Losing Loewen?

[Frobby]

Why is it that when a major league player becomes a free agent, nobody calls him disloyal if he changes teams,* but if Loewen is a free agent and has a chance to play for his hometown team, doing so would be a heinous crime?

I will certainly lose my rooting interest in Loewen if he becomes a Blue Jay prospect, but it hardly makes him a terrible person.

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* Unless his name is Mike Mussina

[PlumOriole]

Roch just went into a cold sweat.

[rooter]

Why is it that when a major league player becomes a free agent, nobody calls him disloyal if he changes teams,* but if Loewen is a free agent and has a chance to play for his hometown team, doing so would be a heinous crime?

I will certainly lose my rooting interest in Loewen if he becomes a Blue Jay prospect, but it hardly makes him a terrible person.

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* Unless his name is Mike Mussina

Uh, I think it's the SITUATION that changes things. This isn't a normal situation by any stretch. The O's had Crowley work with him and put him in the instructional league because they were sure that he was going to sign with him after being released. It was pretty much a foregone conclusion, based off of what Loewen and the team has said over the past few months. It's disloyal and back stabbing. He's an asshole if he signs with them.

[Sanfran327]

This is canucked up. Maybe you can call it a self-fulfilled prophecy, but I always prepare for the worst, that way, it's harder to be let down. If Adam wants to go back to Canada, drink a bunch of Molson, and settle into a nice, long career after baseball as a zamboni mechanic, he has my blessing, eh. I'm not worried aboot him anymore anyway, eh.

[tywright]

Prior to going to the instructional league, did Adam really think he was good enough to get some interest from other teams. I doubt he did. So cut the guy some slack. If you were courted by your hometown team, wouldn't you be a little interested??

[mdevito]

I think Loewen going to another team feels a little different than a normal free agent leaving. He had time left on the clock and because of his arm injury the O's said ok, we'll release you and you come back and play as a hitter. For him not to come back after they more or less had a gentleman's agreement stinks. I mean look at the press conferences, there was no I'm going to go shop myself around and play for another team. I just have to think that if they thought there was a possibility they weren't going to get him that they would have handled this differently.

Not to mention all the extra hitting time they put into Loewen for nothing during instructional league, and time with Crowley etc. they certainly would NOT NOT have done this if they expected he was not coming right back into the organization.

[CrimsonTribe]

Why is it that when a major league player becomes a free agent, nobody calls him disloyal if he changes teams,* but if Loewen is a free agent and has a chance to play for his hometown team, doing so would be a heinous crime?

I will certainly lose my rooting interest in Loewen if he becomes a Blue Jay prospect, but it hardly makes him a terrible person.

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* Unless his name is Mike Mussina

If Loewen leaves for a deal that is more than what we are offering, then I have no problem with his decision whatsoever. But if he leaves for a comparable deal, then I'm a little ticked (but mostly just annoyed). The reason is that we've already taken the time to negotiate a contract with him, wasted our time in the instructional league, and held open a spot in winter ball for him. I just think that when the deals are comparable the hometown draw shouldn't outweigh the loyalty to a club that has already invested resources in his career shift.

Of course, this is just my personal feeling and I'm not going to get too worked up about it. Unless he becomes an all-star.

[NewMarketSean]

Why is it that when a major league player becomes a free agent, nobody calls him disloyal if he changes teams,* but if Loewen is a free agent and has a chance to play for his hometown team, doing so would be a heinous crime?

I will certainly lose my rooting interest in Loewen if he becomes a Blue Jay prospect, but it hardly makes him a terrible person.

-------

* Unless his name is Mike Mussina

Because we're under the belief that Loewen was willing to stay an Oriole in order to be able to come back as a hitter.

Either way, it's Adam's decision. If he wants to get more money and go to Canada and play for his home country, more power to him. Does he owe the O's anything? No. But from my understanding there was a handshake agreement between him and the Orioles and to back out of that now would damage his character a bit.

