Joe Borowski (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Thomas Borowski is a sports broadcaster for the Arizona Diamondbacks
, as well as a former professional baseball
right-handed relief pitcher
. He played in Major League Baseball
for the Baltimore Orioles
(1995), Atlanta Braves
(1996-97), New York Yankees
(1997–98), Chicago Cubs
(2001–05), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005), Florida Marlins
(2006), and Cleveland Indians
(2007-08).
, attended Marist High School
and was an All-America selection in both football
and baseball
and a two-time All-State selection in both sports. He attended Rutgers University
in New Jersey.
in 1989. In 2000, Borowski pitched in the Mexican League and in the Northern League.
Before his second year with the Chicago Cubs in 2002, Borowski had never appeared in more than 25 games, but when given a chance to appear frequently he did very well. Between his stints with the Yankees and Cubs, he worked as a fireman. In 2002, he went 4-4 with a 2.73 ERA
in 73 games of relief. The next year, he was converted to the closer
role for the Cubs and was exceptional, going 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA and recording 33 saves in 37 opportunities, helping the Cubs win their division and reach the NLCS
before being eliminated by the eventual World Series
champion Florida Marlins. In 2004, Borowski suffered from a partial tear in his right rotator cuff
which limited him to just 22 games, in which he struggled, going 2-4 with an 8.02 ERA and recording 9 saves in 11 opportunities. In 2005, Borowski broke his hand on a come-backer that went directly at him. He returned to the Cubs on May 20. He did not have his old closer job back, though, as Ryan Dempster
had emerged as the club's new closer. On June 29, 2005, Borowski was released by the Cubs.
Borowski was later in 2005 acquired by the Devil Rays, who use him as a set-up man to closer Danys Báez
. While with the Devil Rays, Borowski got very hot, pitching a franchise record 21 scoreless innings, and is seen by many as the catalyst for the Devil Rays 2nd half turnaround, as his inspired performance helped stabilize the Rays' otherwise shaky bullpen
. However, in his last 14 appearances he gave up 15 runs
, and was designated for assignment by the Devil Rays in early December, and then released.
During the 2006 season, Borowski pitched for the Florida Marlins and converted 36 out of 43 save opportunities. On December 6, 2006, Borowski signed a $4.25 million, one-year contract to pitch for the Cleveland Indians that included a club option for 2008. The signing of Borowski filled the vacant closer role for Cleveland.
During the 2007 season, Borowski got off to a slow start as closer for the Indians, posting an earned run average of 13.50 in his first seven outings. His struggles were capped off after surrendering six runs to the New York Yankees on April 19, 2007, in the ninth inning after coming into the game with a 4-run lead. Borowski was not charged with a blown save in this outing, since a 3-run lead or smaller is required for a pitcher to earn the save. However, he still managed to put together a good season, leading the American League
with 45 saves even though he had an ERA of 5.07. Borowski was the first closer to lead a league in saves with an ERA over 5.00.
On November 6, 2007, the Indians exercised his $4 million club option, opting to bring him back in 2008. Had the team declined Borowski's option, he would have been paid a $250,000 buyout.
In 2008, Borowski got off to a bad start to the season. Putting up an 18.00 ERA with two blown saves through 5 appearances, he averaged a walk
, 2 hits
, and 2 runs per appearance. Following another dreadful appearance in which he gave up 3 runs in 2/3 inning on April 14 the Indians put him on the 15-day DL
with a strained triceps.
Borowski was designated for assignment by the Indians on July 4, and released on July 10, 2008.
On February 24, 2009 Borowski retired.
, with his wife Tatum and three sons, Drew, Blaze and Ty.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, as well as a former professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
right-handed relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
. He played in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1995), Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1996-97), New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1997–98), Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(2001–05), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005), Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
(2006), and Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(2007-08).
