Odds & Ends: Nady, Loewen, Torrealba

Other than the fact that Rick Ankiel made the transition successfully (against all odds, at that), I really haven't seen any reason why Loewen would think he can be a major league hitter. The move reeks of desperation, and I feel bad for him, but he's probably better off just stepping aside and giving another player the opportunity and just getting on with his life.

"but he's probably better off just stepping aside and giving another player the opportunity and just getting on with his life."

If he was a quitter he wouldn't have made it this far in the first place. You don't give up on your dreams when you hit a setback and make it the majors in the first place.

He's 24 years old this isn't a 38 year old journeyman AAAA player.

Pat, your post just drips of arrogance. You *personally* haven't seen anything, so Loewen (at age 24) should just go home. Have you seen him swing the bat? I doubt it. "The move reeks of desperation". I wonder if people considered Tim Wakefield desperate when he decided to become a knuckleball pitcher instead of a .210 hitting infielder almost *20* years ago.

Loewen hit over .350 in JC the year he was drafted, and some teams projected him as a first rounder at 1B rather than as a pitcher.

I wish the Pirates would let John Van Benschoeton go back down to A ball and convert to a position player.

He is pretty much one of the worst pitchers ever. I think he has some major league record for highest ERA among starters with at least 8-9 starts or so.

But he led the NCAA in HRs as a collegiate. So it's not like he's never hit before. I'd put a bat in his hands and give him a shot. He's useless as a starter.

JVB has had surgeries to both shoulders, so pulling an Ankiel with him is out of the question. Plus, if you've seen him swing a bat you'd know that his hitting days are behind him. Of course, we could debate Littlefield's idiocy at converting the NCAA HR leader into a mediocre AAA pitcher.

Now, for the rest of the Pirates starters...

Look, we're talking about a guy who, by his own admission, basically hasn't picked up a bat in nearly six years. Your 'rah-rah he's not a quitter' routine is all well and good, but it seems selfish to me. Somewhere out there is a guy who also hasn't given up, and has made a lot less money (Loewen got a $3.2 million signing bonus in 2002) than Loewen who is going to be cut now, just so Loewen can pretend to be Babe Ruth for a couple of years before realizing he can't hack it. Maybe you find that admirable, but I find it sad and selfish.

Give him a chance. Its not like the O's have a lot of up and coming position players.

Loewen will never be heard of again, but he'll make his millions, then hang it up...the sign with an Independent league.

Did everyone forget Ankiel's name was linked to PED's?

Sure he was immensely talented, and what he did is pretty incredible considering it rarely happens; but it also seems he didn't do it on his own.

"Did everyone forget Ankiel's name was linked to PED's?

Sure he was immensely talented, and what he did is pretty incredible considering it rarely happens; but it also seems he didn't do it on his own."

Rick Ankiel got caught with proof that showed that he received HGH. There is no proof that HGH has any benefits to a professional baseball player. It in now ways improves your strength or stamina, and in most ways is simply a placebo. It is highly likely that Ankiels performance is pure, and if it isn't well then he's a dickhead

Sigh.

Chris Iannetta is having his breakout season, which is further indicative of the idea that the Rockies shouldn't have given Torrealba that contract in the first place. I know Iannetta had a terrible year last year, but they could have done the smart thing and let another team pay for Torrealba's 2007 postseason. He should just collect his unearned money and keep quiet.

"Rick Ankiel got caught with proof that showed that he received HGH. There is no proof that HGH has any benefits to a professional baseball player. It in now ways improves your strength or stamina, and in most ways is simply a placebo. It is highly likely that Ankiels performance is pure, and if it isn't well then he's a dickhead"

So athletes are still willing to take illegal performance enhancing HGH and risk severe punishment, for a placebo effect?

"Look, we're talking about a guy who, by his own admission, basically hasn't picked up a bat in nearly six years. Your 'rah-rah he's not a quitter' routine is all well and good, but it seems selfish to me. Somewhere out there is a guy who also hasn't given up, and has made a lot less money (Loewen got a $3.2 million signing bonus in 2002) than Loewen who is going to be cut now, just so Loewen can pretend to be Babe Ruth for a couple of years before realizing he can't hack it. Maybe you find that admirable, but I find it sad and selfish."

First of all. this is a guy that had frequent batting practice during the interleague games so dont tell me he hasnt picked up a bat in 6 years. Second, how is that selfish at all. Please explain it to me because i would love to hear it. And no they are not cutting him AM already came out and said they are going to terminate his contract and make a new one so he can go back to the minors. Plus how do you know he cant hit the ball? Have you seen him hit? Or maybe its just pure speculation and alot of guessing by a person that has no clue what they're talking about.

Did you even read my comment that you quoted in its entirety, Donny?

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/roch/blog/2008/07/more_on_loewen_1.html In the next page on the article Tim linked to, Loewen says he hasn't hit in 5 or 6 years. I sincerely doubt he's had frequent batting practice during interleague games, as he's only actually pitched in 2 interleague games his entire career, and only 1 of those 2 was in a National League Park (in case you're wondering, he had 2 at bats. You're not going to believe this, but he went hitless).

I never said Loewen was getting cut. That wouldn't even make sense. I'm saying someone ELSE who we have probably never heard of who has made a lot less over the course of his career than the guy with the 2nd highest signing bonus in the history of the Orioles franchise, will probably end up getting cut. And I think that's a shame, because this is almost certainly going to be the last we hear of Adam Loewen until he retires, and even then it'll be a footnote at the end of a Sunday Notes column in the Baltimore Sun.

Agreed, MattyMets. But weren't you the team that turned him away anyway? ;)

Iannetta is the Rockies catcher of the future, and the sooner that Torrealba is given his walking papers, the sooner that Hurdle can stop starting him and start starting Iannetta everyday.

Further proof that the O's are jinxed. With the BoSox having broken the Curse of the Bambino, maybe ol' Babe decided to haunt his place of birth. Ugh. This is getting old. At this point, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Guthrie threw a heater and his arm fully detached, hitting the batter and bringing home the winning run for the opposition. Yes, its that bad. Patton, Albers, now Loewen. Liz and Olsen look shell shocked and completely unprepared for life in the bigs, despite their respective talents, and both Tillman and Arrieta got rocked in their starts this week. OK, the last part is probably nothing to worry about; even the best prospects have their off days, but...jeez. Can we get a friggin' break?!

Oh believe me oo nrb, I am certainly happy that the Mets backed out of the deal with Torrealba and got Schneider and Castro back as a platoon instead. Torrealba has never been any more than a solid backup (even with San Francisco), and he definitely didn't deserve that money in the first place. I think Iannetta is going to be a top 10 catcher in this league for years to come.