Cardinals DL Rick Ankiel, want full-strength bench
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals placed center fielder Rick Ankiel on the 15-day disabled list this morning so that they could return their bench to full and healthy strength. Outfielder Shane Robinson, one of the leading hitters for the Class AAA affiliate, was promoted and will be activated before today’s game.
“I think the important thing here is that Rick will get regular treatment, and he’ll get a chance to recover without the day-to-day rigors of playing at the major-league level,” general manager John Mozeliak said.
Ankiel will go to the team’s facility in Jupiter, Fla., to begin his rehab.
By being at the club’s spring training campus, he’ll be able to take part in baseball activities while also being close to his offseason home. Mozeliak said he does not expect Ankiel’s absence to linger past the 15 days mandated by the move. But he added with 13 pitchers on the roster the team cannot go without a completely healthy bench. Carrying a player who cannot play handcuffs the manager.
Robinson just came off the disabled list at Triple-A Memphis. He was on with a cyst on his right calf — a soreness that was considered a roadblock to his promotion. In Omaha on Wednesday night, Robinson started and scored three runs.
His asset is speed and a high-average bat. The combination of the two allows him to compensate for a lack of power by turning singles into doubles. At Class AA Springfield last season, he often turned a walk into a run with his ability to steal bases and take extra bases.
“Speed. Defense. He’s a very complete player,” Mozeliak said. “Look at the tools he has. He can provide extra-base hits, and I think he showed in spring training that he’s a high-energy player. The situation we’re in with only 12 position players means you need to have everyone available.”
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
I saw this kid play in spring training. It may have been an off day but he was in a over sized uniform with no name on it - I’m not sure if it even had a number on it. He came up to bat and looked like he was twelve but he sure could hit.
I just saw Sugar Shane when Memphis visited Omaha yesterday afternoon. You’re going to love this guy. He ran a double into a triple against the Royals; in fact, he represents the whole Redbirds team ethic of hustle and aggression. Shane basically struts more than Dustin Pedroia, and even though it’s likely David Eckstein would tower over him, he’s a really hard hitter and is great to watch.
Duncan is only on the team because he is the coach’s kid…plain and simple! he is a “natural” 1st baseman, yet when he played there last week he made an error that cost a Win! unload him to an AL team who needs a DH or a AAA team who needs a mascot!
Karen, since the comments on this page don’t allow HTML, just go ahead and type in “BLUE FONT” at the beginning of posts like yours. Otherwise it just looks like you don’t know much about baseball.
Karen-
Really, Duncan is only on the roster because he’s the pitching coach’s kid? Thanks for clarifying that, I kind of thought he was on the roster because he’s hitting, fielding, driving in runs and basically, making out team a better team. But, glad you got this all cleared up and we can all know now that Chris Duncan will only ever have a job if his dad is the pitching coach. I rolled my eyes at your comment, but you probably didn’t see it.
How many major league teams carry 13 pitchers. Anyone know?
How many pitchers do most major league teams carry? Anyone know? The Cards pinch hit with pitchers and dip into the minors for positionplayers.
wow another mensa member in karen. must be soulmates with “like the stash”. a mascot really?
Re: Duncan… I hear the Dodgers need a left fielder!
Congratulations to Shane Robinson! I’m looking forward to seeing this kid play. He may be little in stature, but he has the tools and the heart that it takes to be a good MLB PLAYER. I hope TLR turns him loose on the base paths.