ST. LOUIS -- Rick Ankiel's next stop on his climb back from wildness is the St. Louis Cardinals' rookie league affiliate.

After spending about three weeks at the team's extended spring training in Jupiter, Fla., Ankiel was sent to Johnson City, Tenn., on Tuesday, just in time for the season opener.

The Cardinals aren't expecting Ankiel, 21, back in the majors soon. He was 1-2 with a 7.13 ERA in six starts for St. Louis, walking 25 in 24 innings with five wild pitches and numerous balls to the screen.

"The worst thing we can do is rush him back," general manager Walt Jocketty said Tuesday before St. Louis' game against the Chicago Cubs. "We've got to let him take small steps.

"He may be able to take small steps fast, but it's got to be small steps."

Jocketty said Ankiel will be in the rotation and perhaps serve as designated hitter from time to time. He was unclear when Ankiel would make his first start.

"That's a nice atmosphere to start," Jocketty said. "It's kind of where he wanted to start."

Jocketty said DH duty could be a welcome diversion for Ankiel, who threw nine wild pitches in four postseason innings last fall and has not yet recovered.

"I think he got a couple of hits and did well," Jocketty said. "More importantly, he enjoyed it and that was the thing, take the pressure off and have some fun again."

Mark Riggins, the team's roving minor league pitching instructor, will monitor Ankiel's progress.

The Cardinals made another pitching move at the major league level, purchasing the contract of right-handed reliever Luther Hackman from Triple-A Memphis. Hackman replaces Jerry Spradlin, whose contract was purchased Monday.

Spradlin has been bothered by shoulder tendinitis and an MRI taken Tuesday showed he has a partially torn rotator cuff and partially torn labrum.

"Yesterday felt like one of the best days of my life," Spradlin said. "Now, it's all taken away."

Hackman was 0-2 with a 2.78 ERA in 16 games for Memphis.

"They were very close," Jocketty said. "Really, the reason we chose Spradlin over Hackman initially was experience."