thelesterlee
Last week, the New York Yankees designated first baseman, Mike Ford, for assignment after a pretty abysmal season batting .133. That’s 8 hits in 60 at-bats. That level of production will get you designated for assignment 11 times out of 10.
But there’s bad news: he’s being traded to the Devil Rays.
Earlier today, the Yankees traded INF Mike Ford to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash considerations and a player to be named later.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 17, 2021
Yike.
There’s a great possibility that Mike Ford is just the player that he is.
The 28-year-old has a career .199 batting average and 17 homers since first being called up in 2019.
He is supposed to be a left-handed slugger but doesn’t have consistent enough power or plate discipline to match the scouting report.
But you can’t ignore how odd this Yankees clubhouse is.
Players get called up or signed to play in pinstripes and they often become the worst versions of themselves. Sonny Gray was a Cy Young candidate in Oakland, was atrocious in New York and then immediately made an All-Star team when he moved to Cincinnati.
The Yankees have specifically failed on every first baseman since Mark Teixeira retired.
Greg Bird deteriorated physically. Luke Voit is now physically melting before our eyes. Chris Carter, Tyler Austin and Jay Bruce were in there between Bird and Voit IL stints striking out left and right.
Todd Frazier (from Tom’s River, New Jersey) was out there playing first at some point. Shout out Chase Headley too.
On paper, Mike Ford should’ve fit perfectly but the Yankees seem to make players worse.
Enter the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
It makes my stomach churn knowing what I’m about to say but here goes: The Rays are the best organization in baseball. They develop All-Stars and then know the exact right time to get rid of them before their production drops and in exchange for those All-Stars they bring in prospects with All-Star potential.
Evan Longoria. James Shields. Chris Archer. And now Blake Snell.
It’s infuriating how guys appear in Rays uniforms and perform out of their minds but if those same players were in New York, they’d shrivel into nothing.
I will never forgive the Yankees for what they did to my baby boy Gary Sanchez. Man should be an MVP every single year and they ruined him.
If any franchise can squeeze the talent out of a player it’s Tampa.
Genius move to send Mike Ford to the team you are 7 games behind in the standings while simultaneously telling the media that you’ll be buyers at the trade deadline, not sellers because this is the start of what APPEARS to be selling.
Godspeed, Michael Ford. Lol jk I hate you now and the tremendous beard you’re about to grow.
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