After season out of spotlight, Ankiel's warm-up is 'awesome'

JUPITER, Fla. -- Rick Ankiel, trying to rebound from a loss of control that cost him most of the 2001 season, got off to a good start Wednesday.

The St. Louis Cardinals' left-hander threw 40 pitches in batting practice at Roger Dean Stadium during the team's first full-squad practice, and looked sharp.

"Rick was awesome," catcher Mike Matheny said. "He really looked great."

Ankiel threw to an assortment of minor league hitters. Only three of the 40 pitches were hit, two weakly to shortstop and one sharply to the same spot. More importantly, all the pitches were around the plate.

"I felt OK," Ankiel said. "I just wanted to go out there and get used to the mound. It was the first time facing hitters this spring. I wanted to get used to batters being in the box and work on throwing good stuff. I'm happy with the way I pitched today."

The 22-year-old was one of the team's top pitchers as a rookie in 2000 before unexplainable wildness set in during the playoffs.

That wildness continued into 2001. In six games at the start of the season, Ankiel was 1-2 with a 7.13 ERA and 25 walks in 24 innings. He was sent to Triple-A Memphis, where things got worse with 17 walks in 4.1 innings.

The Cardinals sent Ankiel to Class-A Johnson City, where he seemed to get things squared away. He was 5-3 with a 1.33 ERA and just 18 walks in 87.1 innings, striking out 158.

Ankiel has been working out at the Cardinals' facility in Jupiter since Christmas.

"I'm just going to be myself," he said. "I'm not worrying about last year."

Manager Tony La Russa, who wants to downplay the media attention on Ankiel said, "I was encouraged with the way he threw today, like I was encouraged about a lot of guys who threw today. We know he can help us but we have to wait and see."

Noteworthy

La Russa said he was impressed with the effort of Albert Pujols, last season's NL rookie of the year. "Albert was out there working hard on ground balls and looked exactly like he did last year when he was trying to make the club," La Russa said.

Former New York Yankee Tino Martinez worked out for the first time as a Cardinal. Martinez was signed as a free-agent in the off-season to replace the retired Mark McGwire at first base. "The Cardinal fans made me feel welcome and there were a lot of fans from New York who gave me their support," he said.