The 35-year old Ford was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 12th round of the 1999 draft, but he hasn’t played a game in the major leagues since 2007, when he hit .233 as a member of the Minnesota Twins. Since then, he has bounced around with organizations all of the world, including Japan in 2008 and Mexico in 2010.
Not a single MLB organization wanted him before the 2011 season, not even in their minor league systems. So Ford signed with an independent league team, the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, figuring it would be his last year in baseball. Injury issues shortened his season, though, and he wanted to go out with a full season under his belt. He re-signed with the Ducks in 2012, not expecting much. He had some friends on the Ducks from his earlier playing days, and had no thoughts of getting back to the majors. He just wanted to play.
But after he hit .333 in 19 games with the Ducks, the Orioles signed Ford to a minor league contract on May 18th, which was already more than what he was expecting going into the year.
“If I got picked up, great, but my thought process going into the season was that I was going to play in the Atlantic league and hopefully win a championship there,” Ford said. “This is kind of more than I dreamed of. The chance that this would happen is just so small. I’m a very realistic person and I wasn’t expecting this at all when I started off this year, to make it back here is ... I’m just so happy.”
Repoz
Posted: July 29, 2012 at 01:24 PM |
23 comment(s)
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1. TerpNats Posted: July 29, 2012 at 01:27 PM (#4195154)players are vested after 40 odd days on the active roster. one day on a roster gets them lifetime healthcare.
i think the minimum pension benefit is 34k annually. if you play 10 years in the majors you get over 120k annually
Doesn't the annual amount depend upon at what age you choose to start collecting?
Those were some frustrating years. I really had no idea Lew Ford was still around.
Regarding pensions and such, didn't Sal Fasano have some issue a couple of seasons ago where he had to play a certain number of major league games to get his family covered on the ML health insurance?
i think you can start collecting at age 55
and it is 40 days on the 25 man in order to get the minimum pension, is that right? is that true if they are on the DL too? does september time count toward either
Also, Wei-Yin Chen struck out 12 in less than 6 innings, which was kind of awesome. It's probable that will forever stand as his career high of strikeouts in a game. He also got a huge ovation with every strikeout after the first 6 or so, and a sustained standing O when it was announced he had set a new record for strikeouts in a game by a Taiwanese, and another when he left the game in the sixth.
And Matt Wieters hit a three run bomb, but of course I expected that. That's what he does when he's in a slump. I wore my Matt Wieters Facts shirt, of course.
i think it's 43 days to be precise
but that is from memory
When he hit 11, they made it a point to announce on the Jumbotron that he set a record for most K's in a game by a Taiwanese-born pitcher.
They also put on the Jumbotron after he left the game that he apparently set an Orioles record for most strikeouts in under 6 innings.
Actually, here's a decent interview with Lew. I'm glad he's still around.
I believe the annual pay after 10 years in the bigs is $140K.
Their health plan is phenominal.
In 1994, each player received annual royalties of $95K.
Not a bad gig!
Aren't Sunday lineups the ones most likely to have 2-3 bench players starting? Brewers fans on the Internet hate the Sunday lineups, and I remember Yankee fans hating Torre's House Money lineups on Sundays.
even 34K a year for 45 days in the Bigs - they deserve every penny. especially lower round draft picks.
i think it is teh AWESOMENESS that mark saccomanno gets lifetime health insurance and so does charlton jimerson and now edwin maysonet has been up enough days to get a pension. small consolation for being screwed by the astros.
of course, most guys who are in the big leagues for 10 years don't need no 100 G a year - that's chicken feed
it's too bad they don't/won't do anything for minor leaguers
After being gone for 5 years, I wonder how adept he is with the modern smartphone and tablet platforms. He really doesn't need to drag around a desktop PC on roadtrips nowadays.
That's good to know for this guy.
In my head, I confuse Lew Ford with Bobby Kielty every time.
Actually, I always assumed Lew Ford was the speedy black guy in that group. Until I saw him play. Then I shared your confusion.
Later, the A's would trade Ted Lilly to the Jays for Bobby Kielty, who would eventually lose his job ... to Shannon Stewart!
And now you know....
Me too. Looking at his steal totals I figured he must be related to this guy. I mean, a Ford is a type of Carr.
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