Orioles Release Loewen
Man, what a bummer this whole thing has been. Adam really was a great prospect when we drafted him, albeit he might have looked better comparitivly speaking because our system was pretty bare at the time. I just thought that Adam would finally put it together this year and develop into a near top of the rotation guy for us. The O's are pretty much in the driver's seat in this one as they will probably get Loewen at the league minimum in a minor league deal. Adam is going to have a ton of resources at his disposal, but let's face it, even under the tutelage of Charlie Manuel, his chances of having any kind of a major league career would still be pretty slim. Sorry if I'm being overly pessimistic, but I just don't see it happening.
The club also outrighted Randor Bierd, Rocky Cherry, Brandon Fahey, Jeff Fiorentino and Omar Santos to Norfolk.
Good luck, Adam.
over 3 years ago
Baltimo
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I think he is staying in the organization...
He’s just going to try and go all Ankiel. He used to be a stud hitter, so he’s going to try and be an OFer. He’s been working with Terry Crowley and been hitting in Sarasota. Given that he’s been working with Crowley that basically means he is doomed.
Librarians are hiding something
Right
I guess I’m just a bit pessimistic. I think that the O’s would only resign him under a performance based type thing, and personally, I just don’t see Loewen turning out to be a guy who will earn a major league roster spot. I think that the O’s and Loewen had some kind of verbal agreement to release and then resign him, but I can’t see the guy earning that contract.
He is going to be 25 next year, and even if he redevelops his hitting skills pretty quickly, I don’t see him even being considered for Baltimore until he is 27/28, when he would have to adjust to go through the process of a rookie adjusting to major league pitching. I don’t speak from personal experience, but I’ve been around guy who blew out their arms in college and tried to become hitters around their junior/senior year. It just doesn’t have a high rate of success at all.
If you ask me, this is a desperation move by both sides as the Orioles don’t want to have completely wasted a fourth overall pick on the guy, while Loewen is trying to keep some kind of a career alive. To be certain, I would love to see Loewen pan out as a possible outfielder, but he just has so many things working against him. The cynic in me can’t help but point out that the Orioles are in the driver’s seat in this situation and can do with Loewen as they please; the chances of him coming through are so low that they can release him, promise him a merit based future contract, and not have to worry about him signing elsewhere because the demand is nonexistent. You do raise the point that he has a chance, and I guess I should be more subjective and include that in my post.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
ankiel's path
I was curious about the path that Ankiel took to become a hitter:
In 2005, he became a full time hitter. He started that year in A ball (51 games), then onto AA (34 games). There are no numbers for 2006 so I’m assuming he was injured for the entire season, though I don’t know. In 2007, he played 102 games in AAA and was promoted to the Cardinals during the season. So does that set the bar at two seasons in the minors for Adam?
Librarians are hiding something
Ankiel is a great story
But he’s also one in a million. Comparisons are just drawn because he was an pitcher who blew out his arm and tried to hit again. As I outlined above, I think that the O’s are only taking this shot because they have nothing to lose, and having you number four overall draft pick never make an impact hurts. I think that two and a half years sounds good, but that’s only if everything goes right for him; additionally, he would have to actually earn a spot over other players who have never taken a six year break.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
oh i agree
Yeah, I would be shocked if Loewen ever makes it back to the Show. I think we should know either way though in two years. But he’s not on the roster and is more interesting to me than watching Brandon Tripp.
Librarians are hiding something
honestly?
Good. If he comes back as a project, fine, if he doesn’t, good luck with your career, dude. I’ve never been a Loewen fan.
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
My thoughts exactly
This is a pretty good position for the O’s to be in, Loewen doesn’t really have any other options than to oblige to whatever the Orioles want.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
Loewen signifies all that was wrong with the old regime
A major-league contract for a high-school pitcher? I’m sure he was a good guy, but that’s just a bad gamble. McPhail’s strategy of stockpiling slightly more experienced arms seems to be a lot better.
Young pitchers
With high ceilings are great, but I just don’t believe in drafting them. The rate of success for any high school player that goes pro is already relatively low, but it’s a lot tougher for a pitcher than most positional players. A good example of picking up a young stud without overpaying/devoting too many resources is the acquisition of Chris Tillman. Even if Tillman had turned out to be a bust, the O’s still got four other players to make up for him along with the fact that Tillman wasn’t even the centerpiece. I also like taking guys whose stock has fallen, like Arrieta/Bundy, I just think that taking high school pitchers is too risky.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
+1
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
by Scott Christ on Oct 21, 2008 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions
He's pretty much the only one
That I wish luck to.
The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST
I'm trying to think of an appropriate Glengarry Glen Ross quote here
How about this:
“I said, the real favor, follow my advice and fire your fucking ass because a loser is a loser.”
Bye, bye A-Low. Have fun in a senior league with more money than I’ll make in a lifetime, you bum.
I always say follow your dreams...even if they're about a giant spider with your father's head, and he keeps stealing your p*nis!
by Ghost of Floyd Rayford on Oct 21, 2008 9:16 AM EDT reply actions
Here is something to uplift the spirits
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2008/267067.html
Jim Callis loves Chris Tillman. If any of you are too lazy to click on that link, it was BaseballAmerica saying that Tillman/Matusz is a better righty/lefty combo over Bumgarner/Alderson and Trevor Cahill/Brett Anderson. That is a huge compliment for our duo. Again, I think that BA is going to have Tillman a lot higher than anyone expects.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
not me!
- in the system and I’d rate him high among all of baseball.
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
by Scott Christ on Oct 21, 2008 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions
what the
No. 2 in the system.
Stupid ass formatting.
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
by Scott Christ on Oct 21, 2008 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Just to get your hopes up
Hamilton coached Loewen at the 2002 world junior championship in Sherbrooke, Que.
“Delmon Young, Lastings Milledge and a whole bunch of guys now in the majors were there,” Hamilton said. “Adam won the batting title.”
Loewen hit over .700. After games against Korea and Chinese Taipei, opposing players asked Loewen to pose for pictures.
“I may had have the highest average but Young hit about 10 bombs,” Loewen said.
Adam is currently batting .412 (7 for 17) in the instructional league.
Link.
yeah, but...
i believe he started out 7 for 8.
"When people ask me what my motivation is, I have a simple answer: Money."
--Jerry Reed, on acting
by j.q. higgins on Oct 21, 2008 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
He was released to get out of that contract
that mandated he be on the ML roster by a certain date or he can be granted his release. Now, they can sign him to a minor league deal and stipulate the number of options, I believe. I may be wrong on this. But I know they released him from his current contract to get rid of the stupid MLB or Bust! status of his initial deal, and they fully expect to resign him once he clears waivers, which I believe is midnight tonight.
But I’ve been wrong before. Larry Sheets, AL MVP 1988! It’s gonna happen!
"I wasn't here for the losing years. But it feels a little like the days with Earl in charge and John Lowenstein smashing birthday cakes in the middle of the clubhouse with a bat." - John "T-Bone" Shelby
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