The Nationals have agreed with Micah Owings on a minor-league deal, the team's PR department has announced. Owings is listed as a first baseman in the tweet mentioning the deal.
Owings, 30, initially came up as a pitcher, but has been utilized as a hitter throughout his career. Last season with the Padres, Owings had season-ending surgery on his elbow in July. Prior to his surgery, he talked about focusing more on hitting.
In 219 career plate appearances, Owings has hit .283/.310/.502. While that’s not a big sample of experience, Owings’ ability to hit for power in a limited number of at-bats could help him earn a job as a pinch hitter, similar to the role Chad Tracy held with the Nationals last season. Tracy is still a member of the team, however, and former prospect Chris Marrero should return after an injury-riddled 2012. The presence of both players could make it hard for Owings to break camp with the club.
Obviously, Owings would have slightly more versatility than those guys given his experience as a pitcher. While he hasn’t been impressive over his career, with a 4.63 ERA and a 4.95 FIP in 483 career innings, he could be used in emergency situations if manager Davey Johnson needs to save his bullpen.
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the latest rumors from bloggers Chris Cwik, Jack Moore and R.J. White, follow @MLBRumorsCBS.
