![morgan-nhl-120201.standard[1]](http://nbchardballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/morgan-nhl-120201-standard1.jpg?w=136&h=121&crop=1)
Micah Owings pitched well enough for the Diamondbacks last season that most people stopped saying he should give up pitching and become a full-time hitter, but the 29-year-old right-hander has still had to settle for a minor-league deal from the Padres.
Owings was an excellent hitter in college and has batted .286 with an .820 OPS in 217 plate appearances as a big leaguer, but came to the plate just 19 times for Arizona last year while throwing 63 innings with a 3.57 ERA and 44/23 K/BB ratio.
He’s a fairly marginal pitcher, posting a 4.91 ERA in 473 innings, so it would seemingly make sense for an NL team like the Padres to use him more in a Brooks Kieschnick-style dual role. So far no team has done that, though, and he’s expected to compete for a traditional bullpen job in spring training.
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- rooney24 - Feb 1, 2012 at 5:11 PM
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I always thought an AL team should sign him and use him as a pitcher who could DH on his off days. Is he quite that good of a hitter? I don’t know, but a lot of teams could do worse than having that option. You would think the more he hit, that he would hit even better.
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- crisisjunky - Feb 1, 2012 at 7:26 PM
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Great idea, I would put in a vote for Dontrelle and his 1000ops!
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- icanspeel - Feb 1, 2012 at 5:25 PM
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I wonder if pitching in petco will help his pitching stats and lower his hitting stats (if he ever gets to hit)
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- nauhurdler - Feb 1, 2012 at 6:51 PM
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The dude can hit. Watched him do for a few years now in the desert a couple times. Would have been a great fit for an AL team but I know i sure will miss watching him jack homers into the pool at the formally named BOB
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- crisisjunky - Feb 1, 2012 at 7:27 PM
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The Babe raked on his off-days with the Sox, and Smokey Joe Wood was a viable everyday player when his incredible arm blew out.
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- b7p19 - Feb 1, 2012 at 7:44 PM
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Maybe it wasn’t so incredible after all? Probably why you don’t see this anymore. I don’t think you want your ace trying to throw lasers to the plate from the right field warning track.
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- cshearing - Feb 2, 2012 at 8:01 AM
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You are right, but I do not think “ace” will be used when describing Owings, so maybe someone should give it a shot with him.
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- jwbiii - Feb 1, 2012 at 8:11 PM
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Robothal says major league deal.
Source: Owings agreement with #Padres is major-league contract. One year, $1 million. Pending physical. #MLB—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 01, 2012
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- hammyofdoom - Feb 1, 2012 at 9:51 PM
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I really hope they use him in left field or second base or something. Seeing him hit is fun
