Name James McOwen Height 1.83 m | Role Baseball Player | |
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Education Florida International University | ||
hit streak jamie mcowen on sportscenter james mcowen
James McOwen (born September 26, 1985 in Miami, Florida) is a professional baseball player for the Long Island Ducks. He was Mariners' sixth-round selection in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft; signed by Mariners scout Mike Tosar. He plays outfield, primarily right field.
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He graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas in June 2004. He earned All-Broward honors from The Miami Herald and team MVP his senior season. He attended Florida International University and was named First Team All-Sun Belt his junior season. He was also named to the Second Team All-Sun Belt his sophomore year.
Contact hitting is McOwen's strong point, power is not. He puts the ball on the ground more often than not and has above-average speed, though his base running isn't a major part of his game. He also doesn't have the best range in the outfield and has below-average arm strength.
McOwen currently holds the California League consecutive-game hitting streak record with a 45-game hitting streak that shattered the previous league mark. His 45-game streak is the eighth longest in Minor League Baseball history.
Seattle Mariners
In 2007 McOwen began his professional career with the rookie-level Peoria Mariners, appearing in one game before being transferred to the Class-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on June 23. He went three-for-five with 2 runs scored, 1 double, and a season-high 4 RBIs on June 25 at Peoria. He recorded an RBI in five consecutive games, seven RBIs, from August 1 to 6. He recorded a season-high four hits on August 4, against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. He hit .353 with runners in scoring position. He participated in the Mariners 2007 Arizona Fall League.
He spent the 2008 season with the Class-A Advanced High Desert Mavericks, finishing tied for third among all Mariners' minor leaguers with 30 stolen bases. He recorded five hit streaks of seven-or-more games, including three season-high eight-game hitting streak, from April 26 to May 8, June 10 to 17 and June 21 to July 2. He had 36 multi-hit games, including two season-high four-hit games. He hit .326 with 10 runs, 10 extra-base hits and 12 RBI in 23 games in June. He hit first career grand slam on July 24 against the Inland Empire 66ers. He stole 12 bases in August. He was transferred to the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx on September 6 for the playoffs, going one for four with a double. After the season was over, McOwen played for the Waikiki BeachBoys in the Hawaii Winter League.
McOwen had a break-out season in 2009 with the Mavericks. He hit .340 with ten home runs with 82 RBIs and 13 stolen basses. On July 9, McOwen broke the California League consecutive games hit record with 45 games. It was the eighth longest hitting streak in Minor League Baseball history. He said this about the record about not continuing his record:
McOwen spent time with the Mariners in spring training, however, most of his time was spent in minor league camp in 2010. On April 3, McOwen dislocated his shoulder in a spring training game against the Colorado Rockies after he attempted to catch a double of the wall hit by the Rockies' Clint Barmes.
After the 2010 USA baseball season McOwen played in the inaugural Australian Baseball League season for the Adelaide Bite. He led the league in home runs, total bases, slugging percentage and OPS and was awarded the Silver Slugger award for the 2010–11 Australian Baseball League season. In the 2011-12 Australian season, McOwen is representing inaugural champions, Perth Heat. McOwen ran in the winning run in the 13th inning of the deciding match in the 2011-12 Australian season final for the Perth Heat.
He was released by Seattle Mariners on March 20, 2012 during spring training.
He signed with the Long Island Ducks for 2012.