anyone know why he left?

Willie Harris is his mentor?

Well, with Young traded and Owens playing Wet Willie, I guess we know for sure now who is going to start in CF in 2006.

 

Brian Anderson, you are cleared for take off.

Here's the article:

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...tesox-headlines

If Perez and Harris are gone, and with plans to carry a 12-man pitching staff, the Sox's bench will have a new look.

 

Infielder Rob Mackowiak is able to play the outfield, so the Sox could opt for only one extra outfielder.

 

Switch-hitter Joe Borchard is out of options but went 3-for-4 in a pinch-hitting role last year. Borchard, 27, is out of minor-league options and must make the team out of spring training or be placed on waivers.

 

Borchard, however, might have caught a break because Jerry Owens, one of the organization's top outfield prospects, didn't please Sox officials when he left his Venezuelan League team to return home.

 

Owens was batting .356 in 180 at-bats and had 11 stolen bases for La Guaira, but Sox officials wanted to take a longer look at him as a potential backup outfielder on the Opening Day roster.

 

Sox third-base coach Joey Cora is La Guaira's manager, and Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is a Venezuelan resident in the off-season whom Owens impressed with his play in November.

This news came out a while ago (not the article but the fact that Owens left the league). He left when he was put on the 40-man roster in order to rest up and prepare for spring training. Cora and the Sox thought continuing to play in the league would best prepare him and kind of be an extended spring training look but Owens felt otherwise. He knows his body best and after a long season in the minors, I think he could use a little time off before returning for spring training. I don't think it will be a grudge held by the White Sox brass but you never know with Ozzie and KW.

Strange how Rotoworld just posted this:

 

Latest News Dec. 21, 2005 - 1:05 pm et

 

Jerry Owens didn't please White Sox officials when he left the Venezuelan Winter League to return home.

Owens put in a full minor league season and had nothing more to prove in Venezuela after hitting .356 in 180 at-bats. If this makes it less likely that he'll get a chance to beat out Brian Anderson for a starting job, well, it's a competition he should have lost anyway.

Source:  Chicago Tribune

Edited December 21, 200520 yr by SSH2005

This news came out a while ago (not the article but the fact that Owens left the league).  He left when he was put on the 40-man roster in order to rest up and prepare for spring training.  Cora and the Sox thought continuing to play in the league would best prepare him and kind of be an extended spring training look but Owens felt otherwise.  He knows his body best and after a long season in the minors, I think he could use a little time off before returning for spring training.  I don't think it will be a grudge held by the White Sox brass but you never know with Ozzie and KW.

 

That was Charles Haeger. Owens had continued to play after he was added.

 

Owens was still there... Looking at the leagues homepage, it appears that they may be in the playoffs right now. http://www.lvbp.com/ I can't read spanish, but I see the word playoff.

 

And if they're not about to finish up with their playoffs... Let's be honest here, it's 4 days until Christmas. With all the stories you've heard about Venezuela, would you want to spend the Holidays there? f*** no. You'd go home to be with your family and hope you don't get carjacked on the way to the airport.

That was Charles Haeger. Owens had continued to play after he was added.

 

Owens was still there... Looking at the leagues homepage, it appears that they may be in the playoffs right now. http://www.lvbp.com/ I can't read spanish, but I see the word playoff.

 

And if they're not about to finish up with their playoffs... Let's be honest here, it's 4 days until Christmas. With all the stories you've heard about Venezuela, would you want to spend the Holidays there? f*** no. You'd go home to be with your family and hope you don't get carjacked on the way to the airport.

 

Not if I could possibly spend it with Joey Cora and Ozzie Guillen......

Not if I could possibly spend it with Joey Cora and Ozzie Guillen......

Guillen practices Santaria, you better hide your pet chicken.

Not if I could possibly spend it with Joey Cora and Ozzie Guillen......

Guillen practices Santaria, you better hide your pet chicken.

Guillen practices Santaria, you better hide your pet chicken.

 

 

/homersimpson "It's funny cause it's true."

That was Charles Haeger. Owens had continued to play after he was added.

 

Owens was still there... Looking at the leagues homepage, it appears that they may be in the playoffs right now. http://www.lvbp.com/ I can't read spanish, but I see the word playoff.

 

And if they're not about to finish up with their playoffs... Let's be honest here, it's 4 days until Christmas. With all the stories you've heard about Venezuela, would you want to spend the Holidays there? f*** no. You'd go home to be with your family and hope you don't get carjacked on the way to the airport.

Even if Owens did leave, it says he had 180 ABs. Thats a lot for winter ball. Could be a case of 'mission accomplished, I'm going home to see my Mama for Christmas'. Cora might just be PO'd about losing his best player. We need one of our Latin guys to figure this out for us.

He is not listed on the roster anymore, but he put up some good numbers:

 

BAA .356

OBP .429

Hits 64

ABs 180

Runs 29

RBIs 21

SBs 11

Trips 4

 

He was definitely one of the top 5 players in the league.

 

Roster Link:

http://www.tiburonesdelaguaira.com.ve/cmae...profesional.php

 

Stats Link:

http://www.tiburonesdelaguaira.com.ve/cmae...profesional.php

 

FYI, Jonrones are Homeruns and Bases Robadas are Stolen bases.

 

Haeger also had one of the highest BB/9IP ratios at 4.74, and the lowest SO/9IP ratios at 3.50 - ouch!