Mike Ford is back with the Mariners on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to his MLB.com transactions log.
Ford played in 16 major league games with Seattle in 2022 while ultimately bouncing around between four different organizations — the Giants, Braves, and Angels being the other three. He took 149 total big league plate appearances and overall hit just .206/.302/.313 with three home runs and 40 strikeouts.
The now-30-year-old first baseman and DH burst onto the MLB scene with the Yankees in 2019 and posted a shiny .909 OPS, but he has struggled to a combined .570 OPS in 305 big league plate appearances since that promising debut campaign in the Bronx. Given his defensive limitations and age, the long-term outlook here isn’t exactly promising. Nor does the short-term outlook look good for him with A.J. Pollock, Tommy La Stella, and a large handful of better options vying for turns at DH in Seattle.
Ford has been part of the Mariners organization — Rule 5 drafted, let go, re-signed, let go, then re-signed again — a number of other times in the past. He will likely be returning as nothing more than a depth piece at spring camp for the M’s, who snapped the longest postseason drought in North American professional sports last season and are going to be aiming to chase down the reigning World Series-champion Astros in the AL West this year following yet another active winter piloted by hyperactive president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto.
He should be driving a Ford.
I weirdly want to see him break out. Maybe not as a multi tool true value, but hopefully a solid platoon piece who will give a team the equivalent of 162 game 25 HR power over 90 or so game a season, a regular 12 HR extra bat off the bench.
Thats oddly specific
It’s what he did in his sorta break out year on the Yankees but in not quite double the games.
Trllionaire, he seems to have been the beneficiary of the jacked-up ball in 2019. I’d like to see him catch lightning in a bottle again. Most likely a AAAA hitter, which means he’s still one of the greatest hitters in the world, yet a tick short of what it takes to make it consistently in the highest baseball league in the world.
My analysis after watching every one of his at bats for us last year: he takes a ton of pitches. Probably too many. When he connects he has a big looping power swing and the ball really carries off his bat. With regular at bats, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him develop a bit more. He has ability.
So let’s hope Ford can recover enough of his abilities to be a good resource when and if needed.
Because 2023 is gonna be the year of the Mariners. Step aside, Houston.
Go Mariners!
Fred Park. You must me a comedy writer for SNL.
That is correct, Winslow.
Also for Bill Shonely, Dave Niehaus,, Tom T. Hall, and George Santos.
(Any likes will be most welcome).
Are you related to Fenway?
Ed, I AM Fenway.
AKA, The Green Latrine. Worst ballpark in the history of MLB.
No has to be the heap in Oakland. Toilets overflow during the games. Showers don’t work etc. I heard they were putting a form around the bottom when they burn it down. Need to keep the rats inside when they burn it down.
Did they do something like that iat Yankee stadium? Would have been smart. Taken care of a small amount but you never know they could have had the Don Juan of rats in there that is a super spreader. Kind of like those guys that didn’t get their shots. Wait that is me forget that part.
Fenway and Oak are the only real old ones left. One should be burnt to the ground the other renovated a bit to make it nicer. It is a baseball icon. Wish Yanks and Tigers were not torn down. Get a private guy to buy them but as a piece of land. Fix them up make the inside a museum then let legion teams HS teams. A minor league team could hold a series there. Would be nice to see the wood stadiums all fixed up. I promise when I win the next $1bill lottery I will buy Fenway help them build a new one and make it into a museum. It will be in my will it has to keep being funded until it and if it has a pos cash flow in.
He is not just any Ford, he is a Tempo.
Haha, probably the worst insult I’ve seen on any thread.
Not a Pinto??
Pinto’s, once you knew what you had, were actually pretty cool. I had a ’73 wagon and I loved it!
Brutal.
If he was a Chevy, he’d be a Vega.
Rust in peace…
Or a Citation
I also had a Vega. I really liked that car. In case you were wondering, no, I did not own an AMC Pacer…
I owned a Hornet I stead…
Could be worse, he could be a Pinto.
The Tempo is a billion times worse than the Pinto.
I dunno.. the Pinto had that whole gas tank fireball situation.. the Tempos were on the road for quite a while longer..
Pinto’s had the standard gastank positioned perfectly for rear end impact explosions.
Having driven a Pinto, I cannot fathom anything worse to drive this side of a Yugo.
I’d risk that over driving a POS Tempo.