High school career
Borowski grew up in BayonneBayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
, attended Marist High School
Marist High School (New Jersey)
Marist High School is a private Roman Catholic co-educational college preparatory secondary school located in Bayonne, New Jersey, United States, and operated by the Marist Brothers of the Schools, an international religious congregation of educators with schools in over 70 countries. It is located...
and was an All-America selection in both football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and a two-time All-State selection in both sports. He attended Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in New Jersey.
Major League Baseball career
Borowski was a 32nd round draft pick of the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in 1989. In 2000, Borowski pitched in the Mexican League and in the Northern League.
Before his second year with the Chicago Cubs in 2002, Borowski had never appeared in more than 25 games, but when given a chance to appear frequently he did very well. Between his stints with the Yankees and Cubs, he worked as a fireman. In 2002, he went 4-4 with a 2.73 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 73 games of relief. The next year, he was converted to the closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
role for the Cubs and was exceptional, going 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA and recording 33 saves in 37 opportunities, helping the Cubs win their division and reach the NLCS
2003 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Marlins took Game 1 of the series, coming back from an early 4–0 deficit. They scored five runs in the third on three home runs from Juan Encarnacion, rookie Miguel Cabrera, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez. In the sixth inning,...
before being eliminated by the eventual World Series
2003 World Series
The 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
champion Florida Marlins. In 2004, Borowski suffered from a partial tear in his right rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
which limited him to just 22 games, in which he struggled, going 2-4 with an 8.02 ERA and recording 9 saves in 11 opportunities. In 2005, Borowski broke his hand on a come-backer that went directly at him. He returned to the Cubs on May 20. He did not have his old closer job back, though, as Ryan Dempster
Ryan Dempster
Ryan Scott Dempster is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Dempster bats and throws right-handed. He has been both a starter and a reliever in his career.-Professional career:...
had emerged as the club's new closer. On June 29, 2005, Borowski was released by the Cubs.
Borowski was later in 2005 acquired by the Devil Rays, who use him as a set-up man to closer Danys Báez
Danys Báez
Danys Báez González is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Báez has previously played for the Cleveland Indians , Tampa Bay Devil Rays , Los Angeles Dodgers , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles , and Philadelphia Phillies .-Cleveland Indians:Báez was signed by the Cleveland...
. While with the Devil Rays, Borowski got very hot, pitching a franchise record 21 scoreless innings, and is seen by many as the catalyst for the Devil Rays 2nd half turnaround, as his inspired performance helped stabilize the Rays' otherwise shaky bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
. However, in his last 14 appearances he gave up 15 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, and was designated for assignment by the Devil Rays in early December, and then released.
During the 2006 season, Borowski pitched for the Florida Marlins and converted 36 out of 43 save opportunities. On December 6, 2006, Borowski signed a $4.25 million, one-year contract to pitch for the Cleveland Indians that included a club option for 2008. The signing of Borowski filled the vacant closer role for Cleveland.
During the 2007 season, Borowski got off to a slow start as closer for the Indians, posting an earned run average of 13.50 in his first seven outings. His struggles were capped off after surrendering six runs to the New York Yankees on April 19, 2007, in the ninth inning after coming into the game with a 4-run lead. Borowski was not charged with a blown save in this outing, since a 3-run lead or smaller is required for a pitcher to earn the save. However, he still managed to put together a good season, leading the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with 45 saves even though he had an ERA of 5.07. Borowski was the first closer to lead a league in saves with an ERA over 5.00.
On November 6, 2007, the Indians exercised his $4 million club option, opting to bring him back in 2008. Had the team declined Borowski's option, he would have been paid a $250,000 buyout.
In 2008, Borowski got off to a bad start to the season. Putting up an 18.00 ERA with two blown saves through 5 appearances, he averaged a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, 2 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, and 2 runs per appearance. Following another dreadful appearance in which he gave up 3 runs in 2/3 inning on April 14 the Indians put him on the 15-day DL
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
with a strained triceps.
Borowski was designated for assignment by the Indians on July 4, and released on July 10, 2008.
On February 24, 2009 Borowski retired.
Personal life
Borowski currently resides in Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, with his wife Tatum and three sons, Drew, Blaze and Ty.