Jim Thome-He's pretty strong

[29andPoplar]

In person the hardest hit ball I ever saw was the interleague game a few years back where Bartolo Colon had struck out Barry Bonds three times in 3 ABs and pitched to him in the 9th inning. He hit a ball about 20 rows up in section 100 or 101.

That was a freaking moon shot, I was on the deck of the Bullpen Sports Bar and practically got whiplash watching it sail out to CF.

 

I remember seeing a few roof shots in person ... Tom Egan, Luzinski, Kittle. Dick Allen hit one into the far right CF upper deck at Comiskey, it just barely caught the seats or it might still be sailing.

[YASNY]

That was a freaking moon shot, I was on the deck of the Bullpen Sports Bar and practically got whiplash watching it sail out to CF.

 

I remember seeing a few roof shots in person ... Tom Egan, Luzinski, Kittle. Dick Allen hit one into the far right CF upper deck at Comiskey, it just barely caught the seats or it might still be sailing.

 

I saw the Bull put one on the roof too. Only one I got to see in person.

[RME JICO]

Hopefully this means that Big Jim is seeing the ball better which would translate into better AB's. I don't think you can luck into a shot like that.

 

Paulie hitting one was nice to see too. Hopefully both of these guys can start to heat up to take some stress off the pitching staff.

 

Big Jim is also only 2 behind Frank. I didn't think he would catch him this early; and only 3 behind Williams and McCovey.

Edited June 5, 2008 by RME JICO

[WCSox]

Hopefully this means that Big Jim is seeing the ball better which would translate into better AB's. I don't think you can luck into a shot like that.

 

Paulie hitting one was nice to see too. Hopefully both of these guys can start to heat up to take some stress off the pitching staff.

 

Big Jim is also only 2 behind Frank. I didn't think he would catch him this early; and only 3 behind Williams and McCovey.

 

Not to rain on the parade, but I'll be more excited about Thome's power when he inverts his BB/K ratio. He's whiffing WAY too much this season.

 

[iamshack]

I was there and that ball left the premises as fast as any I've seen-and I was there for the Tejada AND Pasqua concourse shots. To this day, I feel they did not measure the Pasqua shot right-it hit the sign behind Right field reserved seats.

 

464 seemed a bit short too last night.

 

Next hardest one I saw in person was Frank Howard hitting the wall behind the bullpen at Comisky probably in 1965 or so.

 

Like I said, I was there too, and I never saw a centerfielder give up on a ball as quickly as DeJesus did on that ball.

[TCQ]

Good point about the lines being short i did notice that but that is only if he pulled which i bet he did plenty of. Im jus sayin that he probably lost quite a few bombs that woulda been out of every field today.

[whitesoxfan101]

I was there (for all 15 innings, what a strange game) and we guessed it was 475 feet, so 464 seems about right. However, outside of Adam Dunn hitting one into the Ohio River, that was easily the longest home run I've ever seen in person, and it makes me question whether Borchard's ball actually went 504 feet. It almost seems humanely impossible.

Edited June 5, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[SoxFan562004]

I was there (for all 15 innings, what a strange game) and we guessed it was 475 feet, so 464 seems about right. However, outside of Adam Dunn hitting one into the Ohio River, that was easily the longest home run I've ever seen in person, and it makes me question whether Borchard's ball actually went 504 feet. It almost seems humanely impossible.

I am horrible at guessing distances, but I watched the Borchard video and went to a game and stood where he hit it, it was a freakin' long ways away.

[Chisoxfn]

I'd like to point out that if Babe Ruth were trying to break into the majors today, he'd probably have a hell of a time making it. Scouts would have questioned his physical stature and he'd have never gotten drafted. In fact, you could probably say that about a good number of very very good pitchers from prior generations (pre gun days).

[Wanne]

I'd like to know how far Paulie's down in Tampa this past week projected to go. Speaking of Paulie...when he was a HS Sr...in the championship game I saw him take one half way up the green monster in center at Peoria Sports Complex. If anybody's ever been there....you know what I'm talking about. I was simply in awe.

[Rooftop Shots]

In person the hardest hit ball I ever saw was the interleague game a few years back where Bartolo Colon had struck out Barry Bonds three times in 3 ABs and pitched to him in the 9th inning. He hit a ball about 20 rows up in section 100 or 101.

I was at that same game.That's the same one when he hit one right of the foul pole into the upper deck tunnel in batting practice.

[Steff]

I was at that same game.That's the same one when he hit one right of the foul pole into the upper deck tunnel in batting practice.

 

 

During the same BP he also hit one that bounced off the concourse and out onto the ComEd generators below the RF wall.

[Jack Parkman]

Thome's shot last night went pretty far, but does anyone know how far the Pujols HR in the 2005 NLCS went? That was the hardest hit ball I've ever seen as long as I've been watching baseball. That had to be over 500 feet. Every time I hear "moon shot" that is the HR I think of.

Edited June 5, 2008 by Elgin Slim

[SpringfieldFan]

Well, we have arguments on how Babe Ruth would fare today. How about this. How do we all think would Thome or Bonds do if they hit in Babe Ruth's day???

 

SFF

[Balta1701]

Well, we have arguments on how Babe Ruth would fare today. How about this. How do we all think would Thome or Bonds do if they hit in Babe Ruth's day???

I think Bonds would have bought himself some bottle of strength training injections from one of the many corrupt businessmen out there, tried the stuff, and wound up destroying his career because of contamination of the product.

[witesoxfan]

I think Bonds would have bought himself some bottle of strength training injections from one of the many corrupt businessmen out there, tried the stuff, and wound up destroying his career because of contamination of the product.

 

Actually I imagine he probably would have been a 500/500 guy, like he was before steroids.

[Heads22]

That's the most depressing part of the whole Bonds story.

 

He was pretty f***ing awesome without steroids. Now, it doesn't matter.

 

That, and he is a douchebag.

[Gregory Pratt]

Edit: Jim Thome is pretty strong, yeah.

 

I'm going to just let you guys all have your history talk.

Edited June 6, 2008 by Gregory Pratt

[jackie hayes]

I'd like to point out that if Babe Ruth were trying to break into the majors today, he'd probably have a hell of a time making it. Scouts would have questioned his physical stature and he'd have never gotten drafted. In fact, you could probably say that about a good number of very very good pitchers from prior generations (pre gun days).

I think you're thinking of his physique later in his career. When he broke in, he was a strong, athletic 6'2" left-hander. That would look good to scouts of any era. Only after he was established did his body go the way of Miguel Cabrera's.

 

On the other hand, it's anybody's guess if he could avoid getting kicked out of high school these days.