Ankiel on life skills role with Nats: "I felt like this was going to be my niche"

The game of baseball is filled with highs and lows.

Sometimes it can feel like it is mostly lows. Or it's the lows that you remember longer.

A bad pitch leads to a huge inning. A strikeout with the bases loaded foils a possible big rally. It happens in almost every game.

Rick Ankiel, probably more than any other player in the modern era, knows about the highs and lows of playing Major League Baseball.

He started as a top pitching prospect. Through his well-documented wildness on the mound, he fought back and later reinvented himself in the game as an outfielder.

He ended up playing 653 games over parts of 11 seasons from 1999-2013. Only 51 of those games were as a pitcher. Despite his postseason struggles as a pitcher, he still made well over 2,000 plate appearances as a batter in his career.

Now, after all that life and baseball experience, and the highs and the lows that came with it, he's back.

What better person to impart knowledge on playing the game of baseball to young players?

The Nationals recognized that and earlier this month announced that the former major league pitcher and outfielder will be their new life skills coordinator.

Assistant general manager and vice president of player development/pro scouting Doug Harris said the Nationals felt it was important to add this type of guidance for players and Ankiel was the perfect candidate.

"The developmental process can be a very difficult one in a lot of different ways for young men," Harris said. "Having someone who has instant respect from them based on his background is important. I think his accessibility will be critical for these guys. When Rick is rubbing elbows with a player, the player's probably going to be more comfortable engaging in dialogue with somebody that has walked in their shoes. That was a big part of it for us."

Ankiel had discussions with Harris about the position dating to last year. He said his many talks and meetings with sports psychologist and former Oakland A's mental performance coach Harvey Dorfman, who passed away in 2011, prepared him for this type of job in the future. Dorfman told Ankiel his knowledge and experience in baseball would be invaluable to young players.

"I always knew it was a possibility," Ankiel said. "I discussed it with Harvey before he passed. I just wasn't sure if I was going to head that route. But the more I took a look at it, I really just felt like this was going to be my niche. It would be a way to honor Harvey Dorfman's legacy to follow in his footsteps.

"I spent more time with Harvey as much if not more as anybody on the planet. So all those tools and life lessons that I learned were invaluable so it would be great to give some of those back."

Harris said Ankiel does not need a doctorate or professional certificate to be able to do well in this new position. Ankiel lived it on and off the field during his playing days.

"We are not pretending that he is a psychiatrist or a psychologist," Harris said. "This is to help guys in the day-to-day highs and lows of the game, maybe things they may be going through off the field. Rick has been a part of a lot of different scenarios in his life, personally and professionally. It has been well-documented. He's going to be a good resource for our players as they go through these day-to-day highs and lows."

Ankiel said the players will be able to ask him questions about the game and life that maybe they wouldn't feel as comfortable asking their manager, coach or executive. He said he expects to check in with each team and work with those who need his help. Ankiel will make stops at each team during each month of the season.

Sometimes a player might feel they have no one to turn to in a difficult spot and Ankiel will be another possible outlet.

"We can call it a big brother role, adviser role, someone for them to lean on, been there, been through it," Ankiel said. "(I) understand what they are going through and what they are going to need to do."

He said his work over the years with Dorfman taught him how important the mental edge is in the game - having your mind clear for each pitch and each at-bat. Because when you get to this level, the talent to play baseball evens out and the mental side can be that part of the game that can be the major difference-maker.

"For me, I think you talk to a lot of players, you get a lot of the same responses," Ankiel said. "What separates an average player from a good player to a great player is really between the ears and it is that mental side of it."

The former star believes the Nationals are the right team for him right now to help prospects with the life skills they need to succeed in what can sometimes be a very short window of opportunity to advance.

"I love the winning atmosphere and the direction they are heading in," Ankiel said. "I loved my time there and I like the organization as far as personnel goes. I thought it was a great fit. They know me. They know what they are getting when they hired me for this position. I felt it was great for both sides."