Get well soon, Rick Ankiel

Last night’s big news in possibly all of baseball was the center field wall collision involving Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel.

St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Rick Ankiel had to be taken off the Busch Stadium playing surface strapped down on a cart tonight after making a running catch in left center field off Philadelphia’s Pedro Feliz in the eighth inning and then, unable to stop his momentum, running into the left-center-field wall headfirst.

Cardinals medical personnel and players rushed to the scene and the game with the Philadelphia Phillies was delayed for some 10 minutes as Dr. George Paletta, the Cardinals’ medical supervisor, coordinated the treatment for Ankiel. Ankiel ultimately was lifted onto a cart that had been driven onto the field. Ankiel, whose hat was bent as went into the wall, raised a thumb as he went off the field, signifying that he was at least conscious.

We saw the collision on Baseball Tonight, and it was one of those things you just hate to see. Even when it is a player that hurts your favorite team with great play like Rick Ankiel; you never want to see a player in that fashion. And Ankiel is lucky, because replay shows his head snapping back and it looked like it could have ended up a lot worse then it is going to. So thank God, Rick Ankiel should be back soon. And Diamond Hoggers is glad for that.