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There have been many major leaguers who switched from being pitchers to position players; Babe Ruth, "Smokey" Joe Wood and Tim Wakefield just to name a few. A few went the other way from position player to pitcher, such as Blue Jays reliever Sergio Santos, who started as a shortstop and is trying to earn another shot with the Blue Jays pitching in relief for Triple "A" Buffalo. This story takes the conversion process one step further. You, no doubt, remember the name of left-hander Adam Loewen. The strapping 66 Vancouver native was taken fourth overall by Baltimore in the June 2002 draft. That was the highest a Canadian had ever been selected since our country was first included in the draft in 1985. Loewen made it to the bigs with the Orioles in 2006 at age 22, but he had his struggles over the next three seasons, compiling an 8-8 record with a 5.38 ERA over 35 appearances, including 29 starts. Worse than that were the injuries; suffering stress fractures to his left elbow in 2007 and 2008. At that point, Loewen wondered where to turn. He remembered he had been a pretty good hitter in his younger days and decided he might be able to re-establish himself as a position player. In 2009, he signed on with the Blue Jays organization and finally got a shot with the big club when the rosters expanded in September 2011. Loewen didnt look out of place in the outfield but in 14 games, he hit only .188 with one homer, a double and four runs batted in. In 2012, he played in the Mets minor league system and then bounced back to the Jays organization last year, spending the bulk of the year at Double "A". That brings us to this season. After playing winter ball in Venezuela, Loewen wondered if his time had come and he wasnt going to get another major league offer. At that point, seven years after his first elbow injury, he decided to give pitching another shot when he returned home to Arizona. After a short while, scouts from four teams checked him out. Then the Phillies took a look-see. Finally, Loewen got a call from Pat Gillick, who still works in the Phils organization, and ultimately received an offer of a minor league contract and an invitation to extended spring training in Clearwater. Loewen moved ahead to the Phillies "A" ball franchise in Clearwater and then jumped to the Double "A" Reading Fightin Phils of the Eastern League. While not mind blowing, his numbers arent that bad and he has been improving steadily. Loewen has made 12 starts and has one complete game. Hes 2-4 with a 3.45 ERA, 49 strikeouts and 32 walks. He had arguably his best start yet on Monday night this week against the Harrisburg Senators. He pitched into the eighth inning in a 5-1 victory, giving up five hits while striking out four and walking three. Time clearly is not on Loewens side with about a month to go in the minor league season. But he is a lefty and he has incredible determination. On top of that, the Phillies are a last place team that needs help in multiple areas and just might give him a look in September. What a story it would be if Loewen could make it all the way back after all hes been through. --- The Colorado Rockies will equal an unusual record, if you want to call it that, which most probably didnt know existed on Tuesday. They are due to send left hander Brett Anderson to the mound. This game will mark the 20th straight game the Rockies have started a southpaw and will equal the mark of the 1982 Kansas City Royals. The 82 Royals included lefties Paul Splittorf, Bud Black, (Padres Manager), Vida Blue and Larry Gura (known as a Blue Jays killer). Colorados southpaws include Jorge De La Rosa , Brett Anderson, Tyler Matzek, Franklin Morales and Pedro Hernandez. The left hand tilt hasnt really helped the Rockies. Theyve dropped seven out of 10 and have a dismal record of 44-67 - second worst in the majors to Texas at 43-69. The record wont be broken, though, as Colorado intends to use right hander Jordan Lyles on Wednesday night. The Texas Rangers have a chance to make a little history of their own. They are just short of the pace needed to become only the third team in major league history to go from 90 wins one season to 100 the next. The other two teams were affected by ownership tightening the purse strings. In 1914, Connie Macks Philadelphia As made it to the World Series but the next year the "outlaw" Federal League started bidding for players and stealing other teams stars. Mack refused to go dollar for dollar with the Feds and his team lost a number of quality players. They went from 99 wins to 109 losses in 1915. In 1997, the Florida Marlins won their first of two World Series in seven years. But after 97, owner Wayne Huizenga ordered a massive payroll rollback and the 1998 Marlins fell from 92 wins to 108 losses. The Rangers problem hasnt been spending or lack thereof. Theyve just been brutalized by injuries and a very tough division. The Blue Jays have 49 games left - 28 at home, but the next nine could go a long way towards making or breaking their season. Starting Tuesday night, they are home to AL East leading Baltimore followed by three games at home against Central leading Detroit, and then they kick off a road trip with three against Seattle - a team just two games behind them in the race for that second Wild Card position. Going 6-3 in this stretch should keep them in the thick of the postseason battle with 40 games to play. Jonathan Stewart Giants Jersey . In the other Group A game, the Czech Republic stunned Canada, 5-4 in a shootout. Dominik Simon scored the deciding goal in the tiebreaker. The United States scored its first three goals on power plays. "Overall, I love to see the power-play goals we were able to get tonight," said U. Nate Solder Giants Jersey . He made another correct read. The Browns, who have been shuttling quarterbacks on and off the field all season, finally got some good news on that front: Campbells ribs are only bruised. http://www.nygiantsfanatic.com/c-89-gian...ter-jersey.aspx. Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, Shawn Marion had 22 and the Mavericks beat undermanned Philadelphia 124-112 Friday night, handing the 76ers their 10th straight loss. Ray-Ray Armstrong Giants Jersey . They kicked off the still-going trend of host cities winning the Grey Cup and sent Hall of Fame head coach Wally Buono to the front office a champion. Alec Ogletree Jersey . Head coach Randy Carlyle confirmed the news after the Leafs morning skate on Monday. Kozun was hurt during Friday nights home game against the Red Wings and did not make the return trip to Detroit for Saturdays game.PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Usain Bolt said he will skip the Golden Spike meet in the Czech Republic city of Ostrava and a Diamond League meet in Paris because he is behind with his training following a foot injury "I had to miss some training in late March and early April due to a foot injury," Bolt said in a message to the organizers on Friday. "Thankfully, my foot is 100 per cent healthy now and I am back in full training." But, "due to the training that I missed I am behind where I am at normally at this time of year and will not be ready to race in the Ostrava Golden Spike meet or Meeting Areva in Paris." The Golden Spike is scheduled for June 17, and the six-time Olympic champion was to race for the seventh time there.dddddddddddd U.S. sprinter Justin Gatlin, who set a year-leading time of 9.87 seconds last month, will replace Bolt in Ostrava, organizers said. The Paris meet is on July 5. Bolt said it was not clear yet when he might return to competing. "It is important for me to take my time this year as I have three tough years ahead in 2015, 2016 and 2017 as I attempt to defend my world and Olympic titles," he said. "I definitely plan to compete this season." Bolt previously said his goal for 2014 was to break his own 200-meter world record of 19.19. Last year, Bolt won the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay at the world championships. He won the same three races at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the 2009 worlds. 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