On this day in 2004, Joe Borchard hit the longest home run currently hit at U.S. Cellular Field.
This game was a make up game for a June 10th rain out. In the bottom of the second inning, with Juan Uribe aboard, Joe Borchard blasts one 504 feet to right-center field, off of Philadelphia Phillies starter (and future White Sox reliever) Brett Myers, eclipsing the previous mark set by Frank Thomas of 495 feet from 2002 off of Johan Santana, then of the Minnesota Twins. The Phillies and White Sox went back and forth all game, with the Sox prevailing 9-8, even after closer Shingo Takatsu gave up two runs in the ninth inning.
The odds were stacked against Joe Borchard from the very beginning, when he received a $5.3 million signing bonus by choosing to play for the White Sox and gave up a career in football, after being selected 12th overall in the 2000 draft. He made his MLB debut in 2002, but never lived up to his full potential because of a "football mentality" and inconsistent contact at the plate. When Borchard connected, the results were astounding, but more often than not, Joe looked out of place. The White Sox traded Borchard on March 20, 2006 to the Seattle Mariners for reliever Matt Thornton. Thornton is still in the majors with the White Sox. Joe Borchard last played in the majors in 2007, with the Florida Marlins, and announced his retirement in 2011.
I think I was like others that were just waiting for Joe to finally "get it" and become a regular part of the starting line up. But he never did. And yeah - watching him getting a hold of one was quite the sight. The problem was it was like catching sight of Haley's comet, with the amount of regularity from him.
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy! I couldn't have put it any better myself.
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