Lew Ford returns to field for Ducks, looking to contribute at plate

June finds Lew Ford in his perpetual state – back. The Ducks' all-time hit king missed the first month of the season with a lower-body injury, but has since returned to the active roster and is making his way toward a more active role.

At 45, the Ducks certainly aren’t rushing their hitting coach back into regular action. In two weeks since returning, he’s 3-for-12 (.250) with a double, a run and two strikeouts in three games.

“I’ve felt surprisingly good,” Ford said. “Sometimes, when you haven’t seen live pitching, it’s not easy to feel good up there. But, I’ve felt pretty comfortable in the few at-bats that I’ve had…I always try to not do too much, not over-swing, and kind of slow it down a little bit. When you’re starting the season, I think that’s the best way and that’s the way I approached it.”

But, don’t expect his part-time role to be the norm. Ducks manager Wally Backman said Ford will have a larger role in the second half, when the Ducks are likely to make a more serious playoff push than they are in the final few weeks of the first half.   The Ducks entered Saturday 9 ½ games back of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs for first place in the North Division first half standings.

“When we get to the second half, he will more than likely be a regular on an everyday basis,” Backman said. “He can still hit….We want Lew to be in the best shape he can be when the time does come for him to play every day, which is going to happen. It’s definitely going to happen.” 

Ramping up Ford for the second half isn’t anything new. The Ducks did pretty much the same thing last season and saw Ford break the team’s all-time hits record late in the year.

“I think that’s worked well the last couple years,” Ford said. “(Backman’s) talked about doing that again. I’ll be ready whatever he needs.”

Cuas gets call-up to bigs

Former Ducks reliever Jose Cuas was called up to the Royals this week, making him the 24th player to reach the major leagues after playing for the Ducks, and first since Seaford-native Sean Nolin was called up to the Nationals last season.  Cuas is the fourth player in franchise history to make his MLB debut after playing for the Ducks, who have a sterling reputation around the formerly-Independent ranks for getting former major leaguers back to affiliated baseball.

Cuas, a converted shortstop,  pitched parts of three seasons with the Ducks (2018, '19, '21) and was 4-1 with a 1.36 ERA, one save, 46 strikeouts and 20 walks in 37 appearances. 

“I believed this kid was going to pitch in the big leagues,” Backman said. “He had the right make-up. He told me that he was going to pitch in the big leagues. He had the right attitude and he has the stuff to do that….He has a fresh arm, hasn’t pitched that much. I would not be shocked to see this guy have a long career.”

Cuas, who was born in the Dominican Republic but went to Grand Street Campus High School in Brooklyn, pitched a scoreless inning for the Royals in his debut Tuesday against the Guardians.

“Now he has to accomplish just staying in the big leagues, and I think that he can do that,” Backman said.

Shakin’ things up

The Ducks made two roster moves and a staffing change entering the weekend series with the FerryHawks. They named Mark Weidemaier pitching coach, replacing Rick Tomlin who resigned in order to spend more time with his family, the Ducks said in a release.

Weidemaier was the Nationals defensive positioning coach in 2014-15 and worked for the Yankees in player development in 1989-90, as well as other various positions in the MLB and international baseball.

The Ducks also signed former major league pitcher Ryan Messinger, who pitched parts of three seasons with the Orioles, Cardinals, and Cubs, and infielder Rob Weissheier, a Valley Stream native who played at Hofstra.

The moves as part of an expected shake up – mainly to the pitching staff – that Backman believes will vault the Ducks back into contention – even if that contention is limited to the second half.

“We’re going to be really good,” Backman said. “We’re going to be the team that people think the Ducks are supposed to be, year in and year out. We’ve made those changes, we’ve added players. I’m not even concerned with the (first half standings deficit). I know how good this team’s going to be with additions that we’re putting in.”