Home Runs - Carlos Pena's Return Terrific Deal For Rays - Sweetspot Blog - Espn

The Dan Johnson 's property manage golf ball and somehow located $7.5 million for you to hint free-agent earliest baseman Carlos Pena .

I enjoy it.

Pena delivers a electrical power bat to the heart of the Tampa Bay order although he isn't going to come without risk, your inclusion of the male nobody can hit twenty five to 30 home runs , bring ninety days corners and play a excellent first put faitth on will help solidify a lineup that required one more significant bat. Here's a peek at what exactly Tampa's lineup could glance like:

LF Desmond Jennings CF 2B including a burn catcher. I listed Guyer along with Canzler inside the lineups mainly because I feel Joe Maddon will have to make best use of that flexibility to get the best outside of this specific roster.

Carlos Pena #22 1B Tampa Bay Rays

2011 STATS

GM153

HR28

RBI80

R72

OBP.357

AVG.225

With Pena, that has the particular suggestion that will they develop into some sort of platoon player. His total tier within 2011 seemed to be dragged along through an anemic .133 normal towards left-handed pitching. But they click .255/.388/.504 alongside right-handers. Even considering the very poor splits against his / her lefties, his overall .357 on-base number can have ranked second upon the actual Rays in 2011, lurking behind solely that now-departed earliest baseman Casey Kotchman . Minor league expert Canzler will be a nice, inexpensive platoon regarding Pena. He make .314/.401/.530 at Triple-A Durham, women and men crucial is he has been not simply a first baseman: He gamed third, right, still left and also primary for the Bulls. In additional words, a perfect Maddon counter player.

Like Pena, Joyce in all probability has to be platooned; he or she has an .867 vocation OPS alongside righties but .601 alongside lefties (.657 in 2011 around tips eating plan appearances). But Guyer offers a further pleasant platoon option. Like Canzler, he is an older modest leaguer, but the guy can hit, .312/.384/.521 during Durham, such as .346 against lefties. Most professionals are usually averse for you to making use of platoons right now due to the fact their benches are already limited as a result of prefer to transport twelve or perhaps thirteen pitchers. But Maddon has been implementing multi-position platoons for a long time throughout Tampa; it's simply just yet another reason they've the best administrator hanging around today.

There is a threat by using Pena. He reach 28 home runs in 2011 playing throughout hitter-friendly Wrigley Field; he'll go on to a healthier household run park for the Trop. Pena, however, did reach much superior driving with 2011 (.855 OPS as opposed to .780) of course , if an individual examine his household work rides and distances at Hit Tracker Online , Pena doesn't make many low-cost home runs . When your dog connects it truly is heading out connected with pretty much almost any ballpark. Of his / her twenty eight bombs, solely a couple of were being labeled since "just enough."

As for Kotchman, I would certainly imagine he'll locate a job anywhere you want soon after hitting .306 having a .378 OBP. But that is definitely simply no guarantee; regardless of those numbers, Rays earliest basemen (Kotchman played 146 games) accomplished very last inside the majors within together works have scored (52) along with RBIs (51). The Indians remain the sole group together with a great clear first-base opening as they quite simply you should not glimpse committed to Matt LaPorta ; maybe the Yankees or Tigers consider your pet to get a DH role.

The Rays may have been recently unveiled to check out if Pena or maybe Kotchman droped to them, however I assume many people brought in the greater player. If Pena and also Scott can combine pertaining to forty five to help 50 household extends (the Rays got only 28 beyond primary foundation as well as DH within 2011) this can be a lineup that may outscore past season's total associated with 707 runs.