It has been seven years since Rick Ankiel last played for the Cardinals, for whom he had a career unlike anyone in the storied history of the franchise. And he’s coming back soon to St. Louis, this time to talk about — rather than play for — the team.

He played for five clubs after leaving the Cardinals after the 2009 season and finished his big-league career with the Mets in 2013. Now Ankiel, master of the position change, is trying another one as he has been hired by Fox Sports Midwest as a studio analyst for some of its Redbirds pregame and postgame shows.

He's set to make his debut at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday before the Cards play in Cincinnati, then be on hand for the following three nights as well as a few more appearances in the coming months.

“When I was playing I didn’t really think too much about" getting into broadcasting, he said. “I was always so focused on playing that I didn’t give much thought to afterwards.”

Last season he served as the “life skills coordinator” for the Washington Nationals, a mentorship role that seemed fitting given his varied and sometimes difficult experiences.