Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > August > 12 > Entry
Owings coming to Reds
One of the two other players coming to the Cincinnati Reds is DEFINITELY Micah Owings.
A source very close to the situation confirmed to me today that Owings is one of the players to be identified later from Arizona in the Adam Dunn trade.
The third-round pick of the Diamondbacks in 2008 was 8-8 with a 4.30 ERA in 27 starts last season, his rookie year, but has fallen on rough times this year — 6-9 in 18 starts with a .593 ERA.
Shades of Homer Bailey.
Owings also can swing the bat and the D-Backs many times used him a pinch-hitter and he many times helped himself with base hits.
THE REDS expunged their six-game losing streak Tuesday night. OK, OK, so it was Pittsburgh, but you have to start somewhere.
Micah Owings probably doesn’t want to hear this, but when Brandon Phillips homered in the first inning, it was the first time the Reds scored any runs in a first inning since Aug. 6 against Milwaukee.
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Comments
By Cody
August 14, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
If his pitching isn’t good enough for our rotation next year (I’d be surprised though since a Little Leaguer could ace our staff right now.) I think it is definately worth considering training him to be an everyday player so that we can use his offense.By Cy
August 14, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
Matt, I’ve seen you crack on a guy here about checking his spelling. Maybe you might try taking your own advice. “sholder?” You think so highly of yourself, but you can be in error too, it seems.By Kevin
August 14, 2008 6:44 AM | Link to this
Today MUST be the day… We need a stick like Yonder Alonzo!!!! We sign him or lose him by midnight!By Matt
August 14, 2008 1:35 AM | Link to this
I’ll admit I wasn’t concise, but I didn’t know I had to be. How is anything I wrote, “thinking Little League”? Look up any of the “BCS” college baseball teams and you’ll find plenty of pitcher/OF players. I just think more guys should give one a shot if the other doesn’t work. Also, search for Owings highlight on MLB’s website. As Steven Ross said, he looks like a hitter. As for his bad year pitching so far, I think he started 4-0. Then he all of a sudden sucked. Now he gets scratched from his AAA start today. I think maybe is sholder has been barking all year and he has been afraid to say anything because he didn’t want to go on the DL or back to the minors. Many players think they are tough guys and can pitch/play through the pain. We’ll see.By missingtombrowning
August 13, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this
BIRDIE, I think Matt knows more about baseball than you think, just not how to be concise. You might want to worry more about your typing than his comments. I don’t worry to much about mistakes on blogs, but I felt like I had an aneurysm after trying to read your post. Keep bringing the pitching prospects Walt!By BIRDIE41
August 13, 2008 4:01 PM | Link to this
To Steven Ross & Matt, Steven maybe uoy have not read any of Matt’s comments before because is you would have you would know that Matt knows nothing about professional baseball.he is still thinking on the little league level!By Steven Ross
August 13, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this
Matt wrote: I like Owings, so what if he struggled a little this year after a decent rookie year. Struggled a little? Following his 2007 rookie season, Owings has been inconsistent this season. He was sent to Triple-A Tucson on July 29 after going 6-9 with a 5.93 ERA, including 0-6 over his last seven starts. Also in question is Owings’ health situation. A stiff right shoulder has forced Tucson to scratch his scheduled start on Wednesday as a precaution. Be afraid, be very afraid.By Steven Ross
August 13, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this
Following his 2007 rookie season, Owings has been inconsistent this season. He was sent to Triple-A Tucson on July 29 after going 6-9 with a 5.93 ERA, including 0-6 over his last seven starts. Also in question is Owings’ health situation. A stiff right shoulder has forced Tucson to scratch his scheduled start on Wednesday as a precaution. YOu might want to wait before inserting him into next year’s rotation. I’m not “jacked” we’re getting him. Too many “ifs”. Although, maybe we can pull an Ankiel and put him in the OF. The dude can hit.By Cait
August 13, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this
The team played better than I expected last night. Even CP had a decent game for once, even with that brain cramp play from second. Dickerson’s speed is exciting, but he looked shakier than Dunn in LF. I hope that was just 1st game nerves. Glad to see Javy get some PT. Best defensive play of the night. Too bad he’s such a defensive liability! At least Bako didn’t have a passed ball and he did throw a runner out. I’d still play the new kid the rest of the year with Javy the backup at catcher & 1B. Bako can be released.By michael
August 13, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this
Do not let Dick Pole anywhere near Micah Owings!By Nate
August 13, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this
I think Owings is a good pick-up and it is my understanding that Walt Jocketty has the philosophy that you can never have too much pitching. It actually wouldn’t surprise me if the third player in the deal was a pitcher also. I agree with several of you that Timothy Raines is not the answer the Reds are looking for. If this guy was any good he certainly would have latched on with the offense they have in AZ, but he hasn’t. The Reds could also bring a catcher over (Wilkin Castillo or Robby Hammock from AAA Tucson could be possibilities), I doubt Bako and/or Valentin will be back for next season.By Ron H.
