"Today (--day--day--day)...I consider Rick Ankiel (--kiel--kiel--kiel)...the unluckiest man...on the face of the Earth."

How can you not feel terrible for the guy? First he goes from ameteur superstar/ high draft pick/ super-hyped prospect to promising young MLB talent to full-out young stud before suffering total self-destruction of the pitching function in his brain.

Now, when it appeared Rick Ankiel had new life in baseball, this happens. Not to say that his career is over, but how many 27 year-old ex-pitchers-turned-minor league outfielders do you know that have come back from serious knee injuries to make an impact in the majors. Exactly. I tell you; stories like this always break my heart.