Loewen speaks to Roch

[ChaosLex]

In my opinion, a lot of crap has been tossed around the boards tonight concerning our former #4 overall pick. Most people have been somewhat bitter and for good reason.

However, I am absolutely disgusted by the amount of people that have actually come to Loewen's defense!! This is, in my opinion, a classic case of someone completely disregarding what an organization has done for them and making a move that is completely self-serving.

Adam Loewen spent the last few years pitching for the Baltimore Orioles. When he wasn't hurt he enjoyed pitching at the big-league level (in part beacause the O's agreed to a clause in his contract essentially forcing him to be a big leaguer within a certain time). During his tenure at the Big Show, he went through many spells of being injured or ineffective. Either way, nobody who actually watched him over those years would ever sanely argue that the good moments outweighed the bad.

Despite that, the fans continued to support him. This message board is a great example. Even as recently as a few months ago, when Adam announced that he was going to shelve his pitching career and come back as a hitter, most of us wished him luck. Most of us recognized that the odds of success were slim -- Rick Ankiel doesn't walk into you Clubhouse every day. Still, we hoped for the best and, at least in my case, it wasn't only because I wanted to see him as an every day position player for the Orioles but because I generally liked the guy and wanted to see him live out his dream as an every-day Major League Baseball player.

I hope (and think) that many O's fans shared my perspective.

So what happens? As far as we can tell, gentleman's agreement or not, Loewen saw an opportunity to get out and did. He left us. Not only for another team but for a team in our own division. And while it's extremely unlikely that he ever amounts to an every day position player, it's the principle that stinks.

No good deed goes unpunished, right?

The O's suffered through injuries, and poor performance masked by effective outings every so often. And what are they (and the fans) awarded with? Well, they get to see their #4 overall pick try to come back as a big leaguer in another uniform. And all because, allegedly, he grew up rooting for the team that played four time zones away.

B.S.

It was a dirt ball move by a dirt ball player and I'm personally ashamed of myself for every wishing success for him for any reason other than that it would have made the Orioles a better team.

So what next? Call it immature. Call it reprehensible. Call me a 3rd grader (which some posters have done, while sitting on their high horse and acting like they don't issue personal attacks -- hypocracy anybody?) But I am going to actively root against Adam Loewen. I hope that whatever minor league team he is on comes around the MD area. If it happens, you can expect me to be there, booing and heckling. You can expect me to actively hope that whatever message I am sending does not fall in deaf ears.

I want him to hear what I have to say.

I want him to remember what he's done to a team and fan-base that once supported him.

I want him to know that no bad deed goes unpunished too.

I'm not a psychiatrist (nor do I play one on TV), but I think a couple of our posters might be suffering from a light dab of Stockholm Syndrome.

[Dr. FLK]

I'm not a psychiatrist (nor do I play one on TV), but I think a couple of our posters might be suffering from a light dab of Stockholm Syndrome.

Stockholm? I've never even been to Arizona!

[Spoonless]

Isn't it possible that he didn't expect to be courted by the Blue Jays? Knowing that he may never make it back to the majors, if his dream really was to play for Toronto some day, couldn't he see this as his only chance? Maybe he had always thought he'd get a chance to play for them as a pitcher, once he reached free agency. I'm not saying that this doesn't hurt the Orioles, and the fans, but I hold no animosity towards him.

I'm not a psychiatrist (nor do I play one on TV), but I think a couple of our posters might be suffering from a light dab of Stockholm Syndrome.

I get why people are upset, I'm just not angry myself. I still hope he makes it back to the majors, because I don't wish any ill fortune on any players, because that's how I choose to conduct myself. It isn't "Stockholm Syndrome" or whatever B.S. you want to throw around here. Just because some posters don't feel the same as you doesn't mean they're delusional.

[The Wedge]

Isn't it possible that he didn't expect to be courted by the Blue Jays? Knowing that he may never make it back to the majors, if his dream really was to play for Toronto some day, couldn't he see this as his only chance? Maybe he had always thought he'd get a chance to play for them as a pitcher, once he reached free agency. I'm not saying that this doesn't hurt the Orioles, and the fans, but I hold no animosity towards him.

If that's the case, even in retrospect, he used the O's like toilet paper to get his ends met. You don't have a problem with that?

