Carlos Peña Career Tracker

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Peña signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on February 1, 2007. He was also invited to Spring Training. Peña played in 23 games during Spring Training and batted .255 with no home runs and 4 RBIs. With his disappointing performance, the Devil Rays reassigned Peña to minor league camp. With a knee injury to Greg Norton on the last day of Spring Training, the Devil Rays re-signed him, this time to a Major League contract on April 1.

Peña was on the Devil Rays active roster throughout the whole 2007 season. Peña had a slow start to his 2007 season, batting just .213 with four home runs in the month of April as a backup player. Peña got hot in May, hitting .356 with six home runs and 15 RBIs as an everyday player and was the Devil Rays everyday first baseman for the rest of the season. He had four multi-home run games from August 26 to September 22.

Peña would go on to have the best season of his career in 2007 and set numerous career highs. He finished the season with a .282 batting average, 46 home runs and 121 RBIs. His batting average, home runs, and RBIs were career highs, as well as games played (148), at bats (490), runs scored (99), doubles (29), total bases (307), on-base percentage (.411), slugging percentage (.627), walks (103), and strikeouts (142). He was second in the American League in home runs to Alex Rodriguez's 54. His home run, RBIs, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and walk totals also set Devil Rays franchise records. In 2007, he had the lowest range factor of all AL league first basemen, 8.73. While his team did not advance to the playoffs, Peña's season led him to being named the 2007 American League Comeback Player of the Year and his name has even been considered as an AL MVP candidate. He also was named the Player's Choice AL Comeback Player of the Year by fellow players. With this award he is allowed to donate $20,000 to Dominican youth under the poverty line. [2]


Detroit Tigers

During Peña's stint with Sacramento, he hit .438 with 2 home runs and 6 RBIs from July 2-July 5. Following this small hot streak, Peña was involved in a three team deal on July 6, 2002. The Athletics had sent Peña, a player to be named later (was later named as Jeremy Bonderman), and Franklyn German to the Detroit Tigers. The New York Yankees sent Ted Lilly, John-Ford Griffin, and Jason Arnold to the Athletics. The Tigers sent Jeff Weaver to the Yankees and cash to the Athletics.

The Tigers had acquired him due to a season ending injury to designated hitter Dmitri Young and the first baseman at the time of the trade for the Tigers was Randall Simon who immediately became the Tigers designated hitter following Peña's acquisition.

Peña made his Tigers debut the next day, on July 7, against the Boston Red Sox. He went 3-4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs in his Tigers' debut. Peña played in 75 games for the Tigers in 2002 and batted .253 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs. Overall he batted .242 with 19 home runs and 52 RBIs in 115 games. His 2002 season included a 12 game hitting streak from September 8-September 21, which tied teammate Omar Infante for the longest hitting streak for an American League rookie in 2002.

Peña played in his first full season in 2003 as the Tigers everyday first baseman. On May 19, against the Cleveland Indians, he established career highs with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs. Peña also missed nearly a month in June when he was out with a left calf strain.

He played in 131 games for the Tigers in 2003 and batted .248 with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs.

In 2004, Peña established career highs in games played (142), at bats (481), hits (116), doubles (22), home runs (27), runs scored (89), RBIs (82), total bases (227), stolen bases (7), walks (70), and strikeouts (146).
Pena also batted .241 in 2004.

On May 27, 2004, against the Kansas City Royals, Peña matched a Tigers nine inning single game record with a career high six hits. He became the fifth player in franchise history to do so and the first one since Damion Easley accomplished it on August 8, 2001, against the Texas Rangers. He batted in the eighth spot in the batting order and his six hits were the most
from the eighth spot since Wilbert Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles collected seven hits on June 10, 1892 against St. Louis.

Peña began the 2005 season as the Tigers' starting first baseman again. After playing in 40 games in which he batted .181 with 3 home runs and 14 RBIs, Peña was demoted to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. He played in 71 games for the Mud Hens and batted .311 with 12 home runs and 71 RBIs. Following an injury to shortstop Carlos Guillén, Peña was recalled on August 17. Following his recall, he put on a power show, hitting 15 home runs in 38 games. Overall, he played in 79 games for the Tigers in 2005, and batted .235 with 18 home runs and 44 RBIs.

In Spring Training during 2006, Peña batted just .160 with 1 home run and 4 RBIs in 17 games for the Tigers. His poor performance prompted the Tigers to release him on March 26, 2006.

Pena breaks fingers, lost for season
Rays slugger hurt on check-swing plunking vs. Yanks

By Bill Chastain / MLB.com

09/07/09 6:39 PM ET

NEW YORK -- Recent misfortunes for the Rays turned even worse Monday afternoon when Carlos Pena fractured his left index and middle fingers during the first inning of the Rays' 4-1 loss to the Yankees. He will be out for the remainder of the season.

"I was crushed," said Pena about his reaction upon learning that his season was finished. "I felt like if you took my heart, threw it around, and stepped on it a million times. That's how bad it felt. I was really very excited about the next 25 games. I was looking forward to them. And to have that taken away, it just crushed me.

"I know I'll probably be on some medication. The pain in my hand can be controlled. But the pain I'm feeling in my heart and soul right now is going to be really tough to get over."

