Ankiel Watch

Former pitcher Rick Ankiel, 25, is trying to make the Cardinals as an outfielder. How's he doing? SI's Ankielometer tells all.

Ankiel--who had been sidelined with back tightness since the end of spring training--finally saw his first minor league action as an outfielder last Thursday. Batting sixth and playing rightfield for the Double A Springfield (Mo.) Cardinals, he went 1 for 4 with two strikeouts. "I swung at some bad pitches," Ankiel said. "It felt all right going out there." Two days later he made his first error: missing the cutoff man on a throw. That led to an unearned run, but Ankiel atoned the next day, gunning down a runner at third from centerfield. On the season he is 1 for 11.

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