Center fielder Rick Ankiel, who hit 22 of his 25 homers in four months last year before he suffered an abdominal strain that finally ended his season, hasn't had nearly the start he had in 2008.
Ankiel, who hit five of his 25 homers and had his most at-bats (100) in April last year, has been limited to two extra base-hits -- neither a home run. He has only two runs batted in and a .179 average and has shared outfield time with Colby Rasmus, Chris Duncan and Ryan Ludwick. Manager Tony La Russa, who might have to play Ankiel more consistently to try to get him going, said he thinks Ankiel is pressing too much.
"He's just trying to force things," La Russa said. "You just want him to get back to basics."
In Ankiel's last game Saturday, before the Cardinals had two days off, he was 0-for-6 and didn't get the ball out of the infield after he had doubled in each of the two previous games in Chicago.
