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ANKIEL WATCH
Plagued by wildness and injuries as a pitcher, 25-year-old Rick Ankiel is trying to make the Cardinals as an outfielder. How's he doing? SI's Ankielometer tells all.
The former southpaw prodigy has always had a sweet swing. "The kid can hit," says Astros second baseman Craig Biggio. "He's got a lot of natural talent." Indeed, Ankiel smacked 10 homers in 105 at bats as a DH for the Cards' rookie league team in 2001. In his first intrasquad at bat as an outfielder, last Thursday, he lined a single up the middle off minor league pitcher Brad Thompson. Three days later he struck out in his only at bat, as a pinch hitter against Eddy Rodriguez of the Orioles.
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GARY I. ROTHSTEIN/REUTERS (ANKIEL)
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THE TOPPS COMPANY INC. (MENDOZA)
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AP (MANTLE)
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