The Next Rick Ankiel?

[NCCubFan]

Orioles' pitcher Adam Loewen is giving up pitching due to multiple stress fractures in his elbow. He plans to resume his career as a hitter next spring. The challenge is for the Orioles to find a way to send him to the minors so he can work on his hitting next spring; he's out of options.

[ZFan38]

Man I had no idea that his shoulder problems were that serious. It sucks, but it would be incredible if he could come back as a hittter.

[17 Seconds]

Man I had no idea that his shoulder problems were that serious. It sucks, but it would be incredible if he could come back as a hittter.

 

Actually it's elbow problems.

[NCCubFan]

Man I had no idea that his shoulder problems were that serious. It sucks, but it would be incredible if he could come back as a hittter.

 

Actually it's elbow problems.

A stress fracture in his elbow last year that required surgery, and another stress fracture in his elbow this year.

[BCVM22]

The challenge is for the Orioles to find a way to send him to the minors so he can work on his hitting next spring; he's out of options.

 

If the player is Adam Loewen (and Adam Loewen who's trying to pull an Ankiel, no less), can it be that hard? Can't they place him on waivers/DFA him for purposes of sending him back to the minors and, given the player, not have to worry about another team claiming him if they try?

[YearofDaCubs]

The challenge is for the Orioles to find a way to send him to the minors so he can work on his hitting next spring; he's out of options.

 

If the player is Adam Loewen (and Adam Loewen who's trying to pull an Ankiel, no less), can it be that hard? Can't they place him on waivers/DFA him for purposes of sending him back to the minors and, given the player, not have to worry about another team claiming him if they try?

Probably. Ankiel went through that type of process and wasn't claimed by anyone.

[Outshined_One]

That kind of sucks. He was actually a fairly promising prospect at one point in time.

[NCCubFan]

The challenge is for the Orioles to find a way to send him to the minors so he can work on his hitting next spring; he's out of options.

 

If the player is Adam Loewen (and Adam Loewen who's trying to pull an Ankiel, no less), can it be that hard? Can't they place him on waivers/DFA him for purposes of sending him back to the minors and, given the player, not have to worry about another team claiming him if they try?

Probably. Ankiel went through that type of process and wasn't claimed by anyone.

Other teams may not have claimed him because they realized they themselves would then have to expose him to waivers to send him down, and St. Louis would then have been able to claim him right back. That could go back and forth forever. There may be a gentlemen's understanding among GMs not to claim players under those circumstances.

[shnsajax]

I am curious to if Micah Owings will last a couple more seasons as a pitcher. He could move pretty quickly as a hitter should he make that move ever.