Rick Ankield - Unreal OF Assists

Rick Ankiel throws out two runners in the most impressive display of an outfield arm I have ever seen, and that includes Vlad and Ichiro.

Did anybody else see this?

almost 4 years ago xrickx 20 comments 0 recs |

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I saw this on BBTN last night.

Unreal.

Absolutely unreal.

I can’t help it, I love Ankiel. What an incredible, incredible story. Between him and Josh Hamilton this season, wow.

by afh4 on May 7, 2008 3:15 PM EDT reply actions

That second one was nice just for the speed and accuracy with which he turned the ball around. I still have in my head a play Ichiro made several years ago in which he gunned someone down at 3rd with an absolute laser from the RF corner. In my mind, his throw never got more than 15 feet off the ground but went, without a bounce, in with a dead strike to 3B.

by APV on May 7, 2008 3:20 PM EDT reply actions

That play was in Oakland, and I was at that game and it remains the most ri-donk-ulous throw I’ve ever seen.

by Fredward on May 8, 2008 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

holy jesus

Sizemore-Shapiro 2008. The Official Red Bull of Let's Go Tribe Game Threads.

by Gradyforpresident on May 7, 2008 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

I have no idea how that throw was not the best web gem. On Sizemore’s catch, you just knew he was going to get the ball. But to get a guy at 3rd from deep center? The whole time watching that I was thinking, no way!

by oxforddave on May 7, 2008 3:36 PM EDT reply actions

The URL for this page is rick-ankiel-unreal-of-ass.

by fleerdon on May 7, 2008 4:02 PM EDT reply actions

holycraponastick

You know Selig? Ombudsman.

by rolub on May 7, 2008 4:42 PM EDT reply actions

my favorite part of these is the look on the pitcher’s face after the second assist. to me, his face says, “how do i deserve to be the primary throwerer guy on this team right now? aren’t i supposed to have the best arm on the field right now? i’m smiling, but inside i feel shame.”

by Thommy on May 7, 2008 6:05 PM EDT reply actions

pretty incredible that he couldn’t hit the catcher’s mitt from 60’ 6” but can hit that spot right in front of third base from 100 yards.

by still ill on May 7, 2008 6:08 PM EDT reply actions

Anybody remember that fight I got in over whether or not Fausto’s meltdown was comparable to Rick Ankiel’s, back in 2006?

Man, that was stupid.

by afh4 on May 7, 2008 6:18 PM EDT reply actions

With whom? And which side were you on?

by Jay on May 8, 2008 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I was arguing it was not comparable, not even close. I don’t remember who it was with. I remember dissecting Ankiel’s entire meltdown, ever wild pitch. That was horrifying.

It was during the Ortiz game I think.

by afh4 on May 9, 2008 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree with you. Fausto’s meltdown amounted to a handful of pitches, poorly placed, and possibly a little pitch-tipping. Ankiel couldn’t come within two feet of the strike zone. Not remotely comparable. Makes you wonder how he can now nail the third-baseman’s glove from three times the distance.

by Jay on May 9, 2008 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

cuz he didn’t have time to think about it, that’s why.

perhaps we should convert hafner into a pitcher. does it work in reverse?

by Brick. on May 9, 2008 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Only a former pitcher could make this play.

I looked at this again. And again. The corner nearest the point where Ankiel makes the second throw is about 420 ft from home plate (and he’s nearly 12 ft. closer to the plate and a little to the right where he makes the play—he’s probably 404 ft. from home at the spot of the throw). That makes this throw around 280 ft, nearly 5 times the mound distance. Ankiel is behind the ball; he has only a discus throwers momentum. It’s astonishing that he even attempts the throw; the lead cutoff man is 100 ft. up the line. The pure distance he gets on this throw is beyond what most OFers can achieve from a virtual standstill; the repeatable accuracy Ankiel has at this distance puts this over the top. Ankiel sets a new standard.

Ichro has the most textbook “crow-hop” release ever, and he’s accurate as hell. I’d say he has the best arm for balls hit in front of him. Vlad just has a cannon. But neither of those two make this play. Byung Hung Kim could, I suppose, but he can’t hit like Ankiel.

by jhon on May 10, 2008 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Um yeah, that’s a deep, deep CF. ~440 ft. OF arms are an aspect of the game I pay close attention to. I m led to conclude from this video that Ankiel has the best OF arm and baseball, and possibly the best OF arm in the history of the game. I’m completely serious. This is amazing.

by jhon on May 7, 2008 7:01 PM EDT reply actions

Were both runners safe? Throws beat the runners, I think, but high tags?

by odradek on May 8, 2008 12:56 AM EDT reply actions

Second guy was probably safe, but I’m pretty sure the first guy was out.

by Voltaire on May 8, 2008 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

yea. I saw these yesterday when I woke up. The second guy looks safe on the slo-mo, but there’s a pic of it on yahoo sports and he looks damn out.

The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.

by westbrook on May 8, 2008 12:23 PM EDT reply actions