Family ties cause Ward’s tardy arrival in Las Vegas

Nick Christensen

Monday, July 28, 2003 | 8:52 a.m.

When the Los Angeles Dodgers optioned outfielder Daryle Ward to Las Vegas Wednesday, many wondered how Ward, a five-year major league veteran, would take the demotion.

And when Ward didn't arrive at Cashman Field until late Saturday afternoon, many more eyebrows were raised -- especially because Wilkin Ruan, sent down earlier Saturday, arrived around three hours after Ward.

But as far as Ward was concerned, the delay wasn't due to the demotion. Nor did it have anything to do with any traffic holdups on I-15 from Los Angeles.

Ward just wanted to spend time with his family.

"Thursday and Friday, I spent those two days at home and hung out with the kids a little bit," Ward said. "I didn't take all 72 hours, just close."

Players reassigned within the organization have 72 hours to report to their new team. For his part, manager John Shoemaker wasn't concerned about when Ward arrived.

"What's more important is what happens when the player arrives, rather than when he arrives," Shoemaker said. "If he arrives after 72 hours and gives you tremendous effort, you've got no problem. Sometimes, he might arrive early and not give you a professional effort, and then it wouldn't matter if he got here in one hour or 72."

Ward, 28, acquired via trade by the Dodgers in January, has struggled tis year after spending the better part of his baseball career in the Astros' organization. In his final year with Triple-A New Orleans, Ward hit .353 with 28 home runs in 61 games. He had 20 home runs in the 2000 season with Houston.

But with the Dodgers, he has managed only 20 hits in 109 at-bats. Ward was 1-for-3 and was intentionally walked once in the 51s' 4-2 loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes Sunday at Cashman Field.

"Unfortunately, Daryle was not swinging the bat as well as he swung it in the past for the Dodgers," Shoemaker said. "As a hitter, this guy is a proven, good hitter. Unfortunately, he was not having a lot of success or catching any breaks, and we're hoping that by playing almost every day, he can get into a groove."

Ward agrees that the most important thing for him is to develop his confidence, something he hasn't had all season.

"I just want to be able to know that when a pitcher throws a pitch, I can put the bat on it all the time," he said. "I feel like every time I go up there, somewhere in the back of my mind, I really don't know. It's a lot better feeling when I know, when I go to the batter's box, that I'm going to put a bat on the ball hard."

But while Ward is also battling his slump and opposing pitchers, he also has to fight the distance from his family that made him a slow arrival to Las Vegas to begin with.

Ward's pregnant wife and three children live in Southern California, where they moved after living in Houston. He says he talks to them daily, but the distance is still hard on all of them.

"It's short, a month-long deal," he said. "It's just one of those situations where we just suck it up as a family and show how strong we all are. Not just me on the baseball end, but my wife, I have to give her a lot of credit being strong as she is, and my kids, too. It's hard letting a family member go."