Sense Before Dollars Indians Pitcher Ward Feels Patience Will Pay In The End

Ah, to have the common sense that Monty Ward developed before his 22nd birthday.

In a world of grab-it-fast greediness, Ward learned early to stand back and wait until opportunities ripen.

The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Ward in the sixth round of baseball’s 1995 amateur draft. Many high school seniors would have pounced at the offer to play professional ball.

Ward said, no thanks.

“I had already talked to my family, and they wanted me to go to school,” said the right-handed pitcher, the scheduled starter when the Spokane Indians play at Boise tonight.

“I don’t think I was ready (for professional baseball). The best choice I ever made was to go to Tech.”

Tech, as in Texas Tech, which is located in Ward’s hometown of Lubbock.

Ward accepted the closer’s role to start his freshman year. He performed well and became a starter for good midway through that season.

Last summer, he played for the USA Junior National Team, improving his draft stock with a 3-0 record and 2.55 earned-run average. Ward’s record and ERA for Tech this spring were average by his standards, but he struck out nearly 1-1/2 batters per inning.

The Kansas City Royals rewarded Ward for his perseverance by drafting the junior in the fourth round of the June 2 amateur draft.

High draft selections these days have a nasty habit of holding out for substantial amounts of money. Ward figured the real money would come from proving oneself, and the best strategy was to dive right in.

“Money wasn’t a factor for me,” Ward said. “I felt I was already getting rusty sitting around.”

Ward was easy to spot during the Indians’ four-day minicamp that ended Monday. He was often the last pitcher running sprints in the outfield and the first one seeking advice from pitching coach Rick Mahler and Royals instructor Mark Littell.

Ward throws fastballs two-thirds of the time, while mixing in sliders and change-ups. He described his style as a “closer’s mentality.”

His final college start was a loss to South Carolina at the NCAA regional tournament in Miami. Spokane’s center fielder and lead-off hitter, Mike Curry, played for South Carolina.

Ward also played against current teammates Jeremy Dodson, Brian Shackelford, Ryan Fry and Corey Hart during the Big 12 Conference season.

Ward’s father, mother and older sister all attended Texas Tech.

His hobbies include golf and snow skiing in New Mexico, 4 hours away from Lubbock.

“You think of Texas as cows and tumbleweeds, so you don’t picture any snow nearby,” Ward said.

Ward and Cary Ammons, the projected starter for Spokane’s home opener on Friday, will live with a host family during their three months here.