Rick Ankiel has 12 strikeouts in his last 13 at-bats

By Aaron GleemanApr 9, 2013, 12:16 PM EST
13 Comments

Rick Ankiel, like the Astros as a whole, hasn’t been the same since Opening Night.

Ankiel delivered a pinch-hit homer off Derek Lowe in the Astros’ season-opening win over the Rangers, but since then he’s come to the plate 13 times and here are the results:

Strikeout
Strikeout
Strikeout
Line Out
Strikeout
Strikeout
Strikeout
Strikeout
Strikeout
Strikeout
Strikeout
Strikeout
Strikeout

That would be 0-for-13 with 12 strikeouts and a line out, which makes the Opening Day excitement seem like it was a million years ago.

(Complicated handshake to David Cameron of Fan Graphs for taking notice of Ankiel’s stretch.)

White Sox won’t make bid for Bryce Harper

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
By Bill BaerFeb 21, 2019, 6:15 PM EST
7 Comments

The White Sox won’t make a bid for free agent outfielder Bryce Harper, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reports. Believed to be the favorites to land shortstop Manny Machado in free agency, the White Sox watched him ink a 10-year, $300 million contract with the Padres. The club is apparently content with its roster otherwise.

Harper would certainly be an upgrade in the outfield, which currently features Adam Engel, Nicky Delmonico, and Jon Jay. It will soon feature prospects Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert.

Last season, Harper hit .249/.393/.496 with 34 hom eruns, 100 RBI, 103 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases in 695 plate appearances. He led all of baseball, drawing 130 walks. Harper is also a six-time All-Star who won the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year Award and the 2015 NL Most Valuable Player Award.

The Phillies are still believed to be the favorites to sign Harper and the club is confident it will land him, Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Daily News reports.