Lew Ford - Career

Career

Ford is a 1994 graduate of Port Neches-Groves High School where he played football and baseball and a 1999 graduate of Dallas Baptist University. He also played college baseball at Texas A&M University and Seminole Junior College and Lee College.

In 1998, Ford was a first team All American at Dallas Baptist. He set their single school batting record, batting .507 over the course of more than 50 games. In spite of this, Ford was not chosen in the MLB draft. He came back the following year and had another season at Dallas Baptist, after which he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 12th round of the 1999 amateur draft.

In 2000, he played his first full year of Single-A ball for the Augusta Greenjackets of the South Atlantic League. He had a good season, stealing 52 of 56 bases, and established the team single-season batting record by hitting .315, adding 74 RBI from the leadoff spot. Baseball America named him as the best defensive outfielder in Class A, and The Sporting News identified him as the Best 5-Tool Prospect in the Red Sox organization. He led minor league baseball in runs scored with 122. On September 9, 2000, Ford was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Héctor Carrasco. He also led Minor League Baseball in runs scored in 2002.

He is known for an episode of accidentally burning himself with a hotel iron, which is often erroneously told as a result of the attempted ironing of a shirt while wearing it.

In 2004, he finished tied for 24th in American League Most Valuable Player balloting, garnering a total 2 points out of a possible 392.

Ford was named AL Player of the Week for the week ending August 21, 2005. He helped the Twins take three of four games from the Seattle Mariners after hitting 12-for-33, including three home runs, and leading the league in RBI and runs for that week.

Ford was outrighted to the minor leagues on October 5, 2007, but refused the assignment and became a free agent.

Ford signed with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball on November 29, 2007.

In March 2009, he signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies, but did not play the season there. On August 24, 2009, Ford signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. Ford was a member of the Long Island Ducks in 2009 when he posted 10 home runs, 2 triples, and 55 RBI in 93 games. The Texas native finished second in the league in batting average (.330) and fourth in on-base percentage (.407). His efforts earned him a contract with the Cincinnati Reds organization.

Played in (2010) with Guerreros de Oaxaca in the Mexican League.

March 7, 2011 Ford signed with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

May 19, 2012 Ford signed with the Baltimore Orioles who sent him down to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.

On July 29, 2012 Ford appeared in a MLB lineup for the first time since 2007. He batted fifth and played left field for the Orioles. Ford hit home runs for the Orioles in consecutive games against the Chicago White Sox on August 27–28, 2012. He finished the year hitting .183/.256/.352 with 3 HR and 4 RBI in 25 games. On November 2, Ford was outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency on November 6. On November 9, Ford signed a minor league contract with the Orioles with an invitation to spring training.