Another pitcher diagnosed with Steve Blass Disease was St. Louis Cardinals starter Rick Ankiel. During Game 1 of 2000 NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, Ankiel experienced the most incredible of breakdowns. In the third inning Ankiel faced 8 batters, threw 35 pitches with 4 earned runs, 2 hits, 4 walks, and 5 wild pitches. 5 wild pitches.

By the end of the 2001 season Ankiel found himself out of a Major League rotation and all the way down in the depths of Rookie League — sub-A ball. After struggling with injuries for a few seasons and finding little success in Major League bullpens, Ankiel decided to convert to outfield. He seesawed between the majors and the minors for years for various clubs. The St. Louis Cardinals, the Kansas City Royals, the Atlanta Braves.

The Washington Nationals took a chance on Ankiel during the 2010 offseason, and signed him to a 1-year deal. In 2011, he played 122 games with an On Base Percentage of .296 and a WAR of 2.1. Solid numbers for an everyday player, but nothing astonishing.

But just this week astonishing happened.

The Nationals were playing the Houston Astros. In the top of the sixth, with the Nationals leading 2-0, the Astros loaded the bases. Astros first baseman, slugger, and clean-up hitter Carlos Lee came to the plate. Pitching sensation Steven Strasburg was on the mound. With the count 1-0, Lee popped up a 94MPH fastball to centerfield. On third base, ready to tag, was Houston leadoff man Jordan Schafer.

Playing centerfield for Washington was Ankiel. He made short work of Lee’s fly ball, and threw what can only be described as a rocket to home plate. Schafer’s only play was hold at third. Just watch for yourself:

Astonishing.