Tigers Release Carlos Pena

[E.J.]

ESPN

 

Carlos Pena was unconditionally released Sunday by the Detroit Tigers after the first baseman struggled during spring training.

 

Pena batted .160 with one home run in 50 at-bats in exhibition games.

 

He split last season between Detroit and Triple-A Toledo. He hit .235 with 18 homers in 79 games with the Tigers and .311 with 12 homers with the Mud Hens.

 

Pena signed a $2.8 million, one-year contract that wasn't guaranteed and will receive $688,525 in termination pay.

 

Could be a decent pickup for some team. Don't see the Cubs being interested though.

[rawaction]

If he could just wing it in LF, he would be an awesome pickup. He hit .286, with 15 HRs and a .662 SLG after he came back from the minors this past season. The power numbers were 2nd to David Ortiz in that span. Near .850 OPS against RHPs last year.

 

I would love for the Cubs to get him for the bench, but it won't happen with his ability to only play 1b. His best fit seems to be as the LH platoon at DH for an AL Team.

[Mark Priors Calves]

I'd definitely take a look at him, but as Raw said, he's probably useless anywhere but 1B. He's only one season removed from an .810 OPS year. Not stellar, but not terrible either. If he could play LF/RF, I'd take him.

[Mark_R]

More time for Chris Shelton :D

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

For the right team, a great pick-up. But like Choi, he isn't the right fit for the Cubs. The Marlins should have some interest in him.

[NorthsideAvenger]

For the right team, a great pick-up. But like Choi, he isn't the right fit for the Cubs. The Marlins should have some interest in him.

 

I doubt it Vance, cause the Marlins already have Mike Jacobs penciled in at 1st, and another young kid in Jason Stokes in AAA, I believe. Now a team like Cincy, could use the kid. But man, I remember ESPN running a story on Carlos Pena being the best pure hitter in the "New England" area, I believe before the draft a few yrs back. Talk about being a bust.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

With Bagwell going back under the knife, he could be a possibility for Houston as well.

[NorthsideAvenger]

With Bagwell going back under the knife, he could be a possibility for Houston as well.

 

Don't they have "Fatboy Slim" Berkman, for the position, anyways? I prefer Berkman in the outfield, cause he is like Todd Hundley...they are fun to watch trying to be an "outfielder."

[YearofDaCubs]

More time for Chris Shelton :D

That's exactly what it is.

[Jehrico]

If the Angels were smart, they'd go after him. If he could stick there, they wouldn't be wasting a gold glove center fielder at 1B. They could either move Erstad back to the OF, or trade him for a pretty decent return.

[rawaction]

If the Angels were smart, they'd go after him. If he could stick there, they wouldn't be wasting a gold glove center fielder at 1B. They could either move Erstad back to the OF, or trade him for a pretty decent return.

 

Erstad's already slated to play CF. Or at the least him and Chone will share CF with Erstad also sharing 1B with Kotchman.

[Jehrico]

If the Angels were smart, they'd go after him. If he could stick there, they wouldn't be wasting a gold glove center fielder at 1B. They could either move Erstad back to the OF, or trade him for a pretty decent return.

 

Erstad's already slated to play CF. Or at the least him and Chone will share CF with Erstad also sharing 1B with Kotchman.

 

I hadn't kept up with them this offseason. It's about time they planned on moving him. I've never heard of any team taking a gold glover at a premium defensive position and sticking them at 1B. That sounds like a move Bowden would make, it's always puzzled me why the Angels did it.

[nilodnayr]

With Bagwell going back under the knife, he could be a possibility for Houston as well.

 

They already have a Carlos Pena...his name is Jason Lane. Cleveland or Cinci or even TB would be ideal destinations.

[BCVM22]

I hadn't kept up with them this offseason. It's about time they planned on moving him. I've never heard of any team taking a gold glover at a premium defensive position and sticking them at 1B. That sounds like a move Bowden would make, it's always puzzled me why the Angels did it.

 

My understanding was that the move was necessitated by injuries brought on by Erstad's extremely physical style of defense in the outfield. He only played 66 games, all in center field, in 2003, and I'm assuming he was then injured and moved to first base by the start of the 2004 season to reduce stress on his body. The Dodgers did something similar with Shawn Green in 2004 as he was coming back from shoulder surgery, having him play most of the season at first base rather than his native right field.

[Andy]

More time for Chris Shelton :D

As a guy who scooped Shelton in one of the final rounds in his fantasy draft...

 

:joker: Celebration!