Ankiel Still Has Control Issues

Rick Ankiel still is having trouble finding the strike zone.

Ankiel had a shaky start to his spring, allowing six runs in two innings of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 12-1 loss to Montreal on Sunday at Jupiter, Fla.

Ankiel walked the first two batters on nine pitches and allowed five runs and six hits, including a grand slam to Lee Stevens in the first inning.

“It was good to get out there and get it over with,” Ankiel said. “I just want to go out, be myself and have fun. I felt good, although I was a little nervous.”

Ankiel, 22, whose wildness sent him back to the rookie ball last year, threw 29 strikes and 17 balls in his first outing of the year.

Ankiel was one of the team’s top pitchers as a rookie in 2000 before unexplained wildness set in during the playoffs. He spent most of last season in the rookie Appalachian League, where he seemed to get squared away. He was 5-3 with a 1.33 earned-run average and only 18 walks in 871/3 innings.

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Albert Pujols, last season’s NL rookie of the year, has agreed to a one-year, $600,000 contract with the Cardinals, with a $50,000 bonus if he makes the All-Star team. Last season, Pujols hit .329 with 37 home runs and 130 runs batted in.

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Ken Griffey Jr. made his spring debut for Cincinnati, going 0 for 2 in a 5-4 win over Boston in Sarasota, Fla. He missed four games because of a viral infection.... Jorge Posada is expected to resume catching for the Yankees this week. He had been limited to designated hitter duty after off-season shoulder surgery.