Jerry Dipoto shopping like a guy with $1.29 left on that K-Mart gift card.
LOLOLO!
Maybe, bearproof, but my oh my what a job he has done!
bearproof, that was brilliant.
This is cruel.
See, if his last name was Chevy he’d be an All-Star.
Nah Jeep, would make him have some mileage and stamina.
But then he’d be expensive, topless, and have bad gas (mileage)
To quote a famous Baseball poet, this is “Deja Vu all over again.” Hopefully, third time is a charm.
Sadly, I see a third DFA coming from the Mariners. He’ll likely make a good coach one day when he’s ready to stop chasing the dream.
I was wondering when this domino was gonna fall.
I wonder who we are going to get from the Giants when we trade him back and forth this summer?
Hes extremely underrated was hoping the Rangers would sign him to help platoon left field
I agree with you for once. He is better than the .500 OPS guys they put out there last year. Luke Voit would be better, though.
Did you just agree with yourself? Or am I missing some other comment?
Read the usernames.
Different username. “Rangers” vs “Ranger.”
Sure. He’d be a fine platoon option at a position he’s never played before…
He has played the position gold glove stats short sample size but very impressive
Actually a quick look at his Baseball Reference page shows he has only ever played 1B defensively in the Major Leagues
@Rsox Just ignore this guy. He brings nothing intelligent to the discussion. All this fool is doing is trying to make me look stupid.
Given the offense Rangers’ left fielders put up last year, he may actually have been a better option, barring a trade. Adolis Garcia and Bubba Thompson/Leody Tavares could make up most of the ground. Besides, the Marlins are doing it. It’s probably a stupid idea, but that shows more how Texas needs a left fielder than anything about Ford.
A Jurickson Profar/Rangers reunion is very possible and makes much more sense than trying to convert a AAAA DH into a Left Fielder
I hate Profar, and many in the fanbase would be traumatized by his failed development from consensu #1 prospect status. I’d rather get Chafin for less money and sign some decent BP guys instead. It’s more of an emotional thing than anything.
They could still get Chafin. I really thought they would have got Benintendi but obviously the fit was too good to make it happen. Profar and David Peralta represent the best remaining LF options barring a trade. Peralta fell of the map after going to the Rays so a one year prove it contract wouldn’t be the worst thing
Read it to quick my bad, thought you were going crazy
I think AL west could be this year a good division You have one great team Houston and then 3 good team and one bad team
Some what like the NL East – NL West NL Central
I sure hope so, baseball is a beautiful sport when half the league are legitimate contenders.
Bad may be under-stating it.
Giants are already offering a player to be named later.
Someone see if the bill has been paid for more news than this.
I’d rather have Mike Ford over Ruf and Vogelbach. I think Mike Ford is a really good player, he just needs some chances and maybe a slight change in their mechanics
Dipoto, Mike Ford, and Tommy Milone have to be in a trouple at this point.
This guy sucks
Let me take a flying fart in the dark guess. Your under 30 years old.
I’m always fine with solid depth adds. I would rather Dipoto “dumpster dive” for players like this than be stuck with a guy who doesn’t belong in the big leagues if France were to get hurt again.
In 2o13 Mike Ford went undrafted out of Princeton University where Ford was a college teammate of Tyler Servais, son of Seattle manager Scott Servais:
goprincetontigers.com/sports/baseball/roster/2013
So that’s why Jerry sign him yet another righthanded pitcher..
Ford is a Dan Vogelbach wannabe
The pairing that can’t quit each other.
Mariners turn their back on:
Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Lincoln.
Go with FORD !!
They had a Sorrento for a while.
Ground Hog’s DAY!
Who is this A.J. Pollock? The article brought up. I do remember Ford he’s a big fellow who if he could barrel the ball up it would fly, fly. away. Unfortunately for him he hasn’t been able to put things together. Somehow I get the feeling that he not unlike a lot of ball players has the problem of making the MLB transition. at his age he should have had it figured out. Maybe it is, it’s just not going to get any better for him Still you know how the saying goes, hope springs eternal. . This is Jerry, throw it up on the wall and see what sticks.
Pollock, yeah I had a moment. I’m back.. This Ford there’s another who he reminds me of him. He, and Nottingham seems much the same.
This guy again?!
Mike is not the type of guy that championship teams carry. He will likely see most of his time in Tacoma.