Not long after receiving the best news of his young professional career, Adam Loewen sat alone on a bus.
Leaving his Bowie Baysox uniform behind, the 22-year-old pitcher boarded a bus in Altoona, Pa., to catch a flight in Pittsburgh the next morning. He was headed to Seattle, where he would make his major league debut for the Orioles the next night against the Mariners.
The two-hour ride would give Loewen time to notify family and friends that he had finally gotten the call. But the driver got lost trying to navigate through the Pennsylvania night, leaving Loewen four hours to wrestle with his emotions. They ranged from excitement to pure disbelief.
It was, after all, just a year earlier when the routine act of throwing a fastball for a strike against a Single-A hitter had frustrated him so much that he wondered if he'd ever pitch in the major leagues.
"It always seemed so far away," Loewen said. "I remember when I was in Frederick, I had three of the nastiest outings you could have. I went to [pitching coach Scott McGregor] and said, `Scotty, you think the Orioles would let me hit? This is just not working out.' "
Seated at a Canton coffee shop early last week not far from the townhouse he shares with one of his best friends, Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis, the 6-foot-5 Loewen laughed as he recalled the story. For most of the past four months, he has tried not to think too much about the 2006 season, which was both highly surprising and largely successful.
He relied on some of the fonder memories when he needed extra motivation, like the time New York Yankees manager Joe Torre sought out the pitcher to congratulate him on a victory over his team. But he is ready to turn the page, and 2007 brings a new set of responsibilities and expectations.
Barring an injury or spring meltdown, Loewen has locked up a spot in the Orioles' rotation, quite a feat for someone who hadn't pitched above Single-A at this point last season. Many club officials and baseball prognosticators believe he and Daniel Cabrera could be key factors as the Orioles attempt to break their crippling stretch of nine straight losing seasons.
"I think that's true," said Loewen, who traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last week and will report to spring training with the rest of the Orioles' pitchers and catchers on Wednesday. Loewen lost 15 pounds this offseason to get down to 230 and says he's in the best shape of his life.
