Diamondbacks Player Spotlight: 2B Chris Owings
The middle infield picture was quite cloudy leading up to the beginning of the 2015 season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Chris Owings has fit the bill as a top-notch second baseman for the organization.
More from Heat Waved
- Arizona Coyotes: Slumping Strome Shipped to Chicago
- Arizona Cardinals Paid Sam Bradford $6.75 Million Per TD Pass
- Former Arizona Basketball Star Allonzo Trier Remarkably Efficient Lately
- Arizona Coyotes: How Coach Rick Tocchet Sparked His Offense
- Arizona State Basketball Has Two Transfers Ready to Compete
Owings has 43 of his 49 starts in 2015 at second base with six starts at short stop. Although the offensive numbers aren’t there (currently ranks dead last in the National League in On-Base Percentage amongst qualifiers) like they were last year Owings’ defensive ability at second has kept him in the lineup each day.
Not only is his defensive ability above-average at second base, but also at short stop. Being able to man both positions keeps Owings in the Diamondbacks lineup more often too. In 139 career starts Owings has started at short stop 75 times and he has started at second base 64 times for the Diamondbacks.
In 2014 Owings held a slash line of .261/.300/.406 with six home runs and 26 RBIs in 91 games. In 2015 Owings is currntly slashing .236/.252/.320 in 52 games (three games off of the bench) with two home runs and 15 RBIs.
Owings is also 7-for-7 on stolen base attempts to boost his career stolen base record to 17-for-18. Quite effective if you ask me.
The Gilbert High School alum is also effective on the Diamondbacks payroll as well as Owings is only making $512,500 in 2015 although he was drafted in the 1st round (41st overall) in 2009.
Owings will need his offensive numbers to improve if he wants to continue to be a part of the Diamondbacks lineup in future years. For the time being however Owings is a slightly better option than Aaron Hill up the middle for the Diamondbacks.