"One of the e-mails received from the many concerned Cardinals fans - this one named Mary Jo - read, "We love you, Rick. Please get well soon. Your fans and your team need you."

Since his meltdown in the 2000 postseason, fans, management and teammates have ridden the Rick Ankiel roller coaster - from spectacular star rookie to tormented pitcher to injured pitcher to retired pitcher to minor league outfielder to injured outfielder to big-league outfielder ... to spectacular big-league outfielder.

Along the way, nobody has hidden that he or she was pulling for Ankiel, who, believe this or not, will be 30 in July.

And when Ankiel crashed into the wall in left-center field Monday night while making a dazzling catch, the air came out of Busch Stadium. And perhaps Ankiel, too.

"When I hit the ground, I thought there was a chance I broke my neck or my back," he said Tuesday night. "My lower back was really tight. ... I think I was stunned. I wasn't unconscious, but I definitely was stunned. And, after that, I knew not to move."

Ankiel, upon coming from Dr. George Paletta's office to the ballpark Tuesday night, said he had "total body sore."

The sorest part of his body is his right shoulder, although an MRI revealed no structural damage and Ankiel isn't likely to be out more than several days. General manager John Mozeliak, encouraged by what he has heard from the medical department, said it was unlikely the team would have to replace Ankiel on the roster.

"If you had asked me to handicap it (Monday night)," Mozeliak said, "I would have said it was highly likely we would make a player move.""