Carlos Pena

[StarlinOnYou]

Posting a .514 OPS

 

After last years sub .200 BA, how long do we keep running this guy out there? I know there are not many options in the system, but is there any chance he's still around post all star break?

[Schwarber Fan]

hitting the ball harder lately

 

I think when the weather heats up, so will he.

[XZero771679666304]

hitting the ball harder lately

 

I think when the weather heats up, so will he.

 

He's hit the ball hard quite a bit, not just lately. I don't know his babip or LD% off hand, but the eyeball test tells be he's hit into quite a bit of bad luck.

[Bote McBoteface]

Without looking at stats it seems he's getting on base a lot and hitting the ball hard quite a bit. He's also been battling a bad thumb pretty much all season, and the defense he plays at first is very valuable with our infield. As far as how long we keep running him out there, I'd say 5+ months, barring injury.

[Soul]

Who else would we throw out there anyway?

 

It's not like we've got this incredible option just waiting to be unveiled.

[erik316wttn]

Who else would we throw out there anyway?

 

It's not like we've got this incredible option just waiting to be unveiled.

 

You are wrong.

 

That option's name is Tyler Colvin

[pitchcs]

I can live with Pena and he's gonna hit 20 HR's but let's just be happy it's a 1-year deal

[CUBZ99]

hitting the ball harder lately

 

I think when the weather heats up, so will he.

 

He's hit the ball hard quite a bit, not just lately. I don't know his babip or LD% off hand, but the eyeball test tells be he's hit into quite a bit of bad luck.

 

Surprisingly his BABIP is .290 which is higher than his career average. His 37.5% K rate is pitiful. It looks like he is playing truly as bad as his numbers indicate and if anything is a bit luckier than he has been in previous years.

 

Colvin on the other hand is sporting a BABIP of .129. I wouldn't mind seeing Quade give Colvin a week of starts and see what happens. It is too early to give up on Pena, but if he doesn't perform I would like to see someone else get a shot.

[TruffleShuffle]

i'd like him to get it together enough that a team sees him as a viable lefty power bat off the bench and trades for him at the deadline when we're 12 games out.

[rocket]

i guess the lesson is if tampa bay is willing to part with a player, that should be a red flag.

[Guest]

i'd like him to get it together enough that a team sees him as a viable lefty power bat off the bench and trades for him at the deadline when we're 12 games out.

 

 

12 games behind who, exactly?

[Little Slide Rooter]

i guess the lesson is if tampa bay is willing to part with a player, that should be a red flag.

 

Rarely will Tampa trade a productive player, but they usually dont have a problem letting FAs walk.

[nolanwood]

i guess the lesson is if tampa bay is willing to part with a player, that should be a red flag.

 

Rarely will Tampa trade a productive player, but they usually dont have a problem letting FAs walk.

 

Garza

[SouthSideRyan]

i'd like him to get it together enough that a team sees him as a viable lefty power bat off the bench and trades for him at the deadline when we're 12 games out.

 

 

12 games behind who, exactly?

 

We're bad!! Just go with it.

[rynefan]

I can live with Pena and he's gonna hit 20 HR's but let's just be happy it's a 1-year deal

 

That's pretty much how I feel about it. It's early, but I'm really hoping he comes around.

[TruffleShuffle]

i'd like him to get it together enough that a team sees him as a viable lefty power bat off the bench and trades for him at the deadline when we're 12 games out.

 

 

12 games behind who, exactly?

 

Hopefully every other team in the division

[illiniguy]

i'd like him to get it together enough that a team sees him as a viable lefty power bat off the bench and trades for him at the deadline when we're 12 games out.

 

 

12 games behind who, exactly?

 

Hopefully every other team in the division

Who are you wanting to pick next year?

[dew1679666265]

Surprisingly his BABIP is .290 which is higher than his career average. His 37.5% K rate is pitiful. It looks like he is playing truly as bad as his numbers indicate and if anything is a bit luckier than he has been in previous years.

 

Colvin on the other hand is sporting a BABIP of .129. I wouldn't mind seeing Quade give Colvin a week of starts and see what happens. It is too early to give up on Pena, but if he doesn't perform I would like to see someone else get a shot.

 

Pena's BABIP is now at .265, slightly below his career average. His LD% is a little higher than his career average, meaning he's been slightly unlucky. Not significantly enough to explain his poor performance so far, however. Colvin, on the other hand, only has a .125 BABIP, but also just an 8.8 LD%. He's just not hitting the ball hard so far.

 

Pena's OBP is fine considering the awful batting average. He's got a .141 IsoD, he just isn't slugging the ball at all. I haven't watched many games this year, but the fact that he's hit flyballs 40% of the time and has no home runs makes me wonder if he's either getting unlucky on fly balls or if an injury is taking just enough power away that he's not driving the ball as well.

 

He's never going to have a high average, but if he can keep walking at anywhere near his current pace and get a few of those flyballs to leave the yard, he'll be valuable enough. He's certainly not been productive so far, but I don't see any options that are likely to be better than Pena can be. I'd stick with him.

[SweetZombieJesus]

i guess the lesson is if tampa bay is willing to part with a player, that should be a red flag.

 

Rarely will Tampa trade a productive player, but they usually dont have a problem letting FAs walk.

 

Garza

 

Randy Wells is better.

[Soul]

He's just not hitting the ball hard so far.

 

This is a big, big problem though. (sorry to pick one sentence from your well-constructed post).

 

Pena absolutely MUST slug or he's worthless.

 

Thank God he's only here one year. We've got nothing else, so it's him this year and that's probably it.

[Hawk4Hall]

I didn't like his contract (10 million) when he signed and certainly don't now. He's off to a terrible start and needs to pick it up. Thankfully it's early and he has some time. If this continues through next month you really have to take a look at other options. He's a power hitter with no power right now and only 5 RBI's through 55 AB's.

[Guest]

i'd like him to get it together enough that a team sees him as a viable lefty power bat off the bench and trades for him at the deadline when we're 12 games out.

 

 

12 games behind who, exactly?

 

Hopefully every other team in the division

Who are you wanting to pick next year?

 

Not a good draft next year.

 

Kenny Diekroeger (a SS at Stanford but probably a 2B in the pros) or Jake Barrett (a RHP at Arizona St) are probably the top college prospects in 2012.

[Soul]

I didn't like his contract (10 million) when he signed and certainly don't now. He's off to a terrible start and needs to pick it up. Thankfully it's early and he has some time. If this continues through next month you really have to take a look at other options. He's a power hitter with no power right now and only 5 RBI's through 55 AB's.

 

Yeah I hate to get on his case in April, but no power at all is not up to expectations.

 

He needs to start hitting the ball hard. Soon.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm not for benching the guy, but I am all for moving him down in the lineup. Soriano and Soto would both be better suited for the 5 spot in the lineup at this point.

[nolanwood]

i guess the lesson is if tampa bay is willing to part with a player, that should be a red flag.

 

Rarely will Tampa trade a productive player, but they usually dont have a problem letting FAs walk.

 

Garza

 

Randy Wells is better.

 

Better at what?