Which is the better story?
FrodoBaggins
Posts: 60
Josh Hamilton vs. Rick Ankiel.
Hamilton went #1 overall to the Devil Rays in 1999 and Ankiel was drafted fifth (and given, at the time, the largest signing bonus in history) by the Cards in 1997. Both took a wild and unconventional ride to stardom in 2007
Hamilton tore up the minors his first year, but in 2000 he started to have injury problems. Injuries slowed him down and in in 2002, tested positive for cocaine and heroin and was suspended. From 2002-2005, he was in and out of drug rehab 8 times, attempted suicide three times, and was out of baseball. He finally kicked his drug habit in October of 2005, and in 2006 was reinstated by the MLB. He ended up playing in about 15 minor league games for an independent league in 06 before suffering a season ending injury. In 2007, he finally got to make his big league debut with the Reds (how he ended up with the Reds is irrelevant and I'm too lazy to explain. Look it up). If not for one of the best offensive rookie seasons in baseball history by Ryan Braun, Hamilton would have probably been Rookie of the Year. He was traded to Texas in the offseason and is currently leading the league in most offensive categories and has a realistic shot at winning the Triple Crown.
Ankiel took a different path to stardom. In 1999 he was arguably the best pitcher in the minor leagues. Unlike Hamilton, he actually got a chance with the Cardinals and was a great pitcher in 1999 and 2000. But control problems and psychological issues caught up with him and he was sent down. After several years of struggling with command and never making it back up to the bigs, he abandoned pitching and tried to make it as a hitter in 2005. Two years later in 2007, he finally made it back to St Louis as a power hitting, rifle armed centerfielder. He's now one of the best hitters in the game and plays Gold Glove defense in CF
Although both stories are pretty incredible, I think Hamilton's is better. For anyone who's struggled with addiction or depression, you know how difficult it is to overcome. Not to mention the added pressure of being called the "biggest bust in major league draft history." For those of you too young to remember, Hamilton was the most hyped draft prospect since Arod. For years, he was the laughingstock of baseball and the poster boy for how not to live your life. He overcame it all and he's now the superstar everyone thought he'd be....It just came 8 years after everyone expected
Hamilton went #1 overall to the Devil Rays in 1999 and Ankiel was drafted fifth (and given, at the time, the largest signing bonus in history) by the Cards in 1997. Both took a wild and unconventional ride to stardom in 2007
Hamilton tore up the minors his first year, but in 2000 he started to have injury problems. Injuries slowed him down and in in 2002, tested positive for cocaine and heroin and was suspended. From 2002-2005, he was in and out of drug rehab 8 times, attempted suicide three times, and was out of baseball. He finally kicked his drug habit in October of 2005, and in 2006 was reinstated by the MLB. He ended up playing in about 15 minor league games for an independent league in 06 before suffering a season ending injury. In 2007, he finally got to make his big league debut with the Reds (how he ended up with the Reds is irrelevant and I'm too lazy to explain. Look it up). If not for one of the best offensive rookie seasons in baseball history by Ryan Braun, Hamilton would have probably been Rookie of the Year. He was traded to Texas in the offseason and is currently leading the league in most offensive categories and has a realistic shot at winning the Triple Crown.
Ankiel took a different path to stardom. In 1999 he was arguably the best pitcher in the minor leagues. Unlike Hamilton, he actually got a chance with the Cardinals and was a great pitcher in 1999 and 2000. But control problems and psychological issues caught up with him and he was sent down. After several years of struggling with command and never making it back up to the bigs, he abandoned pitching and tried to make it as a hitter in 2005. Two years later in 2007, he finally made it back to St Louis as a power hitting, rifle armed centerfielder. He's now one of the best hitters in the game and plays Gold Glove defense in CF
Although both stories are pretty incredible, I think Hamilton's is better. For anyone who's struggled with addiction or depression, you know how difficult it is to overcome. Not to mention the added pressure of being called the "biggest bust in major league draft history." For those of you too young to remember, Hamilton was the most hyped draft prospect since Arod. For years, he was the laughingstock of baseball and the poster boy for how not to live your life. He overcame it all and he's now the superstar everyone thought he'd be....It just came 8 years after everyone expected
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Comments
Bosox1976
However Ankiel is not one of the best hitters in the game though.
<< <i>Unlike Hamilton, he actually got a chance with the Cardinals and was a great pitcher in 1999 and 2000. >>
???
Ankiel was 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA in 1999, 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 2000. Neither year qualifies as even remotely close to "great". Ankiel was on his way to being a fine major league pitcher, no need to exaggerate by saying he was already "great" when he clearly wasn't.
Tabe
<< <i>
<< <i>Unlike Hamilton, he actually got a chance with the Cardinals and was a great pitcher in 1999 and 2000. >>
???
Ankiel was 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA in 1999, 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 2000. Neither year qualifies as even remotely close to "great". Ankiel was on his way to being a fine major league pitcher, no need to exaggerate by saying he was already "great" when he clearly wasn't.
Tabe >>
Please do yourself a favor and check Ankiel's minor league stats. He was a great pitcher, with an amazing arm. Oh yeah, he was a lefty to boot.
His rookie season was very solid, set a rookie strikeout record, and was well on his way to being a guy who could win 18-20 every season. His stuff was that filthy.
Best stuff from a lefty I have ever seen in person, in my life. An amazing 12-6 curve, and a rocket fastball. He was always compared to a slighty better version of Steve Carlton by all the scouts who ever seen him pitch. He had all the talent that every pitching prospect ever dreams of having. He was something else. Too bad a mental breakdown ended that part of his career.
/s/ JackWESQ
<< <i>Hamilton is the better story and it's not even close. It's one thing to come back from, what, a sudden and lost ability to throw/pitch a basball. But it's another thing to LITERALLY come back from the verge of death, e.g., (take your pick) 1) drug addiction (marijuana, cocaine, heroin), rehab and at least three (3) suicide attempts. In other words, Ankiel is a baseball story. Hamilton is a life story. To the extent that they both [now] play baseball, you can compare the two, but beyond that, not much more. >>
I would agree that Hamilton is a much better "life story". You just can't help but root for the guy after hearing what he's been through.
At the same time, I gotta give Ankiel credit for essentially making it to the bigs TWICE (once as a pitcher and again as a hitter). I think that aspect is being a bit overlooked considering those are 2 very different skill sets.
j
RIP GURU
God gave Ankiel a ton of ability and I commend him for keeping it together to make it back as a hitter. He was a great young pitcher. HOF, who knows, but he looked like a phenom that first year and a half.
Hamilton's wounds were more self inflicted. Maybe a better life story, but not a better baseball story to me.
<< <i>He's now one of the best hitters in the game and plays Gold Glove defense in CF
>>
You really need to check Ankiel's stats for this year. Far from great, and actually below average. He is an HGH abuser and is in the same category as Bonds, Sosa and McGwire, except that he is not even remotely close to their hitting ability.