Nats Links: Nats sign Owings to minor deal
The Nationals have signed P Micah Owings to a minor league deal. Owings only pitched in six games for the San Diego Padres last season because of season ending elbow surgery. The Nats did not sign Owings to pitch, but to play first base. His deal is a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.
Owings has always been a solid hitter, as the 30-year-old holds a career batting line of .283/.310/.502 with 14 doubles and nine home runs over 219 plate appearances. The Nationals are hoping this track record translates into success as a position player.
With a nearly set roster, the deal will likely land Owings in the Nats minor league system. More on the Owings signing: Wash Post, Wash Times, CSN, CNNSI
As we wrote in out Catchers Preview, Kurt Suzuki will more than likely open the 2013 season as starter. Wilson Ramos is recovering from ACL surgery and will likely not be ready for any full time role. Nats will likely take his entry into the lineup slowly. Meanwhile, Suzuki looks to continue building his relationships with the Nats pitching staff.
“The spring training part where it’s not games every day is where you can really get to know guys and hang out with guys. I’m a big believer in relationships, building relationships with different pitchers. That’s how you really get to know them personally and you can understand them. It’s not just players, it is about people,” he said.
“You have to learn those relationships so you can get their respect and have a mutual respect for each other. I think having spring training will definitely better the relationships and allow me to understand them as pitchers a little better.”
As you know, Gio Gonzalez took to Twitter after the PED Miami news linked him to a PED Miami
clinic. He robustly denied the allegations. Gio's agent, Seth Levinson, also vehementy denies any of his agency's involvement with the Miami clinic.
"Neither Sam nor I, or anyone else at ACES, have ever met or even heard of Anthony Bosch until the recent news stories, nor does anyone have any knowledge of or connection to Biogenesis. Moreover, Juan Nunez ceased doing work on behalf of the agency as soon as his involvement in the Melky Cabrera matter came to light.
NL Cy Young: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals – This kid is phenomenally talented, he’s on a team with a great lineup and what looks like a solid bullpen, and don’t forget he’s still only 24!
The biggest prediction . . .
World Series: Washington Nationals over Los Angeles Angels
Speaking of Strasburg, go read the new article on Stras by USA Today.
Mark Zuckerman previews a revamped bullpen.
Luke Erickson continues his article series on projecting Nats minor league rosters.
Just as we did yesterday, go check out District Sports Page preview of the Nats outfield.
USA Today preview South Atlantic League prospects and names Hagerstown's Matthew Skole. Go read it.
I used to be a big Micah Owings fan when he was with the Diamondbacks . . . didn't have over powering stuff, but really knew how to pitch . . . plus the man can hit . . . i went to a game where he pitched 8 shut out innings and went 5 for 5 with 2 home runs . . . his problem was consistency doing the pitching part . . . his second stint with the d-backs saw him move into a long relief role and he was great . . . even voted most valuable pitcher by the rest of the d-backs staff that year . . .
