The Orioles signed Chris Owings to a minor league contract in March after two partial seasons with the Rockies because his ability to play just about anywhere on the field made him ideal utility material.
Owings remains with the club following the roster cutdown for the exact same reason.
Kelvin Gutiérrez was 4-for-28 before heading out the door, with the Orioles designating him for assignment yesterday morning. A move that seemed more predictable with his name missing from the last three lineups.
Gutiérrez was a third baseman on a team that had other options. Owings has done everything except catch and play first base, making his 2-for-18 start with 12 strikeouts forgivable to the front office.
It’s really that simple. Gutiérrez had to hit in order to justify keeping a player who can’t really bounce to other positions. Owings is under a different microscope.
The at-bats still matter to him. The outs frustrate. But they haven’t cost him a job.
“Definitely within the past couple days I’ve been feeling a lot better,” he said yesterday before batting practice. “You know, this is a game of adjustments and I feel like I’m at that point where it’s just making a lot of adjustments right now. Some of it, I feel like, has been some bad calls, just getting downs in counts in certain situations – 0-2, 0-2, 0-2, 1-2. But definitely felt better my last start for sure.”
Owings avoids talking specifics on his pregame work.
“Couple swing mechanics, contact point, simple stuff like that. Nothing major,” he said. “But it’s baseball. Last year I was 8-for-16 to start the season. This year I’m freaking, what, 2-for-whatever. I’ve worked really hard to stay in baseball and make a lot of swing adjustments. That’s basically what it is, getting back to simplifying things and going out there every day and just having you’re A swing and getting that opportunity.”
The .500 average last April went unchanged until June 23 in Seattle, his next game after recovering from a thumb injury. He went 0-for-16 before collecting two hits in a July 10 game in San Diego that began a 6-for-12 stretch.
That’s the point where Owings’ season ended. He underwent surgery to insert a pin in the thumb after only 50 plate appearances.
“I feel like I’ve been in baseball long enough where, granted, you want to get off to a good start no matter where you’re at, whether it’s your sixth year with the team or if it’s your first day with a new team. But you just want to go out there and play well, right?” Owings said.
“At the end of the day, that’s what everybody wants. You want to help the team win, and we’ve been in some situations where we’re playing good baseball. We really are. And I’ve been in some situations where I’ve had some guys on base and you want to contribute and drive in some runs, but it’s a long season, right? I keep telling people, you’re going to look back at these first couple weeks and just shake your head and laugh when it comes to September. But also, too, I just need to keep playing, just getting at-bats.
“I only had 40 ABs last year because of injuries. I went and played winter ball and got about 80 at-bats down there. It’s still every day, just getting in that rhythm, getting in that routine. It was a shortened spring training, as well, so I’ve just been showing up at the field and working as hard as I can every single day just to get back in the groove of swinging and play every day.
“Last year was unique for me because I had spring training, played a little bit in April, and then got hurt. Didn’t hit again till June. Got back in June, played in July, didn’t hit again until October. So, I’ve had just bits and pieces where I feel good, surgery, feel good, surgery. Played in winter ball, got in a groove, then shut it down before spring training started back up again. I feel like I’m starting to ride that wave where I’m feeling better every single day, and just getting the A swing where you’re competitive every single at-bat.”
The 2020 season consisted only of 44 plate appearances for Owings because of a hamstring injury. The interruptions worsened last year.
He’s healthy in 2022, but spent last night on the bench again, waiting for the next opportunity to improve on 2-for-18 and serve in the super-utility role designed for him.
“I haven’t even really shown what I can do here,” said Owings, who tied for the major league lead in triples with 11 for the Diamondbacks in 2016.
“I can play all three outfield positions, I can play third, short, second. I’m getting my work in in BP and working with (Anthony) Sanders in the outfield, just so whenever I do get some opportunities out there, I’ll be ready to go.”
Owings said it after confirmation that he’d be staying.