What if you got hurt at your place of employ...for the sake of argument let's say that this place works on a yearly contractual basis...you couldn't do your job anymore, but you're still capable of other work. Your place of employ keeps you on the payroll and benefits system, though your injury and the nature of the contract means they are well within their rights to simply let you go, while you recover from your injury, and then invests extra resources in to retraining you for the new job with them that you are capable of performing. The contract re-upping period comes around, and when it's time for you to sign, you tell them you are going to a different rival company to do the exact same job they just spent time and resources training you on...

I don't care what your job is, or your place of employ...that's a Richard move.

[Mashed Potatoes]

My anger is largely dependent on what exactly took place prior to the release. I have a hard time believing that the O's would've released Loewen if they thought there was a large possibility he would sign elsewhere. Roch's complete confidence in his re-signing tells me that his source and therefore the Orioles spoke with Adam and were told he would remain with the team.

Based on that interaction I think Loewen pulled a complete **edited** move and I am angry about it. If Loewen didn't actually make a commitment to the O's and the O's just assumed he would resign that's different. Given all the reporting done by The Sun and Roch I find that very hard to believe.

[The Wedge]

That's a pretty good point, MP. All signs for everybody leading up to the release pointed towards resigning with a deal that made more sense for re-development.

However, I don't think it's a stretch to think they'd release him either way. They weren't going to continue to carry him on the roster, and if he was active he had to be with the ML club.

[Mad Mark]

IIRC, from what I was reading, the Orioles expected to be the only bidder for Loewen's future services. They were wrong, obviously. Given the extremely long odds Loewen faces on making it back to the majors, I just can't get upset about this, richard move or not.

[Enjoy Terror]

However, I am absolutely disgusted by the amount of people that have actually come to Loewen's defense!! This is, in my opinion, a classic case of someone completely disregarding what an organization has done for them and making a move that is completely self-serving.

Keep your opinions to yourself if you can't respect other peoples.

[Mark Carver]

That's a pretty good point, MP. All signs for everybody leading up to the release pointed towards resigning with a deal that made more sense for re-development.

However, I don't think it's a stretch to think they'd release him either way. They weren't going to continue to carry him on the roster, and if he was active he had to be with the ML club.

There is no way the Orioles were not going to release Loewen. To keep him on the 40 man roster, means that, that spot does not become available for when the Rule 5 Draft is held in December. To also carry Loewen for the 2009 season, the Orioles would have to pay him $634k, the maximum they could cut him to based on his 2008 salary of $813k.

[The Wedge]

There is no way the Orioles were not going to release Loewen. To keep him on the 40 man roster, means that, that spot does not become available for when the Rule 5 Draft is held in December. To also carry Loewen for the 2009 season, the Orioles would have to pay him $634k, the maximum they could cut him to based on his 2008 salary of $813k.

Exactly.

/characters

[rooter]

Keep your opinions to yourself if you can't respect other peoples.

He's allowed to have an opinion. One that I feel is right.

[The Wedge]

He's allowed to have an opinion. One that I feel is right.

Especially since he's not directly being disrespectful to anybody by claiming disgust at the general notion of others.

[mikezpen]

The Orioles might have saved the slot for someone who will be far more valuable to them. Loewen's a long shot anyway.

[utvolzac]

Again, this very same comment could be said about Burnett if he does indeed leave the Blue Jays. Somehow, I seriously doubt all of the enraged people online today will look down on him and call him scum if he decides to signs with the O's.

I disagree completely, these are two seperate scenarios. Burnett is an MLB vet, who put in his service time and earned free agency. If part of the contract that Toronto gave him, gives him an escape clause, then that is there fault.

The Loewen situation is an anomaly. A very freak instance where a top prospect pitcher has to make a career change due to injury. This wasn't a contract loop hole. This was a case where we had to clear his spot on the 40 man, since he's obviously got to start his development track over since he hasn't been a position player since high school.

To me, this is a case of a player "bucking the system". I.E. he did not earn his free agency like a typical MLB player. Loewen didn't put in his service time and the O's will get no compensation even though they shelled out millions for his development with no return on thier investment.

I find it hard to believe that MacPhail didn't sit Loewen down and explain the Orioles plans for him as a batter and the need to release and re-sign him. If Loewen was dead set on playing for Toronto, he should have told MacPhail and asked to be traded. Even if we only got a fringe prospect or another long shot, it would have been something. Instead he pulled a selfish move and left the O's high and dry.

[OsEatAlEast]

I was wondering what it was like to have the old Mussina wound re-opened again. I think this is the worst I've felt in the off season since Mussina left us.

There's no here or there about it. That's just the way it is.