Monday, October 28, 2019

A Tribute to Mike Ford



Image result for Mike ford


Before the postseason started, I tried to come up with a predicted roster for the Yankees. Then the Yankees announced the rosters and they were missing the guy I had in the 5th or 6th spot of my projected lineups. I also think that we could've potential went a little further with this guy in the lineup. Mike Ford was the hottest Yankee in September and was a solid bat in the lineup most of the year. But most importantly, he is a left bat that barely strikes out. He makes contact with the ball and good contact at that. Now I'm not going to go into the saber metrics and the hit probability and stuff like that because you don't even need to look at that to see why he should've been in the middle of the lineup this postseason. The problem with the Yankees' hitters is that they are all similar. They are all big right handed power hitters. The problem with this is lack of contact and a lot of striking out in the postseason. When you send out a almost all righty batting order against Cole, Verlander, and Greinke who are 3 of the best righties in the game, your team is not going to be successful. Mike Ford had 17 walks and only 28 strikeouts this season. He finished the season strong with over 1.000 OPS in the month of September and he got hotter as the month continued. Edwin Encarnacion hit horribly in all but the first two postseason games. He gave the Yankees absolutely nothing after coming back from an oblique injury. Now I'm not blaming him for this because obliques affect every movement and he was not the EE we all know from the past. Luke Voit did not play in the ALDS and was kept off the ALCS roster. Mike Ford could've taken his roster spot in the ALDS and maybe even played against a tough righty instead of EE. He would've been good in the middle of the lineup to split the righties up and provide the Yankees with a hitter who can make contact in a clutch situation.

 Going into spring training if the Yankees leave the infield as is without resigning Didi and without trading for Lindor. The infield will probably be Urshela, Torres, LeMaiheu and then a battle in spring training for first base between Voit and Ford. I am not against this but I would definitely prefer the perennial MVP candidate being Francisco Lindor. Luke Voit is similar to the rest of the Yankees sluggers as he is a righty power hitter who strikes out a lot. So at this very moment, in October, even though I am a huge fan of Louis Linwood Voit IV, I do think Mike Ford is a better player for the current state of the Yankees. Voit along with Andujar, Frazier, Happ and some other depth players could be dealt for a reliever to place Chapman who I don't think the Yankees should retain for monetary purposes, that should be reinvested elsewhere. Or they can deal for a starter. If the Yankees trade for or sign a starter he must be an ace. The Yankees have enough middle to high tier starting pitchers. What the Yankees really need is an Ace or two who can give them long high quality innings in the postseason, not only 3 and let the rest up to the tired bullpen whom the other team already saw 5 times through already the series. My whole point of writing this article is to vouch for Mike Ford and wonder what would've happened in the playoffs if Mike Ford was on the roster.

P.S. BYE LARRY!!!

The Yankees need David Cone