Micah Owings, a one time member of the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2007-08 and then again in 2011 has always been a pitcher. He holds a career ERA of 4.86, has a WHIP of 1.40 and he has thrown 347 strikeouts in his six year career so far.
The best part about Micah was his versatility. He could start a game and manage it very well or he could come out of the bullpen as a long reliever. Either way, he always did what was asked of him. On top of that, he has a knack for being able to swing the bat.
That is why his new team, the San Diego Padres, have decided to make him a positional player.
Owings has definitely had some success while standing at the plate. He has taken 205 at-bats and collected 58 hits in his career. That comes out to an average of about .283, which is phenomenal for any pitcher.
Since being placed on the disabled list with a forearm injury, Owings just doesn't feel comfortable heading back to the mound as of yet, but the competitor inside of him wants to get back on the field. So Bud Black, the Padres' manager, has decided to play him at first base (which he did a bit earlier this year), left field and even as a designated hitter.
You may recall that Owings came back to the D-backs in 2011 because they were one of the few teams that was going to allow him to pitch. He claimed, at the time, that he wanted to pitch, not play somewhere in the field. Apparently that has all changed. He was the one that introduced the idea to Padres management.
The move does make some sense, though. He is a talented hitter, he can play multiple positions as a utility player and he can pitch in emergency situations as well. He may still return to his pitching role once his arm is fully healed, but for now, this seems like the best course of action.
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