![]() His overwhelming negative self-talk, often referred to in baseball as "the yips," led to a meltdown in the 2000 postseason and rendered him completely unable to pitch in 2001. ![]() However, as is detailed in Chatter by Ethan Kross, in 2000 Ankiel suffered a debilitating battle with anxiety. Louis Cardinals in 1999, he had racked up several pitching successes and respected titles in the minor leagues: He was named "best pitching prospect" in both the Carolina and Midwest Leagues he was also the Carolina League's All-Star starting pitcher, Baseball America's first-team Minor League All-Star starting pitcher and the Cardinals' Minor League Player of the Year. By his major league baseball debut with the St. Lucie High School, he was named "High School Player of the Year" by USA Today. At an early age, he threw himself into baseball as a way of escaping a tumultuous and often violent home life. ![]() ![]() Rick Ankiel was born in 1979 in Fort Pierce, Florida. ![]()
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