Jerry Lee Owens (born February 16, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He played parts of four seasons in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) with the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
from 2006 to 2009.
Owens announced his retirement from professional baseball in November 2016 while playing for the
Naranjeros de Hermosillo
The Naranjeros de Hermosillo ( en, Hermosillo Orange Growers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican Pacific League based in Hermosillo, Sonora. The Naranjeros are one of the most successful teams in the league with 16 titles and they we ...
of the
Mexican Pacific League
The Mexican Pacific League (), known as Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons or simply LMP for its acronym in Spanish, is a professional baseball winter league based in Northern Mexico. The ten-team regular season schedule run ...
.
Amateur career
Owens graduated from
Hart High School in California, where he played
wide receiver on the championship football team with
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
quarterback
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller (born June 17, 1981) is a former American football quarterback. After playing college football for California, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round (19th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played for the Rav ...
. In high school, Owens was named to numerous All-America teams and was an elite recruit. Owens originally attended the
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
, but later transferred to
The Master's College
The Master's University is a private non-denominational Christian university in Santa Clarita, California.
History
The college was founded in 1927. It was originally named Los Angeles Baptist College and Seminary. In 1961, it moved to Newhal ...
in California after several injuries and a revelation. At The Master's College, he was named the Small College All-American Outfielder for 2003.
Professional career
Montreal Expos minor league system
Owens was selected by the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
in the second round (57th overall) of the
2003 Major League Baseball draft. Owens first was sent to play Single-A baseball with the
Vermont Expos
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...
of the
New York–Penn League
The New York–Penn League (NYPL) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the northeastern United States from 1939 to 2020. Classified as a Class A Short Season league, its season started in June, after major-league teams signed th ...
in 2003. However, he only played two games with the team, going 1-for-8 (.125) with a stolen base.
In , Owens advanced to the Single-A
Savannah Sand Gnats
The Savannah Sand Gnats were a minor league baseball team based in Savannah, Georgia. They were a member of the A-level South Atlantic League. The Sand Gnats were an affiliate of the New York Mets in their final nine seasons. The team relocated ...
of the
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
. Owens burst onto the scouting scene by posting some impressive numbers, including a .292 batting average and 30
stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...
s in 108 games.
Chicago White Sox
On February 13, 2005, Owens was traded to the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
for outfielder
Alex Escobar
Alexander José Escobar ss-COE-bar(born September 6, 1978) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.
Career
Escobar was signed by the Mets as a non-draft amateur free agent in and made his debut in . At the end of the season, he was tra ...
. Owens spent with the Double-A
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a Minor League Baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and plays at Regions Field in downtown Birmingham. The current ...
of the
Southern League. He had a sensational season, batting .331 with two home runs, 52 RBI and 38 stolen bases in 130 games.
Owens was named a Southern League All-Star outfielder and he also led the league in
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
.
In
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
for the White Sox in 2006, Owens had to compete with
Brian Anderson for the job of center fielder, but White Sox general manager
Kenny Williams stated that Owens would probably not get the job because he had a shoulder injury a few years before.
Owens was put on the White Sox' extended 40-man roster, and was optioned back to the International League with the Triple-A
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field, which opened in 20 ...
. He batted .262 with four home runs and 48 RBI in 112 games, and showed development in his base-stealing, stealing 40 bases and being caught only 12 times.
Owens was called up and made his major league debut as a
pinch runner
In baseball, a pinch runner is a player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing another player on base. The pinch runner may be faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been sub ...
on September 11, 2006 against the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
. His first start came on September 27, a game in which he collected both his first
hit
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from ''Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization in ...
and
stole his first base as a major leaguer.
Owens started the 2008 regular season on the fifteen-day
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
after an
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves ...
revealed a slight tear in his right
adductor muscle A adductor muscle is any muscle that causes adduction. It may refer to:
Humans
* Adductor muscles of the hip, the most common reference in humans, but may also refer to
** Adductor brevis muscle, a muscle in the thigh situated immediately behind ...
.
Seattle Mariners
Owens was considered for the center field job vacated by
Ken Griffey Jr.
George Kenneth Griffey Jr. (born November 21, 1969), nicknamed "Junior" and "the Kid", is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played 22 years in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the Seattle Marin ...
for the 2009 season, but the White Sox released him on May 2 after he batted .083 in 12 games. He then signed a minor league contract with the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
the next day. Playing for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, the
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960. ...
, he went on to lead the Rainiers with a .323 average, and also hit three home runs, recorded 37 RBI and stole 23 bases in 100 games.
Washington Nationals
On December 8, 2009, the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
signed Owens to a minor league contract with an invitation to
Spring Training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
. He did not play during the 2010 season.
Lancaster Barnstormers
After three years out of baseball, Owens signed with the
Lancaster Barnstormers
The Lancaster Barnstormers (colloquially known as the Stormers) are an American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league ...
for the 2013 season. He finished the season batting .341 with two home runs and 48 RBI in 117 games.
Mexican Baseball League (LMB)
Owens first signed with the
Piratas de Campeche
The Piratas de Campeche (English: Campeche Pirates) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League (LMB) based in Campeche, Campeche, Mexico.
History
In 1980, the Alacranes de Durango moved to Campeche, and played their home games at Ven ...
in May 2013. He appeared in seven games for them during the 2013 season, batting .194 before he was released in early June.
Owens later was assigned to the
Tigres de Quintana Roo
The Quintana Roo Tigers (), formerly known as the Mexico (City) Tigers () are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The team is part of the Southern Division (). The team has won twelve champio ...
for both the 2014 and 2016 seasons, appearing in 19 and 23 games, respectively.
Mexican Pacific League (LMP)
Owens played with the
Naranjeros de Hermosillo
The Naranjeros de Hermosillo ( en, Hermosillo Orange Growers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican Pacific League based in Hermosillo, Sonora. The Naranjeros are one of the most successful teams in the league with 16 titles and they we ...
of the
Mexican Pacific League
The Mexican Pacific League (), known as Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons or simply LMP for its acronym in Spanish, is a professional baseball winter league based in Northern Mexico. The ten-team regular season schedule run ...
(Winter League) for four seasons, starting in 2013-14. The club won the league championship that year, with Owens playing a key role in the team's success. He won the league batting title, impressing in his first year with a .361 average, 90 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, a home run and 29 RBI in 61 games played.
Owens announced his retirement from professional baseball in the middle of his fourth season with the team on November 14, 2016, citing that he wasn't at the physical level necessary to continue his playing career.
References
External links
CBS Sportsline
{{DEFAULTSORT:Owens, Jerry
1981 births
Living people
African-American baseball players
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Baseball players from California
Birmingham Barons players
Charlotte Knights players
Chicago White Sox players
Lancaster Barnstormers players
Major League Baseball center fielders
Major League Baseball left fielders
Mexican League baseball center fielders
Naranjeros de Hermosillo players
People from Hollywood, Los Angeles
Peoria Javelinas players
Piratas de Campeche players
Savannah Sand Gnats players
Scottsdale Scorpions players
Tacoma Rainiers players
Tigres de Quintana Roo players
The Master's Mustangs baseball players
UCLA Bruins baseball players
UCLA Bruins football players
Vermont Expos players
21st-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century African-American people