Micah Owings

[lumafia]

Owings wants to be traded from the Reds, who designated him for assignment. Is it time for an organization to take a chance on this guy as a position player? Most pitcher-to-hitter conversions are disasters (sorry Babe Ruth...I wasn't talking about you), but this guy has some skill with the bat. He's still cheap and would be worth the risk in my opinion.

[fromthestretch]

Owings wants to be traded from the Reds, who designated him for assignment. Is it time for an organization to take a chance on this guy as a position player? Most pitcher-to-hitter conversions are disasters (sorry Babe Ruth...I wasn't talking about you), but this guy has some skill with the bat. He's still cheap and would be worth the risk in my opinion.

 

The Cubs did draft him in 2004, so they have obviously shown interest in him before.

[rawaction]

Best case scenario, he hits for low average, decent power, low OBP, Ks a lot, below average defense at 1B. Probably Tyler Colvin without the speed or Micah Hoffpauir without the batting eye.

[lumafia]

Best case scenario, he hits for low average, decent power, low OBP, Ks a lot, below average defense at 1B. Probably Tyler Colvin without the speed or Micah Hoffpauir without the batting eye.

 

That's probably the most likely scenario.

[apete6]

He wouldn't be the worst 25th man on a baseball roster. He could be the mop up/long man in the pen who could give you decent at bats in that role as well as play 1B/OF in a pinch (extra innings, blowouts, maybe 5 starts a season).

[erik316wttn]

He wouldn't be the worst 25th man on a baseball roster. He could be the mop up/long man in the pen who could give you decent at bats in that role as well as play 1B/OF in a pinch (extra innings, blowouts, maybe 5 starts a season).

 

Most managers wouldn't want to use him in a dual role like that, though. He'd either pitch or hit, and not do both.

[apete6]

He wouldn't be the worst 25th man on a baseball roster. He could be the mop up/long man in the pen who could give you decent at bats in that role as well as play 1B/OF in a pinch (extra innings, blowouts, maybe 5 starts a season).

 

Most managers wouldn't want to use him in a dual role like that, though. He'd either pitch or hit, and not do both.

 

Aren't most managers morons? (See Piniella, Lou and Baker, Dusty)

 

If he is OK with it and can be successful, I don't see it being a problem.

[erik316wttn]

He wouldn't be the worst 25th man on a baseball roster. He could be the mop up/long man in the pen who could give you decent at bats in that role as well as play 1B/OF in a pinch (extra innings, blowouts, maybe 5 starts a season).

 

Most managers wouldn't want to use him in a dual role like that, though. He'd either pitch or hit, and not do both.

 

Aren't most managers morons? (See Piniella, Lou and Baker, Dusty)

 

If he is OK with it and can be successful, I don't see it being a problem.

 

That's kinda my point.

[questionmarkgrace]

better or worse than ankiel?

[fromthestretch]

better or worse than ankiel?

 

Ankiel started making the transition from pitcher to hitter at a much younger age.

[UMFan83]

better or worse than ankiel?

 

Ankiel started making the transition from pitcher to hitter at a much younger age.

 

Yes but thus far Owings has had much better hitting numbers than Ankiel ever did when he was a pitcher.

[Guest]

And Owings was a hitter much later before pitching full time. Ankiel never hit full time outside of high school while Owings was a 1B/DH when he wasn't pitching at Tulane.

[lumafia]

better or worse than ankiel?

 

Ankiel started making the transition from pitcher to hitter at a much younger age.

 

That's the only thing that may scare me away. It would be at least a year or two until he could see the AB's in the minors to be ready for the bigs. However, he seems to be a pretty gifted hitter already, and the transition may not be terribly long.

 

Considering how cheap he is currently, and how bad he has been at pitching, that is the next logical step for him. A team would be silly not to try. I hope the Cubs consider it an option as our organization seems to be pretty thin on hitting. It's certainly a long shot, but I wouldn't be against trying to convert him to a 1B.

[biittner77]

He wouldn't be the worst 25th man on a baseball roster. He could be the mop up/long man in the pen who could give you decent at bats in that role as well as play 1B/OF in a pinch (extra innings, blowouts, maybe 5 starts a season).

 

Most managers wouldn't want to use him in a dual role like that, though. He'd either pitch or hit, and not do both.

 

The Brewers had a guy like this that was actually a former Cubs first round pick but he switched from hitter to pitcher. I seem to remember he lasted about 2 years.

[BCVM22]

The Brewers had a guy like this that was actually a former Cubs first round pick but he switched from hitter to pitcher. I seem to remember he lasted about 2 years.

 

Brooks Kieschnick.

[shnsajax]

If Owings is willing to spend some time in the minors at 1st base I think he could become a legit option for some team. But I have been calling for him to become a hitter since he was drafted.