Bo Jordan
MBWBA Phenomenon
by Caitlen Sullivan
Halifax Chronicle Herald Sports Editor
December 16, 2023
Some random ramblings about Bo Jordan
- He has appeared in at least 1,458 consecutive games, every game since the start of the 2015 MBWBA season. All but one of those games was as a starter. In his rookie year, 2014, he signed with Yellow Springs on May 15th after being drafted in the first round, number two overall. Yellow Springs would have had about 123 games on or after May 14th and Bo appeared in 114 games that season. How many of those games that were in a row at the end of the season would add to his current consecutive game streak.
- Yes, he was the number two overall pick back in 2014. Number one was Frank Thomas who was drafted by the Carolina Kraken for whom he still plays. Thomas hasn’t done badly at all, and his .349 lifetime average shines like a bright star in the MBWBA. However, his 202 home runs, a not insignificant total, are dwarfed by Bo’s 409.
- Just the fact that Bo was included makes the 3/30/2020 trade between Halifax and Yellow Springs a blockbuster. In that deal the Hawks also picked up pitchers Jorge Hernandez and Stevie Wolarski. Hernadez toiled in the Halifax bullpen for three years before being released at the end of last season at age 38. Wolarksi won 41 games a starter for the Hawks before blowing out his arm at the end of the 2022 season. After struggling through 2023, he was paid off a huge amount for his remaining contract, became a free agent, and recently signed a three-year deal with Madison in an attempt to become relevant again. The Hawks gave up pitcher Steve Hoffman, catcher David Tovar, shortstop Frank Griffin, and left fielder Mike Love to get Jordan. Hoffman has been traded four more times since, from Yellow Springs to Vancouver, from Vancouver to Buffalo, from Buffalo to Las Vegas, and from Las Vegas to Birmingham. He was 10-16 last year with Birmingham. Tovar struggled with Yellow Springs, was released, signed a minor league deal back with Halifax, won the 2022 RHMA (AAA) batting award with Montgomery, and was released this past June at age 37. Griffin also struggled at YS and became a free agent in 2021. He signed two subsequent minor league deals with Seattle that led to nothing, and he is on the free agent market at age 33. Love remains an offensive and defensive force, now with Indy after being traded there by Yellow Springs after one season.
- A composite best statistical season for Bo would look like this: 162 games, 197 hits, 44 doubles, 8 triples, 52 home runs, 124 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, .324 batting average, .415 OBP, .630 slugging percentage, and 7.0 WAR.
- Bo played five full years at Western Union College (huh?), In 250 games he hit 89 home runs, knocked in 296, and hit an even .400. In 2012 his slugging percentage was .911. He has a degree in Physical Education.
- Bo has a ever expanding trophy case. With Yellow Springs and Halifax, he has been MBWBA Player of the Week 10 times, Batter of the Month 8 times, Rookie of the Month once, winner of the Sawyer Silk Batting Award 3 times, the Puckett Golden Bat as Best Hitter at his Position 4 times, and named to the All Star Team eight times.
- Bo was born in Las Vegas where his father was a maintenance man at various casinos and his mother worked as a practical nurse. He always lamented being born just eight days before Christmas, claiming the gifts he received at Christmas were also considered his birthday gifts.
- Bo doesn’t have to worry about future contract negotiations anytime soon. His current contract will pay him $13.5 million this year, $14.5 million next year, $16.5 million in 2026 and 2027, $18.5 million in 2028, and, at his option, $19.5 million in 2029. He also gets $1.3 million for winning the Sawyer Silk Trophy, a bonus he collected on this season. If he lasts to the end of his contract and average 40 home runs a year, he would end up with 649 home runs and top the current league record of 620 held by Bopper Kengos. By the way, averaging 40 a year is not too optimistic as he has averaged 45 for the last eight years. How about moving him to lead-off and going for 700?
- Hhmm, a hint for pitchers for 2024. Don’t fall behind in the count on Bo. With counts of 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, and 3-1, Bo hit .411 last year. What about a count of 3-0? He faced 23 of those and walked every time. With an 0-2 count, Bo hit just .167 and he was just .266 on the first pitch. A first pitch strike would appear to be a pitcher’s best strategy against him.