Could Michael Jordan have made it in Major League Baseball?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The world's greatest basketball player stepped away from the hardwood for a full season in the prime of his career to chase a dream to become a major league baseball player. He retired from the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1993 and signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox, saying it was his way of trying to fulfill a dream of Jordan's father, who had been murdered at a rest area off the highway.
In 1994, Michael Jordan played for the Double-A Birmingham (Ala.) Barons and had limited success. He batted just .202 with three homers, 17 doubles, 51 RBI and 30 stolen bases. He struck out 114 times in 436 at-bats. He played for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, then returned to basketball in 1995 and continued to build his NBA legacy.
Now, the question must be restated:
Could Michael Jordan have made it to the major leagues as a retired basketball player who hadn't played baseball since high school? The answer is no.
But could Michael Jordan have made it to the major leagues if he had taken the career path that led to the baseball diamond rather than the road that led to the basketball court? The answer is probably yes.
"If he came out as an 18-year-old I don''t have any question that he would make the big leagues," said Glenn DiSarcina, who played with Jordan on that Birmingham team. "He had the work ethic, the hand-eye coordination. It was just a little too late for him."
Terry Francona managed the Birmingham team that season and has since managed the Boston Red Sox to a pair of World Series championships. Francona said, "He had a lot to learn as a baseball player and he openly admitted that. People were really critical of him, but he stole 30 bases and drove in 51 runs. It was hard for him, but he tried hard to get better."
Jordan's main attribute was his hand-eye coordination. It helped him catch the basketball and accurately release it toward the basket. Had it been trained for baseball, Jordan would have been better able to hit the ball for a higher average and for more power. He went about half the season without hitting a home run, but wound up hitting three, the first coming on the day of his late father's birthday.
Jordan would also have been aided by his work ethic. He was always considered one of the hardest-working basketball players, evidenced by his ever-present defensive pressure on the court. He worked hard on the baseball field, too. "I thought he was just going to hang around and not take it seriously, but he always did," DiSarcina said. "Even though he wasn't a baseball player, he was a great role model."
Jordan was a model teammate, too. Although he dwarfed everyone on the team - and in the league - he didn't travel with an entourage and socialized with his teammates before and after games. He'd eat at McDonalds after road games and respected what others on the team were trying to accomplish. The only concession to fame: a body guard and a policeman.
Jordan had the sort of athletic body and quickness that would have enabled him to become a solid outfielder in the major leagues. His teachable spirit and work ethic would have made it possible for him to succeed. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf said Jordan could have been the fourth outfielder on a major league team within two years. There's no doubt he could have made it to The Bigs, if he'd only started sooner.
"If he would have started earlier, maybe he had a shot," said Chicago White Sox coach and former infielder Joey Cora. "He was a great athlete, but you don't pick up baseball at 30. It was tough, but he accomplished a lot in a little period of time, which shows how great of an athlete he was."
