Rick Ankiel is a proponent of “Cardinal Way” baseball.
The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Ankiel in the second round of the 1997 MLB Draft, and the pitcher-turned-outfielder spent seven seasons in the big leagues with the Cardinals. In that time, he grew fond of the well-run system, part of the reason the club has the second most World Series titles. The same plays are run throughout each level of the organization, from low-A ball to Busch Stadium. Coaches are detail oriented.
When Jayson Werth called Ankiel in 2010 after the former Philadelphia Phillies star signed with the Washington Nationals, Werth tried to convince Ankiel to bring the Cardinal Way to the District of Columbia.