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Ankiel looking to return to mound 14 years after last major-league pitch

The Sporting News / Sporting News / Getty

Rick Ankiel is trying to make a return to baseball at the position in which he first rose to prominence nearly two decades ago. If his body holds up and he finds a team willing to buy into his comeback dreams, Ankiel said he'll attempt to make a major-league roster as a relief pitcher.

“I have nothing to lose,” the 39-year-old said, declaring his intention to return to pitching, according to Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown. “I'm not afraid. I might as well try.”

Ankiel last swung a bat in the majors on June 8, 2013, but he hasn't thrown a pitch since Oct. 1, 2004 with the St. Louis Cardinals thanks to a combination of injuries and the dreaded yips.

The lefty recently took the mound in a Bluegrass World Series game featuring other fellow major-league retirees like Chipper Jones and Johnny Damon. Hitting high 80's on the radar gun, Ankiel struck out the only batter he faced:

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