Loewen done pitching

[Greg Pappas]

Could he make it back to majors as a hitter?

The odds are certainly against him, but he has a chance. No one has any idea if he can start over as a hitter and make it back, but he certainly had the right tools as a high schooler. Here's an excerpt from a 2001 report from Baseball Canada...

"Loewen is still an accomplished hitter, he was used in the outfield as well as a designated hitter during the 2000 World Championships. This past season, hit third in the lineup for Canada's Junior National Team.

"He's a legitimate offensive player. His bat is a pro bat as well. We're not talking about a one-dimensional kid. He can handle pro pitching right now, and he's handled the best international pitching quite well, as well as major Division 1 college pitching," says Hamilton. "You could realistically say that if he never pitched, he's still a pro prospect."

[Jfry2003]

Well he has very limited stats hitting and has not focused on hitting in about 5 years.. The only numbers on him, Loewen pitched and played first base for Chipola Junior College in Florida, where he batted .353 with a homer and 38 RBIs in 45 games. Our Gm thinks he has a chance...

"We're extraordinarily fortunate we have an athlete that is capable of pursuing a career as a position player, which is not unprecedented in our game," MacPhail said. It will take a lot of work but you never know, I wish him the best of luck and hope he can make it back to the Bigs..

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/MLB/2008/07/19/6208041-ap.html

[casadeozo]

My question is what is preventing Loewen from getting started in the minors now? Is he nursing an injury that prevents him swinging a bat till the fall?

[MCL1021]

He's gotta be better than Fahey hitting the ball right?

How are they going to work this as far as options are concerned and his contract. Man, this is going to get real hairy, I've got a headache just thinking about how they are going to have to change all that.

Good luck to Adam, hopefully he'll have an Ainkel-type story, minus the roids, and come back and contribute for us.

[ColumbiaOriole]

I'd just walk away, at this point and time. The chances of him pulling a Rick Ankiel are few and far between.

What sense would walking away make? You're already paying him. Why not let him try to make it as a hitter? Sure, chances aren't good he'll make it but what is there to lose? As for you patting yourself on your back for saying that a guy who was constantly injured not being able to make it through a full season...big deal. That seems like a fairly obvious observation. Not sure why you felt the need to bring it up.

[ColumbiaOriole]

I apologize to the rest of you, but he was the one who came into this thread within 15 minutes of it appearing on the board. The first thing he wrote wasn't "I'm so sorry for Adam" or "tough break". The first thing he did was say "I told you so" and look like cool I am.

I'm not letting that go, especially since it is completely typical for this guy. The guy is a blowhard who vastly overestimates his contributions here. I usually couldn't care less, but I do this time.

EDIT: I am done now though. My apologies to the rest of you again...

No problem...not your fault that someone feels the need to come on here to talk about how they were right (most likely only in their mind) about Loewen on what has to be tough day for Loewen.

[clarence]

This is the kind of setback we really didn't need. People can talk about him hitting, blah, blah, that isn't why we took him in the draft. He has about as much of a chance of being a big league hitter as the last position player we've ever selected in any draft.

My biggest hope for the season was for Loewen, Olson, and one of Liz or Penn to step up and show they belong on a competitive staff. At this point, can't say that any of them can, and the one we expected this most out of is done.

Hope the front office looks at this in such a way as to throw whatever it takes at Bundy and Brady. What is it that AM says about pitching?

[MurphDogg]

He has about as much of a chance of being a big league hitter as the last position player we've ever selected in any draft.

That is completely false.

[Mark Carver]

Mark Viviano just said they're gonna terminate his contract and re-work one.

Also, if anyone saw Adam talking just now... I was kinda happy with what he said. Something about "I'm not the type of guy who wants to just collect a paycheck while sitting on the bench. I'd rather give it away and play some baseball"

Something along those lines.

He's already been paid $5m+ by the Orioles...

[cindyluvsbrady]

News just broke today. Hopefully we'll get some good results...

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080719&content_id=3155772&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

WHAT?

Is this a joke?:eektf:

[Anonymous]

Reading the comments on the blog posing, Roch is suggesting that the O's will sever his current deal and retain his rights making me think that a gentleman's agreement is exactly what will happen.

Can someone please explain what this all means?

(1) How much (years, money) was left on his current deal?

(2) It's being severed effective when?

(3) And then what? He becomes a free agent for 5 minutes, and then we sign him to a minor league contract? And he gives up the rest of the major league money that he would have gotten under the old deal? And Loewen doesn't object? And the league won't object? And the players' union won't object? :scratchchinhmm::scratchchinhmm:

[connja]

Wow, despite the speculation I must say that I am shocked.

[Mike B]

Can't they just sign him to a new contract? Restructure/extend it, whatever?

No. He is out of options.

[DrungoHazewood]

Adam Loewen - Orioles First Baseman of the future?

If the transformation goes reasonably well he might be the SoMd Blue Crabs first baseman of the future.

[baltfan]

I wonder if the Orioles suspected this might happen when they drafted Matusz? That pick keeps looking better.