When do we take Lew Ford seriously?

[Matt P]

I know that he's 35 years old and never was a good major league player but he is killing it in AAA. He's now played in 55 games with the Tides and is batting .341/.402/.562 with 10 home runs, 12 doubles, and 3 triples. I'm guessing he won't make the team until September but he sure is making some noise at Norfolk and is an interesting story.

[birdwatcher55]

Lew Ford will never see the light of Baltimore unless it's on his own dime. Just my two cents

[Shorebirdfan]

I think he eventually has to get some time here. I mean most of our roster is AAAA guys now, why not one more.

[osforlife]

We can probably catch some lightning in a bottle with his bat and he is a natural outfielder. So, if Steve Pearce starts to drop off which he already has, I think we could see Lew up.

[TuckerBlair89]

I'm not sure if I ever will take it seriously. I mean there is a reason he was in independent league to start the season.
At this point I'd actually rather have Pearce to see if he can ever actually produce. If he continues to hit and the Orioles are still in it during the latter part of the year, then yea you probably give him a look.

[Ampontan]

I'm guessing he won't make the team until September...

Doesn't he have to be on the 40-man for that? He's not now.

McLouth has an opt-out clause, they say, so he'd probably get called up first.

[dan72]

His problem is his age. He is so far down the depth chart, maybe in September he gets a look. You have Avery, Hoes, Chavez, Pearce all in front of him.
He is having a nice season though, possible trade material or just keep him for depth.

[Shorebirdfan]

His problem is his age. He is so far down the depth chart, maybe in September he gets a look. You have Avery, Hoes, Chavez, Pearce all in front of him.
He is having a nice season though, possible trade material or just keep him for depth.

So would you say a big portion depends on where the O's sit come September? I mean when the rosters can expand, you could bring up both Avery and Ford. So if the O's are in contention for a playoff spot do you want Avery (probably the more talented of the two) or do you want Ford (the more experienced player) when the money is on the line?

In the long term, there is no doubt in my mind that Avery will be the better player and there is certainly a lot of upside to getting him in games at the major league level. But in the pressure of September games that mean something, I might want more experience.

[Ampontan]

So would you say a big portion depends on where the O's sit come September? I mean when the rosters can expand, you could bring up both Avery and Ford.

I'll try one more time. He has to be on the 40-man roster for that, right? He isn't on the 40-man roster now.

[Matt P]

Yes, he has to be on the 40 man.

[Matt P]

It looks like the O's are now taking him seriously as he is going to be called up before the start of Sunday's game according to Roch Kubatko.