Owens hopes to be playing for Hurdle soon

Rudy Owens may have been cut from minor league camp on Saturday morning, but it won’t be much longer until Pirate fans see him pitching again –in Pittsburgh.

Owens, who won the organizations minor league pitcher of the year award in the past two seasons, will start the 2011 season in Triple-A Indianapolis.

“I think if we can get a couple things down with Rudy — and Rudy has shown an ability to do that relatively quickly — then yes, I think that sometime this year, he could be ready,” said Kyle Stark, the Pirates’ director of player development.

“Sometime this year, I will be ready, yes,” Owens said. “I learned a lot from myself [these past two years], and I learned a lot from other hitters, by just observing the game while I’m pitching. I trust my mechanics and trust my stuff, and know that I know how to get people out.”

Owens was drafted in the 26^th round by the Pirates in the 2006 draft. The 23-year-old lefty went 12-6 with a 2.46 ERA with Double-A Altoona last year. He struck out 132 batters in 150 innings, walking just 23.

Owens allowed three runs on six hits this spring through four innings (two games) and walked two.

“I’ve had a lot of fun out here,” Owens said. “I’ve learned a lot from the older guys. That’s what I came here to do — I came here to learn and make an impression on Clint while I’m here. Hopefully I’ll be playing for him soon, sometime this season. My main goal was to come here and learn how it goes and watch the other guys.”