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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leave Dom in the minors - his head is not on straight. Anybody (even a Pirates reject) is an improvement over gload.— WR1978- WHat happened to Kaz Matsui? THat would have made me excited...we have 4 Bowker's in the minors already! I guess we can't get everything though. We will still win the World Series regardless!— dgabs
- sounds promising....gload has been injured all year and should have just gotten the surgury done along time ago.— psualum
- sounds promising....gload has been injured all year and should have just gotten the surgury done along time ago.— psualum
- Not sure this move impacts Dom Brown's spot on the postseason roster, I see him as a replacement for Gload. Brown would take the spot as one of the relievers, likely to be used as a pinch runner more than anything (don't think Charlie wants him in pressure pinch ABs late in post season games). My guess is they get Bowker some ABs in the next week (maybe even a start or two), and if he looks like they would expect, move Gload to the 60 day DL. If anything it helps create a move for Brown, as he could then be slotted into Gload's DL spot on the postseason roster, if I understand the rules correctly.— Phils Phan 28
- Wow, this will clinch the WS for us, what a great move. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!— jimmymack
- We have it way too good as Phils fans.... all of us wondering "what if". At least it is fun here, imagine being on a Mets comment board.— sillybilly
- I would have rather seen Jason Giambi here. Giambi would have been a good bad off the bench, even at age 40, and could have replaced Howard in the lineup once in a while.
- rolenfan sounds like an idiot. Brown isn't going any where. Do you think the Phils are the only team shuffling minor leaguers back and forth? Loyalty? They are still in the organization and will be recalled later. They don't need another RH bat anymore with Mayberry and Pence.— palmyra21
- Sell Brown while he still has relatively decent value. The kid is a farce.— gordon7
- bye bye gross load.— tockeyhockey
- Gload is obviously not healthy enough to take a roster spot in the postseason. He can (try to) hit, but he can't field or run and you end up burning another bench player if he manages to get on base.
Yeah, rolenfan...that Howard guy sure does stink. Six straight years over 100 RBI's, 29 HR's, much improved defense and conditioning.— akh - I didn't say Howard stinks. I just said he refused to changed his batting stance as his coaches suggeted as the othe other guy stated about Brown.— rolenfan
- Rube said Brown needs to get away from the game. He wouldn't have been of value so the move makes sense.— tpizza
- Has Amaro - and Gillick before him - ever NOT made an acquisition the day after saying they would not be making an acquisition? As soon as I read his "stand pat" comments yesterday it was clear a new face would arrive. Then Schwimmer gets sent back down to the minors...— frankenslade
