Phillies announce deal for Bowker
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Phillies announce deal for Bowker
Daily News staff
The Phillies formally announced the acquisiton of outfielder John Bowker from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Bowker will be selected to the major league roster and is expected to be in uniform for tonight’s game in Cincinnati against the Reds.
The trade was first reported by CSNphilly.com last night.
Bowker, 28, has spent the majority of the 2011 season with Triple-A Indianapolis, where he batted .306 with 27 doubles, 15 home runs and 76 RBI in 106 games. Among International League batters, he ranked seventh in hits (129), eighth in batting average and tied for eighth in RBI.
A left-handed batter, Bowker hit .336 against right-handed pitching for Indianapolis with 12 of his 15 home runs.
In 19 major league games for the Pirates this year (all in April), he hit .235 (4-17) with a double and two RBI. Sixteen of his 17 at-bats came as a pinch-hitter.
As a pinch-hitter in the major leagues, Bowker has a .301 (22-73) career average with four doubles, two triples, one home run and 12 RBI.
Originally selected by the San Francisco Giants in the third round of the 2004 draft out of Long Beach State University, Bowker is a career .237 hitter at the major league level with 25 doubles, five triples, 17 home runs and 73 RBI in 228 games for the Giants (2008-10) and Pirates (2010-11). He has played 73 games at first base, 36 in right field and 25 in left field.
To make room for Bowker on the 25-man roster, the Phillies optioned right-hander Michael Schwimer to triple-A Lehigh Valley following last night’s game and to make room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred right-hander Jose Contreras to the 60-day disabled list.
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Gload got 1 hit vs the Mets on 8/24. If I recall correctly, that was his first hit since late July. He's bad, but not really much worse than a couple of the other bench players. Martinez- 4 hits in his last 10 games and Francisco- 4 hits in his last 10 games, with 3 coming in 1 game. So, we obviously need all the bench help we can get. Gload is only the worst of a trio of underperforming bench players.— pajamas- Strange move. Don't quite get it.— andrewfrombrooklyn
- @dgabs: On the assumption your Kaz Matsui question referred to Hideki Matsui, he's playing for the A's. He has some 476 plate appearances this season so they obviously have some use for him.
He's hit .344 since the All-star game, with a slg % of .500
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/matsuhi01.shtml— judas_priest 
Comment removed.- so he could not make it with the Pirates?— Paul Deon
- Wow, 50 comments already about a trade for the 25th man on the roster. Only in Philly!— paradeorbust
- Wow, what a steal.— PhightinPhil
- Why was Gload not placed on IR 3 months ago???— tulsaphil
- Can't wait to see the new guy! Anyone is an upgrade over Gload. The guy should have had surgery....that was managements fault...should not have allowed him to play hurt.— Phillyfan666
- Love the in depth arguments about this guy vs Moss vs Brown. You may as well argue Babe Ruth should have been signed. If this move matters AT ALL, we're all sad watching someone else's parade in November.— GNIKGNARLY
- Gee, all this crying over an "extra guy,"as Greg Gross used to call himself back in the day. He's a bat at the end of the bench, not a replacement for anyone. Bowker costs them nothing.— mike l
- you know a lot of the moves that they are doing now are aimed at post season play and matchups. what players and pitchers match up against the potential teams we are going to play. i don't know how bowker fits into those plans but i trust RAJ enough to believe he, along with his advisers, know what they are doing. to think that we are not going to post season and to the WS because we got this guy is beyond ludicrous. my hope is that when he realizes the opportunity he was just given he will rise to the occasion. this could be another feel good story.— atimelost
- How high must Bowker be after getting the news on this? To go from the Pirates, (who actually did way better than expected) to the first place and WS favorites has to feel great. My guess is that they brought him in cause he an hit both lefties and righties. He also probably has that certain intensity and personality that the Phils look for, a la Pence, Utley, etc. Players that really love to play the game right. Don't be surprised if this guy surprises.— Tiller
- Say goodbye to Ross Gload. They just got somebody to do his job next year for a lot less money.— Grapost
- That was a smart play by Philly fan only if he's 12 years old.— Don w
