Jamie McOwen’s hitting streak ends at 45 games

Jamie McOwen a 23-year-old outfielder in the Seattle Mariners’ farm system at Class-A High Desert had a 45-game hitting streak, the longest in the minor leagues since 1954, ended Friday night. The minor league record is Joe Wilhoit’s 69 with the Wichita Wolves in the Class-A Western League in 1919. Joe DiMaggio had a 61-game streak for the 1933 San Francisco Seals. . . . That Erik Bedard trade just keeps looking better for the Baltimore Orioles. Their last two All-Stars (center fielder Adam Jones and left-hander George Sherrill) were acquired in that deal in February 2008, and they’re not even considered the best players from the trade. Chris Tillman, a 21-year-old right-hander who will pitch in today’s Futures Game, has a 2.50 earned-run average in triple A. . . . San Diego Padres General Manager Kevin Towers admits he made a mistake not re-signing Mike Cameron after 2007 and called the outfielder one of the “great leaders” in the clubhouse. . . . It happens every summer -- Major League Baseball asks Ichiro Suzuki to participate in the Home Run Derby, and he declines. . . . Oakland Athletics outfielder Matt Holliday’s trade value continues to dip. . . . The Cleveland Indians are getting calls about Victor Martinez as well as Cliff Lee. They would listen if anyone wanted to get closer Kerry Wood, who is signed through 2010. . . . The Florida Marlins will miss Alfredo Amezaga, who is expected to be out the rest of the season after knee surgery. He was the top fielder for an otherwise brutal infield. . . . B.J. Upton’s steal of home Wednesday was the third of the Tampa Bay Rays star’s career, tying him for the most among active players. The others are Alex Rodriguez, Torii Hunter, Gary Sheffield and Omar Vizquel. . . . At 42, Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield becomes the second-oldest player to make an All-Star team for the first time. Satchel Paige was 46 when he made the 1952 game, four years after his major league debut. . . . Rays first baseman Carlos Pena, who leads the American League with 23 home runs, is about to become the first AL home run leader not in an All-Star game since Mickey Tettleton in 1993.