Your Favorite Sweaty Closer has Retired

[E.J.]

Borowski is calling it quits.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2009/02/joe_borowski_former_cleveland.html

The math didn't work for Joltin' Joe Borowski. So to paraphrase Chief Joseph at the end of the Trail of Tears, he will pitch no more, forever.

Borowski said big league teams weren't buying his numbers. Those numbers were 38, 87 and 88. That would be 38, Borowski's age and 87 to 88 mph, the top end of Borowski's fastball.

 

"I guess 38, 87 and 88 wasn't looking good in people's eyes," said the former Indians closer.

 

Borowski visited the Indians at their new spring-training complex Tuesday. He said he made the decision to retire about two weeks before camps opened.

[bhogg]

87-88 mph is pretty dang impressive for a fat 38 year old guy.

[Sammy Sofa]

One of the hardest hit by the loss of greenies.

 

That guy usually came out looking wired half to the moon when he was on the Cubs.

[Guancous]

I'll miss his swearing at the top of his lungs after each home run. And him driving around in his Buick. Godspeed, JoeBo!

[BCVM22]

I like that I knew exactly to whom you were referring as soon as I saw "sweaty" in the title.

[chuckywang]

How much is he vested? What's his pension?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Semi-interesting tidbit I never knew about Joe:

 

March 31, 1991: Traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Baltimore Orioles for Pete Rose.

 

I know it's not the legendary Pete Rose, but rather his talentless son, but still.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'll never forget running into his dad in line at Shea on opening day 2003. He was dressed in Cubs gear, and some Mets fan asked him if he came all the way out from Chicago for the game. He said, "No, I'm from Bayonne and my kid is on the Cubs." with the biggest smile in the world on his face.

[Outshined_One]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

My favorite JoBo memory was a game against the Cardinals back in...2004 I think? He was having enormous struggles with his stuff. The Cubs were up 1 run and Borowski had to face Pujols, Edmonds, and Rolen in the 9th. Somehow, some way, he managed to go 1-2-3 in that inning.

[bcl412]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

My favorite JoBo memory was a game against the Cardinals back in...2004 I think? He was having enormous struggles with his stuff. The Cubs were up 1 run and Borowski had to face Pujols, Edmonds, and Rolen in the 9th. Somehow, some way, he managed to go 1-2-3 in that inning.

 

I remember one game (it might have been this one) where it looked like JoBo was going to blow it and the Pujols hit one that looked like it was gone by a lot. Instead it landed in the left fielders glove on the warning track for a Cubs win.

[TruffleShuffle]

I'll never forget running into his dad in line at Shea on opening day 2003. He was dressed in Cubs gear, and some Mets fan asked him if he came all the way out from Chicago for the game. He said, "No, I'm from Bayonne and my kid is on the Cubs." with the biggest smile in the world on his face.

 

that's pretty cool

[badnews]

I remember thinking, "My God, that back door slider he gets people looking on is so ridiculous, how are hitters not mashing that damn thing out of that park.

 

But I also remember it was better to see him out on the mound than Farnsworth, Veres, Guthrie, or any of the other assorted bastards of the era. MIKE REMLINGER AND ANTONIO ALFONSECA MY ASS

[bcl412]

I remember thinking, "My God, that back door slider he gets people looking on is so ridiculous, how are hitters not mashing that damn thing out of that park.

 

But I also remember it was better to see him out on the mound than Farnsworth, Veres, Guthrie, or any of the other assorted bastards of the era. MIKE REMLINGER AND ANTONIO ALFONSECA MY ASS

 

No kidding. How Borowski was successful I'll never know but he was one of my favorite Cubs for some reason. Probably because he was on the mound for the only Cubs playoff series win in 100 year.

[robotikarm]

I'll always remember him for blowing the game against the brewers after Prior struck out 16 in 2003

[hardcorecubfan]

He will eventually be beloved at the future Cubs Convention

[Tracer Bullet]

I'm still trying to figure out which part of him is "joltin" - is it an ironic nickname?