Many fans of the St. Louis Cardinals know Rick Ankiel‘s extraordinary story. If you don’t know, Ankiel was a very highly rated pitching prospect in the Cardinals organization who experienced one of the most public downfalls in team history. Ankiel went from being a “lights out” starter to someone who couldn’t throw the ball anywhere near the plate. And it all happened during the playoffs.
He eventually was forced to give up his dream of being an effective major league pitcher but refused to give up his dream of playing in the major leagues.