Jerry Owens
Encyclopedia
Jerry Lee Owens is a Major League Baseball
center fielder
who is currently a free agent. He played most of the season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights
(Chicago White Sox affiliation) of the International League
, but was called up and made his major league debut as a pinch runner
on September 11. His first start came on September 27, a game in which he collected both his first hit
and stole
his first base as a major leaguer.
Owens graduated from Hart High School in California, where he played wide receiver
on the championship football team with NFL
quarterback Kyle Boller
. In high school, Jerry was named to numerous All-America teams and was an elite recruit. Owens originally attended the University of California, Los Angeles
, but later transferred to The Master's College in California after several injuries and a revelation. At the Master's College, he was named the Small College All-American Outfielder for 2003, before being selected by the Montreal Expos
in the 2nd Round (57th overall) of the amateur entry draft.
of the South Atlantic League
. Owens burst onto the scouting scene by posting some impressive numbers such as a .292 batting average 30 stolen base
s.
During the off-season, when the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals
, Owens was traded for Alex Escobar
, a prospect from the Chicago White Sox
. It was no surprise that in , Owens was promoted to Double-A ball with the Birmingham Barons
of the Southern League
. Owens had a sensational season, being named Southern League All-Star outfielder and he also led the league in batting average
.
In spring training
for the White Sox in 2006, Owens had to compete with Brian Anderson for the job of center fielder, but manager Ozzie Guillén
stated that Owens would probably not get the job because he had a shoulder injury a few years before.
Owens was put on the White Sox' extended 40-man roster, and was optioned back to the International League with the Charlotte Knights. Owens showed development in his base-stealing in 2006, stealing 40 bases and being caught only 12 times.
Owens started the 2008 regular season on the fifteen day disabled list
after an MRI revealed a slight tear in his right adductor muscle
.
. Playing for the Mariners' triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers
, He went on to lead the Rainiers in average with a .323 clip.
In November, 2009, the Washington Nationals
signed Owens to a Minor League contract with an invitation to 2010 Spring Training
and he got a chance to compete for a roster spot. He did not play in the 2010 season.
He is currently a minor league free agent.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
who is currently a free agent. He played most of the season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
(Chicago White Sox affiliation) of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, but was called up and made his major league debut as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
on September 11. His first start came on September 27, a game in which he collected both his first hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and stole
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
his first base as a major leaguer.
Owens graduated from Hart High School in California, where he played wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
on the championship football team with NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
quarterback Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
. In high school, Jerry was named to numerous All-America teams and was an elite recruit. Owens originally attended the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, but later transferred to The Master's College in California after several injuries and a revelation. At the Master's College, he was named the Small College All-American Outfielder for 2003, before being selected by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in the 2nd Round (57th overall) of the amateur entry draft.
Chicago White Sox
Owens first was sent to play Single-A baseball with the Vermont Expos of the New York-Penn League in 2003. However, he only played 2 games with the team. In , Owens went to play Single-A baseball with the Savannah Sand GnatsSavannah Sand Gnats
The Savannah Sand Gnats are a minor league baseball team in Savannah, Georgia and are a member of the A-level South Atlantic League. Since the 2007 season, the Sand Gnats have been an affiliate of the New York Mets.-History:...
of the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
. Owens burst onto the scouting scene by posting some impressive numbers such as a .292 batting average 30 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s.
During the off-season, when the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
, Owens was traded for Alex Escobar
Alex Escobar
Alexander José Escobar [ess-COE-bar] is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Colorado Rockies organization....
, a prospect from the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. It was no surprise that in , Owens was promoted to Double-A ball with the Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
of the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. Owens had a sensational season, being named Southern League All-Star outfielder and he also led the league in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.
In spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
for the White Sox in 2006, Owens had to compete with Brian Anderson for the job of center fielder, but manager Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
stated that Owens would probably not get the job because he had a shoulder injury a few years before.
Owens was put on the White Sox' extended 40-man roster, and was optioned back to the International League with the Charlotte Knights. Owens showed development in his base-stealing in 2006, stealing 40 bases and being caught only 12 times.
Owens started the 2008 regular season on the fifteen day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
after an MRI revealed a slight tear in his right adductor muscle
Adductor muscle
- Humans :* Adductor muscles of the hip, the most common reference in humans, but may also refer to** Adductor brevis muscle, a muscle in the thigh situated immediately behind the pectineus and adductor longus...
.
Seattle Mariners
Owens was considered for the center field job vacated by Ken Griffey Jr. for the 2009 season, but the White Sox released him on May 2 after he batted .083 in 12 games. He then signed a minor league contract with the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. Playing for the Mariners' triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Pacific Coast League , and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners...
, He went on to lead the Rainiers in average with a .323 clip.
In November, 2009, the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
signed Owens to a Minor League contract with an invitation to 2010 Spring Training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
and he got a chance to compete for a roster spot. He did not play in the 2010 season.
He is currently a minor league free agent.