Either way he's not going to come back as a hitter anyway, whether its for the O's or the BJ's so it's not that big a deal to me.

[Ruzious]

Roch just went into a cold sweat.

Never trust a blog writer.

[Hank Scorpio]

Good lord, people.

Aren't we overreacting a tad? This kid was unlikely to make it back to the big leagues regardless. Let's all relax a shade.

[Frobby]

Because we're under the belief that Loewen was willing to stay an Oriole in order to be able to come back as a hitter.

Either way, it's Adam's decision. If he wants to get more money and go to Canada and play for his home country, more power to him. Does he owe the O's anything? No. But from my understanding there was a handshake agreement between him and the Orioles and to back out of that now would damage his character a bit.

Either way he's not going to come back as a hitter anyway, whether its for the O's or the BJ's so it's not that big a deal to me.

I found this interesting bit on Roch's blog from last week:

While working out in the fall instructional league in Sarasota, Fla., Matusz got the chance to bond with Adam Loewen, another former No. 1 pick, and fourth overall, who brought high expectations as a future left-handed ace.

"I spent a lot of time talking to Adam, which was kind of cool because he was in a similar situation," Matusz said. "I tried to pick his brain as much as I could because my locker was close to his. I know he's on a little bit of a different plan now, but he was able to go through the same things that I'll go through, so I tried to pick his brain on what he went through at every level."

As for Loewen's conversion to first baseman, Matusz said: "I'll tell you what, the first time I threw to hitters was to him and that was a little bit unfair because he's a lefty and hadn't seen live pitching in six years, so that was a little tough. But his first two games that I saw, he was 7-for-8. Every ball he hit, he crushed. And he's got a very nice, smooth swing. He hits the ball the other way very well. He looked very good out there. I'm no one to judge, I'm not a scout or anything, but he definitely looked comfortable for not hitting in a while."

http://masnsports.com/2008/10/more-from-matusz.html

[TGO]

While we're discussing hometown draw, keep in mind that Loewen's hometown is about 2,600 miles away from Toronto. I think some people are under the mistaken impression the guy grew up in that hotel that overlooks the Skydome.

[nadecir]

Loewen is a free agent and has the right to play anywhere he chooses. If he decides for whatever reason he wants to be in the Toronto organization, so be it. I am sure being courted by Cito Gaston doesn'tt hurt the Blue Jays chances of signing him.

You have to love MacPhail's comments in the Sun today:

The way it was explained to me is he grew up there and it's his lifelong dream to play for Toronto. I have no interest in having Baltimore becoming part of Canada. We're proud members of the United States and there isn't much we can do about it."

Perhaps MacPhail thought he could work behind the scenes and get Baltimore annexed by the Canadian government. I imagine Canada may have had second thoughts on that one. :laughlol:

Loewen and Markakis are close friends, spent a good part of their minor league career together, and they were roommates for a while. I wonder if Loewen leaving the Orioles at his first opportunity will have any bearing on Markakis' desire to sign an extension with the Orioles?

[FarmSystem]

Loewen is a free agent and has the right to play anywhere he chooses. If he decides for whatever reason he wants to be in the Toronto organization, so be it. I am sure being courted by Cito Gaston doesn'tt hurt the Blue Jays chances of signing him.

You have to love MacPhail's comments in the Sun today: Perhaps MacPhail thought he could work behind the scenes and get Baltimore annexed by the Canadian government. I imagine Canada may have had second thoughts on that one. :laughlol:

Loewen and Markakis are close friends, spent a good part of their minor league career together, and they were roommates for a while. I wonder if Loewen leaving the Orioles at his first opportunity will have any bearing on Markakis' desire to sign an extension with the Orioles?

I don't know why he would crack a joke after he just got played and now looks like he didn't have a complete grasp of the entire situation.

[snatch311]

If Loewen signs with another team he will have completely taken advantage of the Orioles. I will root for him to come back, just to see one planted on his back.