“I really want to see what I can do. I have an idea. I think it would maybe take some creativity for a team to accept it. But if it worked, it might create an entirely new position in baseball, a position that would give a team an extra player.”

Owings, who turned 30 in September, has a 4.86 ERA (91 ERA+) in 138 major league appearances, 68 starts, striking out 6.5 batters per 9 innings, walking 3.9, and allowed 1.2 homers per 9 innings. He was a mediocre pitcher- but he always stood out most for his hitting. Owings was the NL Silver Slugger at pitcher in 2007, hitting .333 with 7 doubles, 4 homers, and 15 RBI. For his career, he has a .283/.310/.502 line with 14 doubles, 9 homers, and 35 RBI in 219 plate appearances. Talking to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Owings has decided to make hitting a bigger part of his game- but not taking pitching out of the equation entirely. Owings has decided to become a “position player/pitcher” who would be able to see time at first base and the outfield while also appearing as a middle reliever. Owings had surgery on his elbow to remove bone chips back in April and started seeing time at positions other than at pitcher. Owings went 4 for 9 with a double at the Padres’ Triple-A Tuscon in 2012, and right now he is listed as an outfielder on the Gigantes de Carolina in the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League in Puerto Rico and went 0 for 3 with a walk in his first game. Owings has a lot of work he needs to do- once he’s a position player, opposing pitchers won’t underestimate him when he comes to the plate because he’s a pitcher. He also needs to get his arm healthy and return to pitching. But Owings has shown solid bat speed and good power, and while it’s a stretch to think he will ever receive regular playing time as a position player, between his ability as a power-hitting bat and as a halfway-decent middle reliever, he has the ability to be a productive major league player. Will he get a shot this offseason to prove himself as a two-way player in spring training, at Triple-A, and maybe at some point in the big leagues? If there’s any team that will, it’s the Rays. Their emphasis on roster efficiency and their need for a first base/DH type makes Owings an interesting fit for them. They were willing to use right-hander Chris Archer as a pinch-runner in 2012 and a player like Owings could be the next logical step. It will be very interesting to see what happens with Owings and whether his all-around ability as a hitter and pitcher could change baseball forever.