TAMPA, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 26: Mike Ford #72 of the New York Yankees looks on during the spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
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Former New York Yankees players often find themselves reconnecting with familiar faces around baseball after their playing careers end, but it is far less common to see them immediately join an American League East rival.
That is exactly what happened at the start of this season, as one former Yankees fan favorite quickly landed with the Tampa Bay Rays after deciding to transition from playing into a front office role. Now, only months into the position, he’s naturally speaking highly of his new organization.
New York Yankee Former Fan Favorite Offers 4-Word Response After Joining Hated Rival
Mike Ford, who joined the Rays’ baseball operations department earlier this year, recently shared his early impressions of working for one of New York’s longtime division rivals.
“It’s an incredible group,” Ford said of the Rays in an interview with YES Network.
Ford expanded on what has stood out to him during his first months in Tampa Bay’s front office after three seasons with the Yankees, the team he grew up idolizing as a native of New Jersey.
“It’s been eye-opening,” he added in the YES Network segment. “Super open. No question is un-askable and it’s been great. They’ve really just welcomed me with open arms… They do a wonderful job. They’re very detailed in their work and it really shows on the field.”
Tampa Bay has earned a reputation throughout baseball for maximizing player development and analytical preparation despite typically operating with one of the league’s smaller payrolls, and Ford indicated that attention to detail has become immediately apparent from inside the organization. His emphasis on the open-minded nature of the Rays might have also been a clue into how they differ from the Yankees, who are often seen as baseball’s most staunch traditionalists.
And Ford’s remarks suggest the transition from clubhouse to front office has been smoother than expected thanks to the support he’s received from his new colleagues.
New Yankees Fans Remember Mike Ford’s Breakout Stretch Before Tampa Bay Rays Move
Ford remains best known to many baseball fans for his surprising emergence with the Yankees during the 2019 season.
“Ford became a cult hero in New York for his tremendous finish to the 2019 season,” Charlie Wright wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “The first baseman briefly debuted in April that year, but failed to stick on the roster after hitting .167 in limited opportunities. Ford was recalled in early August after Edwin Encarnacion broke his wrist. He put together a torrid two-month stretch to close the campaign, posting a .953 OPS with 11 home runs over 39 games.”
Although his playing career eventually included several organizations after leaving New York, Ford’s late-season power surge made him a memorable figure among Yankees fans.
Now, instead of trying to beat the Rays on the field, he’s helping build one of baseball’s most respected operations from inside the organization. Judging by his early comments, Ford has quickly embraced his new role — even if it comes with one of the more surprising employer changes for a former Yankees player.