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Saturday, December 10, 2011

Arizona signs former big-league OF Jason Lane as a LHP

A shocking transformation!

Jason Lane, who made six relief appearances when he wasn’t playing the outfield for Triple-A Las Vegas last season, will make a full-time move to the mound next season. The Diamondbacks have signed him to a minor league deal as a left-handed pitcher... He’ll play next year at 35, so it’s an awfully late conversion to the mound for the former USC Trojan. But his arm will certainly be fresh.

Overall, Lane is a .241/.314/.457 hitter with 61 homers in 1,208 major league at-bats. He came in at .291/.358/.460 with six homers in 213 at-bats for Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate last season. In his 13 innings on the mound, he had a 4.85 ERA and a 12/2 K/BB ratio…

The Diamondbacks will likely have right-hander Micah Owings back in their pen next year. It’d be fascinating to see the team try to pair the two once in a while: they could alternate between left field and the mound, with Owings facing righties and Lane taking on lefties.

The District Attorney Posted: December 10, 2011 at 12:22 AM | 11 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. Gotham Dave Posted: December 10, 2011 at 12:59 AM (#4012075)

Lane has some value as a hitter. Do the Diamondbacks have any interest in Brooks Kieschnicking him?

In any case this would definitely be the best hitting lefty-righty bullpen combo in history.

2. 1k5v3L

Posted: December 10, 2011 at 01:38 AM (#4012098)

I don't see how Lane can make the Dbacks bullpen next year, with Breslow and Paterson slotted as the two lefties there.

3. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) Posted: December 10, 2011 at 01:55 AM (#4012113)

The Diamondbacks will likely have right-hander Micah Owings back in their pen next year. It’d be fascinating to see the team try to pair the two once in a while: they could alternate between left field and the mound, with Owings facing righties and Lane taking on lefties.

This would make me so happy.

4. The District Attorney Posted: December 10, 2011 at 02:16 AM (#4012126)

Wouldn't it make more sense at 1B? Lane has been mostly an OF for a while now, but he did play 1B a good amount in the minors, and from what I gather, 1B is where Owings played most often in college. Last offseason, when the D-Backs talked about possibly using Owings in the field, it was at 1B. Also, you wouldn't be removing a Gold Glove fielder from the game that way.

5. PreservedFish Posted: December 10, 2011 at 02:26 AM (#4012129)

All you jerks with your contrived rules to "speed up the game" are going to prevent this from happening.

6. Gotham Dave Posted: December 10, 2011 at 03:16 AM (#4012185)

And Kirk Gibson will be denied the chance to be the new TLR.

7. LionoftheSenate (Pirates v A's World Series) Posted: December 10, 2011 at 06:40 AM (#4012333)

35? Wow. That happened fast.

8. Tricky Dick Posted: December 10, 2011 at 12:58 PM (#4012388)

When Lane was the starting right fielder for the Astros several years ago, I always wanted to see him come in to a blow out or long extra inning game as the position player who becomes the pitcher of last resort. But the situation never arose. The Astros said that Lane was a promising relief pitcher in college.

9. Accent Shallow Posted: December 10, 2011 at 02:49 PM (#4012417)

Is Lane the best hitter who's attempted to come back as a pitcher?

Usually seems these guys are minor leaguers hitting .220/.250/.310

10. Jay Seaver Posted: December 10, 2011 at 07:40 PM (#4012621)

I was going to say Mark Lemke, but... yikes. Was it only 20 years ago a guy with those offensive stats could stick on a major league roster if he played up the middle?

11. MM1f Posted: December 10, 2011 at 08:23 PM (#4012654)

I was going to say Mark Lemke, but... yikes. Was it only 20 years ago a guy with those offensive stats could stick on a major league roster if he played up the middle?

Middle infielders can stick on rosters today with poor bats. Adam Everett, Nick Punto, Yuni Betancourt, Alex Gonzalez, Alex Gonzalez, Ramon Santiago, ect

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Saturday, December 10, 2011

Arizona signs former big-league OF Jason Lane as a LHP

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