Adam Loewen

Infobox MLB player


width = 150
name = Adam Loewen
caption = Loewen facing the final batter of his career July 19, 2008
team = Baltimore Orioles
number = --
position = Outfielder
birthdate = birth date and age|1984|4|9
birthplace = city-state|Surrey|British Columbia
bats = Left
throws = Left
debutdate = May 23
debutyear = 2006
debutteam = Baltimore Orioles
statyear = 2008
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 8-8
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 5.38
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 134
teams =
*Baltimore Orioles (by|2006-present)

Adam Alexander Loewen (born April 9, 1984 in Surrey, British Columbia) is an outfielder and former pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. He bats and throws left-handed.

After one season with Chipola College, Loewen signed a Major League Baseball contract worth $4.02 million with the Baltimore Orioles as the No. 4 pick of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft, the highest a Canadian player has ever been drafted.

In by|2004, he was named their top prospect by Baseball America. In early by|2006, he was moved down to being the team's second best prospect.

Loewen garnered international attention on March 8, 2006, when he started for Canada against the star-studded United States team in the first round of the World Baseball Classic. In 3 2/3 shutout innings, Loewen held hitless such veteran American luminaries as Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira, Vernon Wells, and Derrek Lee. He ended up earning the win as Canada won the game 8-6.

During the mlby|2006 season, Loewen was called up by the Orioles. In his first four Major League starts, he faced former Cy Young Award winners: Randy Johnson, Tom Glavine and Roy Halladay twice. This made Loewen the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to face Cy Young winners in his first four starts. Fact|date=July 2008 He was injured early in the mlby|2007 season, suffering a stress fracture to his right elbow and was later played on the 15-day disabled list.

In spring training in mlby|2008, he led the majors in walks, with 19 in 16.2 innings. [http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?teamPosCode=all&statType=2&timeFrame=1&Submit=Submit&c_id=mlb&subScope=pos&sitSplit=&venueID=&baseballScope=mlb&timeSubFrame=23&&sortByStat=BB]

After injury and control problems during the 2008 season, Loewen was converted into a relief pitcher. However, in July 2008, he suffered a stress fracture in his pitching elbow, causing him to end his pitching career.

In the middle of the 2008 season, he was ruled out for the rest year following his pitching injuries. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080719&content_id=3155772&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb Loewen abandons pitching for hitting] ] On July 19, 2008, Loewen announced that he would no longer be a pitcher due to injuries to his elbow, and that he will pursue a career as an outfielder or first baseman.

Adam Loewen was reported to begin the transformation from pitcher to outfielder on September 8, when he'll start working with hitting coach Terry Crowley. He'll stay with the team for a week before being sent to the instructional league. [ [http://fantasybaseball.usatoday.com/content/player.asp?sport=MLB&id=3683] ]

References

External links

* [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam030528/col_elliott-sun.html The Last Word (profile)]