Adam

Loewen

The 20-year-old left-hander felt a pinch in his pitching shoulder and will fly to Baltimore to be checked out by Orioles’ doctors next week. Loewen, the Orioles’ first round pick in the 2002 draft, will throw in the Arizona Fall League if everything is deemed OK with his shoulder.

The Orioles do not believe that there is anything seriously wrong with their 20-year-old left-hander, and fully expect him to begin pitching in the Arizona Fall League at the end of the month.

Loewen’s shoulder responded to a throwing program and he will begin baseball activities in January. He should begin next season at Single-A Frederick.

''There are no problems at all,’' he said yesterday. ''I’m 100 percent for sure.’' It might be too early to call him 100 percent, but that Loewen has no soreness is a great sign. He’ll probably open the season at Single-A Frederick.

Loewen would have been one of the first cuts even had he been effective this spring, but of the seven hitters he faced, he walked six and hit one. Casanova is the first player to be eliminated from the competition to back up Javy Lopez. Geronimo Gil, Keith Osik and Bill Haselman remain in the running.

Loewen was Baltimore’s top pick in 2002 who signed just before the 2003 draft. He is 0-2 with a 2.70 ERA over 23 1/3 innings at Single-A Aberdeen after throwing 59 innings for Chipola Junior College. The O’s are merely hoping to prevent the kind of arm injury that has derailed so many of their young pitching prospects.

He has a strained ribcage muscle, and the Orioles don’t want to take any chances with one of the top pitching prospects. Loewen, who has 3.48 ERA and a 24/31 walk to strikeout ratio over 33 2/3 innnings in A-Ball, is expected to miss only the one start.

Loewen was a scratch in his last two starts for Single-A Delmarva due to the injury. The fourth-overall pick in the 2002, who has been a tad wild this season (24 BB in 33 2/3 innings), will be out of action until at least the middle of June.

He gave six hits and two walks while striking out three. The left-hander had pitched well in two of three starts entering the game. One of those quality outings was against the Yankees, also his next opponent. However, he’s too risky to play in AL-only leagues until he gets some easier matchups.

Todd Williams and LaTroy Hawkins finished up the one-hitter. Loewen struck out eight and walked five in what was easily his most impressive outing to date. He retired 11 straight during one stretch. The lone hit was a clean single from Bobby Abreu in the first inning. Loewen’s performance today will help keep him in the rotation with Daniel Cabrera and Hayden Penn seemingly about ready to rejoin the Orioles. AL-only leaguers still won’t want to use him with a start at Fenway Park up next.