Veteran catcher is so upbeat, he sees positive in early bout with paralysis.
By TOM JONES
Published March 11, 2004
SARASOTA - Some people see the glass as being half empty. Some see it as half full.
Then there's Devil Rays catcher Brook Fordyce.
"Me?" Fordyce said. "I always see the glass as full. Not half full. All the way full."
It takes about five seconds to get a solid read on Fordyce. He's the guy whose personality is always turned up to 9. You know the type: big smile, hearty laugh, a slap on the back, the kind of guy who will dish out a playful jab, then quickly let you know he's only kidding.
Positive doesn't even begin to describe Fordyce. If he's positive, Charo must be despondent.
"Yeah, he's high energy all right," Rays manager Lou Piniella said.
Here's a perfect example: When Fordyce was a sophomore in high school, the upper left side of his body was paralyzed for about two months from a football injury. For most, that would be a monumental incident, something to recall in harrowing detail for the rest of your life.
Fordyce, 31, talks as if it happened to someone else.
"It wasn't negative at all," Fordyce says, and you believe him. "It was positive. It's something I had to go through and I'm sure I came out of it better. Hey, could've been worse, right? I don't think I sulked about it. I don't really remember, to be honest."
He didn't even miss school.
"It was just one side," Fordyce said. "Just my arm and stuff."
So what gives? What makes Fordyce so gosh-darn happy?
"That's just my personality," Fordyce said. "That's how I am. Think about it: I play baseball for a living. What can be better than that? Anytime I think about getting down, I realize there are worse things I could be doing. I'm so lucky. I love this game."
Here's an example of that: Earlier this week, Fordyce's only assignment was to hit in the morning and catch a few pitchers. He wasn't playing in the exhibition game and was free to leave the Rays complex at noon. He ended up sticking around five innings just to watch.
"I decided to hang around," Fordyce said. "Hang around and talk a little shop with the guys."
Fordyce is a today kind of guy; he rarely thinks about tomorrow. Ask him what he will do when he retires and he tells you only what he won't do. He won't play golf or fish all day.
"I'll be doing something, that's for sure," Fordyce said. "I love a challenge."
Like anyone, Fordyce has days when he's down. He hates to lose. A 3-for-3 day can be ruined if his pitcher is having a bad day. But he figures he has two choices: get down and bring everyone with him, or pep himself and cheer up a few players along the way.
"You need guys like him in the clubhouse," Piniella said. "They keep everybody loose."
Fordyce, though, isn't around simply to be the team's Mr. Rogers. He's a backup catcher with starter's experience. He spent time with the Mets, Reds and White Sox but made his biggest impact last season.
He started as a backup in Baltimore and played so well that he took over the starting role in June. He played a career-high 108 games and hit .273 with six homers and 31 RBIs.
The Orioles signed Javy Lopez in the offseason, leaving Fordyce in search for a job. He lives in Stuart with his wife and two young daughters, liked what the Rays did in the offseason and always wanted to play for Piniella, so the Rays seemed like a perfect fit.
"I've been impressed with him," Piniella said. "I like the way he thinks behind home plate, and he swings the bat a little bit."
Perhaps best of all, he knows his role. He isn't gunning for Toby Hall's starting job but is ready to take over if called upon.
"I think I fit in here," Fordyce said. "I know Toby Hall is here and he does a great job. I just want to be a part of this thing. I didn't want to go to a team where I didn't feel a part of it. I just want to help out and do some things. I'm here to win and get better."
And along the way, perhaps he can provide a few laughs and plenty of pats on the back.
"Like everything, I look at it as a challenge," Fordyce said. "I want to get better every year. Keep going. Strive for that ultimate season. Maybe this is the ultimate season. That's what I'm thinking."
