Jared Cohen
Just like that it is September and time for the Diamondbacks rosters to expand.
Two of the players called up are familiar faces to the club house this season in third baseman Matt Davidson and Tuffy Gosewhich. But the last player brought up is one that has made more than his share of headlines with AAA Reno in 2013, the organizations leading hitter, Chris Owings.
“Yea it’s pretty awesome,” Owings said. “Getting the call the other day, after the season ended in AAA and coming in yesterday (Tuesday) was a pretty great feeling.”
“We are going to use him,” said Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson. “We’ve got to see what he can do. He’s earned it, he’s played well. Just the lineup overall, we play a lot of the same guys and we haven’t been successful. So why wouldn’t I utilize some of the new guys.”
Owings has been remarkable this season playing shortstop for the Aces. In 125 games, he had a .330 AVG with 180 hits (most in D-Backs farm system), 104 runs, 31 doubles, 8 triples, 12 home runs, 81 RBI, 20 stolen bases and a 359 on-base percentage. Plus was named to the Pacific Coast League all-star team and named to the All-PCL team.
“It feels great to have your name thrown in with those kind of players,” he mentioned. “But my goal was to just make the all-star team and it just kind of went up from there.”
As Gibson mentioned, he will be used frequently in this final month of the season and will not jut sit on the bench. The Diamondbacks have seen high profile prospects get called up and make a big impact in the past. With the team struggling trying to stay in the playoff race, they will look for a spark form anyone.
“In 2011 it was Goldy (Paul Goldschmidt),” Gibson explained. “You find people and you go out and see what they can do for sure. You don’t want them to just sit there.”
While the hope to find a spark in the Diamondbacks batting order is one goal for the Diamondbacks in calling up Owings, getting him valued experience is another. There is no shortage of depth in the middle of the D-Backs infield with Didi Gregorious, Aaron Hill, Willie Bloomquist and Cliff Pennington. Gibson mentioned he already knows what those guys are capable of, not its time to learn that of Owings who expects to play shortstop and some second base this month.
“It’s important to see what C.O. can do,” Gibson mentioned. “Plus giving him some experience.”
It is a valuable time for Owings, but in the process he isn’t losing sight of the fact that he is living his life-long dream.
“It’s good to put together a good season and come up here and get some experience in the big leagues,” Owings stated. “It’s pretty cool.”
