommy John surgery.
“The big thing is to get him comfortable throwing the ball,” Duncan said. “And the best way to do that is to take the spotlight off him for a little bit and then let him relax. All we’re doing is giving him the best shot at getting it back together.”
Agent Scott Boras has been very involved with Ankiel. He complained early last season that La Russa was allowing him to throw too many pitches per start, and has worked with the Cardinals to help Ankiel regain control.
Ankiel worked with sports psychologist Harvey Dorfman, a former Oakland Athletics employee who is now on Boras’ staff. Ankiel was told Dorfman had worked with Greg Maddux and Dennis Eckersley, among others. He welcomed the experience.
Duncan says there is no proven formula for helping a 21-year-old overcome a mental block on the mound. This could turn into a maddening process for all involved, especially Ankiel. The one blessing is that the Cardinals aren’t depending on him. He can take his time and rediscover his old feeling of confidence one strike at a time.
“I feel for him,” Matheny said. “I hurt for him.”
For baseball careers, wildness can be a terminal disease.
