Joe Borchard Information & Joe Borchard Links at HealthHaven.com

**Joe Borchard**
Joe Borchard
; Borchard, with the Marlins in June 2007
	San Francisco Giants — No. --
	Outfielder
	Born: November 25, 1978 (age 31); Panorama City, California
Bats: Switch	Throws: Right
MLB debut
	September 2, 2002 for the Chicago White Sox
Career statistics; (through 2008 season)
Batting average	.205
Home runs	26
Runs batted in	77
Stolen bases	7
Teams
	Chicago White Sox (2002-2005); Seattle Mariners (2006); Florida Marlins (2006-2007);

Joseph Edward Borchard (born November 25, 1978 in Panorama City, California) is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants. Borchard was the 12th pick of the first round in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft out of Stanford University by the Chicago White Sox. In high school he won a division III state football championship at Adolfo Camarillo High School as the starting quarterback. He also played quarterback for Stanford and took a $5.3 million signing bonus to play for the White Sox. The signing bonus was the highest ever given to a player for a minor league contract until Justin Upton received $6.1 million to sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005. Drafted for his blend of talent and baseball intellect, Borchard posted extremely impressive numbers while at Stanford University, both as an outfielder and a quarterback.^{[citation needed]}

Borchard's career with the White Sox was less than impressive, as he struggled to make consistent contact, which has continued to plague him throughout his career. Borchard's most significant big league playing time came in the 2004 season, where he received 201 at-bats. He hit .174 that year with 9 home runs and 20 RBI. Borchard's most notable feat was setting the US Cellular Field home run distance record, yet to be eclipsed at 504 feet off Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brett Myers.^[1] Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams believes that Borchard still has a great professional baseball career ahead of him if he can "get the football mentality out of him."^{[citation needed]} To which Borchard replied, "have you ever won a state championship for football?"

Borchard was traded to the Seattle Mariners on March 20, 2006, for Matt Thornton, a left-handed relief pitcher. On May 3, 2006, the Florida Marlins claimed Borchard off waivers.

The Atlanta Braves signed Borchard to a minor league contract during the 2007 MLB winter meetings in Nashville, Tennessee.

On May 28, 2008, Borchard had season ending Tommy John surgery, but was re-signed by the Braves for the 2009 season. However, on April 24, Borchard was released.

On May 28, 2009 Borchard signed with the Giants and is currently playing for the organization's AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies.

[edit] References

^ Scott Merkin (2004-08-30). "Borchard swats 504-foot blast". MLB.com. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20040830&content_id=842708&vkey=news_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws. Retrieved 2008-11-18.

[edit] External links

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube

[0] Scott Merkin (2004-08-30). "Borchard swats 504-foot blast". MLB.com. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20040830&content_id=842708&vkey=news_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws. Retrieved 2008-11-18.

[1]