Ex-pitcher Adam Loewen makes it back to majors as outfielder - MLB

Former Orioles first-round pick Adam Loewen is back in the majors three years and a couple of months after giving up on pitching due to a series of arm problems. The Blue Jays called him up and will use him as a reserve outfielder for the rest of the season.

The 27-year-old Loewen has been with the Blue Jays since the Orioles released him following the 2008 season. Baltimore hoped to re-sign him then — he was released because he was on the 40-man roster yet had no hope of contributing in the short term — but he picked a return to his native Canada. He hit .236/.340/.355 with four homers for Single-A Dunedin in his first full season as an outfielder in 2009, .246/.351/.412 with 13 homers in Double-A in 2010 and .306/.377/.508 with 17 homers in Triple-A this year.

The big caveat there is that his Triple-A home games were in Las Vegas, a fabulous place for hitters. He hit .328/.414/.559 with 10 homers at home, compared to .284/.339/.458 in the rest of the PCL’s mostly hitter friendly ballparks. Also, he struck out 136 times in his 520 at-bats.

There is some hope for Loewen, though he doesn’t currently project as a major league regular. If he takes another step forward next year like he has the past two, he has a chance of making it as a platoon outfielder. The Jays will give him a few starts down the stretch to see if he’ll be worth keeping on the 40-man this winter. That he is out of options complicates things; he’ll have to clear waivers if he can’t make the team out of spring training next year.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — A bill introduced in the Nevada Legislature would give the Oakland Athletics up to $380 million for a potential 30,000 seat, $1.5 billion retractable roof stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

The bulk of the public funding would come from $180 million in transferable tax credits from the state and $120 million in county bonds, which can vary based on interest rate returns. Clark County also would contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

The A’s have been looking for a home to replace Oakland Coliseum, where the team has played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. The team had sought to build a stadium in Fremont, San Jose and finally the Oakland waterfront, all ideas that never materialized.

The plan in the Nevada Legislature won’t directly raise taxes. It can move forward with a simply majority vote in the Senate and Assembly. Lawmakers have a little more than a week to consider the proposal before they adjourn June 5, though it could be voted on if a special session is called.

The Athletics have agreed to use land on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, where the Tropicana Las Vegas casino resort sits. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has said he is disappointed the team didn’t negotiate with Oakland as a “true partner.”

Las Vegas would be the fourth home for a franchise that started as the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-54. It would become the smallest TV market in Major League Baseball and the smallest market to be home to three major professional sports franchises.

The team and Las Vegas are hoping to draw from the nearly 40 million tourists who visit the city annually to help fill the stadium. The 30,000-seat capacity would make it the smallest MLB stadium.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said a vote on the Oakland Athletics’ prospective move to Las Vegas could take place when owners meet June 13-15 in New York.

The plan faces an uncertain path in the Nevada Legislature. Democratic leaders said financing bills, including for the A’s, may not go through if Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoes the five budget bills, which he has threatened to do as many of his priorities have stalled or faded in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Under the bill, the Clark County Board of Commissioners would create a homelessness prevention and assistance fund along the stadium’s area in coordination with MLB and the Nevada Resort Association. There, they would manage funds for services, including emergency rental and utility assistance, job training, rehabilitation and counseling services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The lease agreement with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority would be up for renewal after 30 years.

Nevada’s legislative leadership is reviewing the proposal, Democratic state Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement.

“No commitment will be made until we have both evaluated the official proposal and received input from interested parties, including impacted community members,” Yeager said.