Rick Ankiel is Roy Hobbs

Now compare that to Roy Hobbs…

This is an caveat on Al’s post about Rick Ankiel saving this summer in sports. Also, this serves as a way for me to plug one of my favorite movies. If Bernard Malamoud were to write The Natural today, it might very well be about Ankiel. Ankiel along with the fictional Hobbs came up as pitching prospects. Both packing serious heat, they showed great signs of talent and potential. In the Book and Movie, Hobbs as a young man struck out a character comparable to Babe Ruth on three pitches. Ankiel hosed everybody in the National League, until he started hearing voices and lost his edge. Hobbs got shot by a confused woman. Each lost their careers, but continued to work hard to get to the show. Ironically, both got their tickets punched through power hitting and playing right field. Things ended bittersweet for Hobbs, lets hope that is not the case for Ankiel.