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Posted by Sammy on 4/6/2005, 4:29 pm Removed from the major league roster Monday, Ankiel cleared unconditional release waivers Wednesday, then re-signed later in the day. The Cardinals plan to send him to their Double-A farm team in Springfield, Mo. Ankiel will spend a few more days at the Cardinals' spring training camp in Jupiter, Fla., then plans to join the Double-A club. He decided last month to end his pitching career but the Cardinals persuaded him to play in the outfield. Ankiel, 25, was always considered a very good hitter for a pitcher, with a .207 career average and two homers, a double, a triple and nine RBIs in 87 at-bats. He also impressed as a designated hitter for the Cardinals' rookie league team in Johnson City, Tenn., hitting 10 homers in 2001. There's little precedent for what he's attempting. Babe Ruth was a two-time 20-game winner with the Boston Red Sox early in his career before becoming one of the game's greatest sluggers. Stan Musial was an 18-game winner in the low minors before injuring his shoulder in 1940 and beginning a Hall of Fame career as an outfielder. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa thinks Ankiel has a promising future at his new position. ``He's a legitimate major-league prospect,'' La Russa said Wednesday. ``He's a guy, if you saw him playing, you'd sign him in the outfield. He's more advanced as a hitter than you'd expect.''
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Rick Ankiel signed a minor league contract Wednesday with the St. Louis Cardinals and will work on his conversion from a pitcher to an outfielder.
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