August 13, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this
Ok Bruce and Mark you look at thier minor leaguers and find me a better eprson than raines Jr. and its OBP not OBA ? bruce.The guy is 28 so what he has good numbers even if he is in Triple A. There is your challange or see if the Reds Triple A players have the same numbers or better.By Bruce
August 13, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this
I was actually excited to hear that Owings was included. Much better prospect than Dallas Buck. I also remember someone giving alot of praise for Owings earlier in the year. I think it might have been Buster Olney.By Bruce
August 13, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
Hey Ron H., .326 OBA? Raines sounds like another Corey Patterson. Also, a 28 year old minor leaguer is not what the Reds need right now.By Mark
August 13, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
Ron, Tim Raines Jr. is 28. When you are 28 and still in the minors, you are no longer a “prospect.” Let’s call this Dunn deal for what it was — a salary dump. No more, no less.By Pete
August 13, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this
We don’t need Owings, & it appears that AZ doesn’t want him. Must be a reason for that. Why don’t the Reds just re-sign Eric Milton?By Ron H.
August 13, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this
Ok I am not a scout but if you look at the Diamondbacks triple AAA roster 1 name they should try to get is Timothy Raines he is a 28 year old outfielder in 446 at bats he has 11 triples 22 doubles 15 homeruns and a 326 on base percentage now he is a good prospect i would think.By Kevin
August 13, 2008 7:27 AM | Link to this
I like Owings…6-9 on a team with an anemic offense. Let`s just hope the Reds score more runs for him than they do Harang. The clock is ticking. I still say use some of the money that has been freed up to get Yonder Alonzo in the fold.By HuberTucky
August 13, 2008 2:48 AM | Link to this
Two words regarding the immediate future success of Micah Owings with the Reds: Dick Pole.By Matt
August 13, 2008 1:52 AM | Link to this
I like Owings, so what if he struggled a little this year after a decent rookie year. How many players in any sport get traded and get a fresh start in a new place and turn their careers around? Phillips has shown that it happens. Also, how many times have we heard people say don’t freak out about Bailey just yet because many pitchers with great stuff struggle early in their career. Volquez is an example of that. Even if Owings can’t pitch, he may have potential as a hitter. He could be our version of Rick Ankiel. I think more pitchers and position players should try that if they fail at one, go back to the minors and try the other before you quit. There are tons of great athletes that get forced to choose either to be a position player or a pitcher when they get drafted. That is what occurred to Josh Hamilton when the Devil Rays drafted him. Some of these guys like Ankiel and Owings I think need to try to switch from being a pitcher to a position player or vice versa when they fail at one. Many of them actually do pitch and then play the field on their non-pitching days in college.By km
August 13, 2008 12:16 AM | Link to this
actually Reds Authority I read that on C. Trents blog a little after 8pm sounds like your source is just a blog on 1530 homerBy pat
August 12, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
Owings is a stud. He was 4-0 at the start of the season and had 8 of 11 quality starts. he can be a 3 or 4 for the reds.By Rick
August 12, 2008 11:16 PM | Link to this
Who cares? This guy is no good.By Reds Authority
August 12, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this
My sources also tell me that because of Bowden’s final gouge of the Reds, Arizona now plans to pull Owings off waivers, forcing the Reds to have to wait until the end of the season to get him. REMEMBER: YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST! —Reds AuthorityBy Reds Authority
August 12, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this
BREAKING: My sources tell me the Reds have run into a roadblock when it comes to 1 of the 2 proverbial “players to be named later” with regards to the Adam Dunn trade to Arizona. Word is that Micah Owings was 1 of the 2. However, REDS AUTHORITY has learned that Owings did NOT clear waivers and was claimed by Jim Bowden of the Nationals. Call it “one final torment” of the Reds from Bowden before he loses his job as GM of the Nationals. —Reds Authority