Mikah Owings. Mediocre pitcher or Slugging 1B?

[BC867]

I was aware last season that Mikah Owings has the potential to be a medoicre #4 or 5 starting pitcher . . . or a slugging first-baseman.

Three straight unimpressive Spring Training outings has not changed that.

A solid bottom of the rotation pitcher is somewhat harder to find than a power hitting 1B.

I like Mikah Owings and want to see him do well. Time will tell whether it will be as a starting pitcher or first-baseman.

 

[PDXChris]

I disagree that we can judge him on this spring. I heard a interview with him about 10 days ago and he said he expected to have a bad spring since he was going to focus on 2 pitches that he was not very comfortable last year and give him more options. Plus, there were a few starts in the final month last year to appeared to me that he could be a cinsistant 10 to 15 game winner.

 

[Lefty]

Another pitcher to worry about is Brandon Lyon. He has been getting rocked this spring. His era is over 9.00.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

25 year olds with an ERA+ of 109 and an WHIP of 1.284 are either pretty difficult or pretty expensive to replace, regardless of what he has done in three Spring Training starts.

 

[BC867]

I disagree that we can judge him on this spring. I heard a interview with him about 10 days ago and he said he expected to have a bad spring since he was going to focus on 2 pitches that he was not very comfortable last year and give him more options. Plus, there were a few starts in the final month last year to appeared to me that he could be a cinsistant 10 to 15 game winner.

That's great. I hope the new pitches raise his pitching performance a few notches.

 

[HooverDam]

I think people are jumping ahead of themselves with this whole "Micah Owings position player" idea. He's had very limited at bats and has done a great job for a pitcher, but with more ABs, his numbers will almost certainly go down.

 

[PoolBoy]

M-I-C-A-H

lets not turn him into linehart

 

[Lefty]

Okay, I saw the box score for yesterday's game and Lyon pitched one inning and gave up 3 runs. I know it's only spring training but he is getting hit hard. His fastball is topping at 90-91 which is not a godd sign. I hope Pena will be given a chance to close if Lyon gets off to a shaky start this year.

 

[nathan]

M-I-C-A-H

lets not turn him into linehart

I was so tempted to edit his post, but decided that spelling correction is overmoderation.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Another pitcher to worry about is Brandon Lyon. He has been getting rocked this spring. His era is over 9.00.

Lyon hasn't thrown any curveballs yet this spring. Considering that is the best secondary pitch in his repertoire, I wouldn't be too concerned yet.

 

[BC867]

I was so tempted to edit his post, but decided that spelling correction is overmoderation.

Thanks, guys. Usually I'm a stickler for detail, but as I get older . . .

Someday, you'll be there, too.

 

[PHXSportsFan4]

I think people are jumping ahead of themselves with this whole "Micah Owings position player" idea. He's had very limited at bats and has done a great job for a pitcher, but with more ABs, his numbers will almost certainly go down.

I agree. He is fine as a 4th or 5th and isn't necessarily an automatic out at the plate so thats a bonus. I agree that his numbers would go down if he played 1st.

 

[BC867]

I think people are jumping ahead of themselves with this whole "Micah Owings position player" idea. He's had very limited at bats and has done a great job for a pitcher, but with more ABs, his numbers will almost certainly go down.

Rick Ankiel and his .285 batting average last season went from a mediocre pitcher to a slugging full-time outfielder for St. Louis.

Good thing doubters didn't stand in his way. Sometimes ya' just gotta think outside the box.

 

[devilalum]

Rick Ankiel and his .285 batting average last season went from a mediocre pitcher to a slugging full-time outfielder for St. Louis.

Good thing doubters didn't stand in his way. Sometimes ya' just gotta think outside the box.

Is this needle in a hay stack supposed to prove something?

Ankiel did it because he was a total disaster as a pitcher. If Owings flops as a pitcher then it would make sense for him to try the move.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Rick Ankiel and his .285 batting average last season went from a mediocre pitcher to a slugging full-time outfielder for St. Louis.

Good thing doubters didn't stand in his way. Sometimes ya' just gotta think outside the box.

Regarding Rick Ankiel, he only had 172 at bats in 47 games. That isn't even half a season, let alone full-time duty. The jury is still out as to whether he's legitimately made it, then if he does the question of course is whether he's the exception or the rule. Plus, there's that unfortunate little cloud hanging over the one so-called "The Natural."

There's also the point that due to waivers and service time that the Diamondbacks don't have the luxury of allowing Owings (who has a grand total of 60 at bats in the big leagues) to follow the Ankiel path by spending considerable time in the minors in order to transition into a hitter. As mentioned before, an average pitcher on close to minimum salary isn't so easy to find or replace to begin with, having the Diamondbacks perform this shot in the dark experiment puts them at a hefty disadvantage. Let's take Mike Hampton for example, he was one of the best hitters as a pitcher for quite a long time, including winning five Silver Slugger trophies in a row, but nobody would have considered trying to move him around, for good reason.

 

[PHXSportsFan4]

Wasn't Ankiel on roids? I believe he was in the Mitchell Report. Or was that from back when he was a pitcher?

 

[BirdMan21]

You don't give up on a young pitcher who has shown potential this early in his career. With good coaching and the right breaks he has the stuff and that bulldog mentality to be a solid #3 starter down the road. I have no problem with them letting him pinch hit a bunch this year, but unless he goes Ankiel on us and completely loses the ability to find the catcher you let him continue to develop. And if 3-4 years down the road he hasn't developed at all....THEN you can start to think about a positional change.

 

[BC867]

Ok.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

M-I-C-A-H

lets not turn him into linehart

I hope Micah can continue to develop as a pitcher.

 

[Dback Jon]

So far, so good!

 

[BC867]

So far, so good!

Wow! OK, I'm a believer.

Even though it was in Colorado, I'm glad to see Mark Reynolds not left out of the HR brigade.

Owings got a hit, in addition to his great pitched game. And Drew was moved to 8th to hit behind Upton, who got his second in two days. Being that it worked, I hope it's not abandoned. Please.

 

[Skkorpion]

Got to watch this one. Quite a pleasant shock. Now let's see if Owings can develop some kind of consistency.

Webb is going today. The Rockies are tough on him. Can't watch this one, unfortunately.

 

[Lefty]

Lyon hasn't thrown any curveballs yet this spring. Considering that is the best secondary pitch in his repertoire, I wouldn't be too concerned yet.

Are you concerned now?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Are you concerned now?

Moreso than I was a week ago.

 

[Lefty]

Moreso than I was a week ago.

I would assume Melvin will give Lyon a couple of more shots as the closer and if he still struggles, than a change would be made. That is how I see it.