Who is Henry Owens? Unlike Finch, the mystical made-up character out of a 1985 Sports Illustrated article, Owens, 26, is real, a 6-3, 230-pound righthander.

"I am the classic underdog story, a non-drafted free agent," Owens says with a quick smile. "I hope it turns out well. One day I'd love to write a book. This is an exciting time."

The first chapter is complete. As pitching coach Rick Peterson notes, "Henry is intriguing."

Owens consistently throws in the mid to upper 90s and has been clocked at 100 mph. How Amazin' is that?

Up until a few years ago, Owens had no pro aspirations and had never pitched in his life. He was a part-time Division II catcher, who was studying to become a doctor.

Owens attended Barry University in Miami Shores, a school known for its academics, not its baseball, and earned a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in chemistry.

"My focus was going to medical school," Owens explains. "At the time I was very interested in orthopedics but as I did more volunteer work at hospitals, I found that I was also interested in pediatrics and emergency medicine."

A Pirate scout, Delvy Santiago, loved his arm, though, and plans changed in 2001.

"The Pirates signed me as a pitcher and I had never pitched before, not even in high school or Little League," Owens says.

The Mets stole Owens away from the Pirates in the 2004 minor league Rule 5 draft, a season Owens struggled with injuries. Owens spent last year at Class A St. Lucie. He finished 2-5 with a 3.15 ERA and four saves. Owens struck out 74 batters over 541/3 innings. Then he went to winter ball, going 2-1 with a 2.50 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 24 innings. That's 111 strikeouts in 781/3 innings. That's impressive.

Owens was put on the 40-man roster in November, and Omar Minaya is watching.

"He threw well in Puerto Rico and the thing about him is that he has really developed a second pitch, a slider, and he's got deception with a power arm," the GM says. "I'm not afraid to bring guys up; if you can throw strikes and you can have deception, that's a great advantage."

You can be sure Owens is in the future bullpen plans. A 100-mph fastball with deception opens that door.

Says Peterson, "The bottom line for a hitter is that he has to see the ball, and when you have a pitcher who makes it more difficult to see the ball, obviously it makes it more difficult to hit. Then you look at the kind of stuff he has, and you look at where he came from last year - when we were sitting here a year ago, if anybody had said last year that Henry Owens would be in big league camp next spring - that to me is what's most exciting.

"When you see people start to realize their dreams, and you have someone who's bright and he's got the physical talent to go along with it and can now share a lockerroom with Pedro Martinez and Tommy Glavine and Billy Wagner, three future Hall of Famers, that's a terrific experience," Peterson says. "It's one thing to go to Disney to see Mickey Mouse, but if you can go to Mickey Mouse's lockerroom and hang out with him, that's really special."

Catcher Joe Hietpas says Owens has something besides talent and brains.

"Henry likes the ball when the game is on the line, that's the intangible thing," Hietpas explains. "That's a mentality you can't teach."

Owens lives for the challenge.

"It's fun to get the better of hitters," he says. "Hitters tell me they don't really see my ball coming out because I throw from a slot where most pitchers don't throw from."

Is it a catcher's slot?

"I guess," Owens says, "maybe even a little weirder. It looks sometimes like the ball is coming out of my throat. The guys give me a hard time, saying, 'He throws a 100 from his Adam's apple.'

To be in big league camp and watch Wagner throw is a thrill.

"I hope to mirror my game after him somewhat," Owens says. "He has a similar arm action, he's from the left side, I'm from the right side. The velocity is similar. I would love to learn as much from him as I can.

"I'm still so raw, I need to learn," Owens adds. "I want to be the best at what I do."

Someday, Henry Owens just might become a doctor of pitching.

kevin.kernan@....