TTM Success: Mike Ford

It's been a while since I've gotten a TTM success, but that changed today with an awesome return from Yankees prospect Mike Ford. I know I sent it out early in last season because the mail was forward from my old address.

Sadly, I don't have access to my TTM records from the past 5 years or so. I foolishly kept it on my work computer, and forgot to bring it with me when I left for a new company in June. So dumb! I lost the tracking of 400+ TTM success, send dates, return dates, what I sent, etc. I should have kept it in a Google Doc or on Drop Box, but I was stupid and kept it on my personal drive in only one Excel file at my previous employer. Huge regret.

Anyways, I know for a fact that I didn't have a Mike Ford card to send. I am certain I sent either an index card or a generic Yankees card (like of the Stadium or logo).

Well, Mr. Ford was nice enough to send me three signed cards! He added "4 HRs" to one of them, as he hit 4 HRs in a minor league game on May 24, 2014.

He also included a really nice hand-written note. He actually apologized for the delay, which is crazy talk! No athlete should ever apologize for a delayed response. He doesn't owe it to me or anyone else. It just shows what a classy guy Mike Ford is.

Ford is a super interesting player. He was signed as an undrafted free agent after winning Ivy League Hitter AND Pitcher of the Year in 2013. That's nuts! He went on to have a monster 2014 in the Yanks system, spending time in Charleston and Tampa. In all, he hit .292/.383/.458 with 13 HRs. In 2015, he spent the entire season in High-A Tampa, slashing .268/.340/.368. His power was down a bit, but he's universally praised for his focus and work ethic.

I'm really hoping he gets the bump to Trenton in 2016, as he's from NJ and I'm sure would be a thrill for him to play in front of family and friends. I love his story, and I'll be pulling for him to make it with the Yanks. In the mean time, I thank him for his letter and the signed cards.