Rays manager Joe Maddon called the situation "very discouraging."

"It's not an optimum situation at all," Maddon said. "He was swinging the bat about as well as anyone I've seen this season. He was also playing great defensively. He was already playing great, but he was going to have a spectacular season had he been able to finish the year off."

With Pena going on the 60-day disabled list, the Rays are planning to add Triple-A Durham outfielder/first baseman Chris Richard to the roster. The Rays were hoping he could be in New York in time for the second game of Monday's day-night doubleheader.

"Obviously, Carlos is an impact player," Evan Longoria said. "It would be kind of stupid of me to say that it's not going to have an impact on the club. But obviously, I'm sad for him, and I feel for him. It's a bad way to end the year -- and a good year. But on the flip side, we've got to keep going forward.

"It's going to be hard not to let that get us down. But I think this team has the ability to put things behind [it] and keep moving forward. And we've got to make that the focus for now. We feel for him and we're sad for him. Until the last game of the season, we've got to keep moving forward."

Facing an 0-1 pitch, Pena tried to check his swing on a pitch from Yankees starter CC Sabathia and got hit on the fingers of his left hand. After the ball made contact, it hit his bat and was ruled a foul ball.

Pena dropped his bat and received a lengthy visit from Maddon and head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield.

"I knew it was bad as soon as it hit me," Pena said. "I knew when the ball hit me it was bad. I mean, you don't take a 95-mph fastball on your finger, and your finger lives to tell about it."

After what appeared to be a thorough examination and a couple of practice swings, Pena stepped back into the batter's box and offered a feeble attempt at checking his swing for strike three.

When Pena reached the dugout, Porterfield was waiting from him on the steps to escort him back to the clubhouse. Willy Aybar replaced Pena at first base.

"When I took the dry swings just to see how bad it was, I knew it was very bad," Pena said. "But then when it got tested to the max, when you actually check swings, you have to stop all that weight with your hands, and it was just excruciating. So I knew exactly what I had to do, which was to come in and get it checked out. And sure enough, the X-rays -- it was evident it was pretty much snapped in half."

For the season, Pena hit .227 with 39 home runs and 100 RBIs.

"Phenomenal season," said Andrew Friedman, Rays executive vice president of baseball operations. "I know a lot of people focus on the batting average, but the way he's gotten on base, the power numbers, the big hits he's gotten for us, not to mention the way he's been swinging the bat since the All-Star break, really locked in. He's been a big part of our offensive performance this year."

For the remainder of the season, the Rays will likely use a rotation at first base that includes Ben Zobrist, Richard, and Aybar. The team does not expect any lasting effects for Pena.

"I don't anticipate any problems heading into next spring," Friedman said. "But it's going to take some time, and definitely for the next eight weeks he's going to be rehabbing and getting well."

Pena will head back to St. Petersburg on Tuesday to be examined by Rays team doctors.

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Their playoff chances go from 0.5% to 0.1% with that injury. I guess there'll be a new AL champ this year....Tigers maybe?

Pena's deal allows Cubs to seek more pitching
Splitting up $10 million contract keeps club within budget
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com | 12/08/10 7:24 PM EST

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- General manager Jim Hendry got the first baseman he wanted in Carlos Pena, and the way the free agent's contract is structured will help the Cubs in their pursuit of some additional pitching.

Pena's one-year, $10 million deal is similar to what agent Scott Boras did for another client, Adrian Beltre, who hit .265 with eight home runs in the last year of a five-year, $64 million deal with the Mariners. Beltre signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Red Sox in 2010, and batted .321 with 28 homers and 102 RBIs. He's now a hot item in the market this offseason.

Boras and the Cubs structured Pena's deal so he will be paid $5 million in 2011 and the other $5 million after January 2012. By deferring half of the money, the Cubs can still make some additions to the 2011 roster and stay within their budget.

The Cubs had the top payroll in the National League in 2010 at $144 million, and with the addition of Pena, they now have more than $109 million already committed. Early projections are that next year's payroll will be around $130 million. Five players are arbitration-eligible, including Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Tom Gorzelanny, Geovany Soto and Koyie Hill.

Pena did have other offers from at least five teams, and the Cubs were concerned they might lose him to a club that could afford to give the first baseman a long-term contract. But Pena's preference to play in Chicago definitely helped.

On Wednesday, Hendry met with some agents after announcing Pena's signing at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort and planned to continue talks later in the day. There were reports that the Cubs were one of four teams pursuing Matt Garza, who would fit in their budget better than Zack Greinke, but the Rays have apparently decided to hang onto the right-hander for now. Greinke, by the way, is not on Hendry's shopping list.

Hendry will continue to talk to teams about possible trades prior to leaving for Chicago early Thursday. The general manager and some of his staff were headed back to attend a private visitation for Ron Santo, the legendary broadcaster and former third baseman, who died one week ago. A public visitation will be held later Thursday at 4 p.m. CT at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, and the funeral will be Friday.

The Rule 5 Draft closes the Winter Meetings on Thursday, but the Cubs are not expected to select anyone. Chicago has added 14 young players to the 40-man roster since the season began and needs to have some flexibility rather than committing to someone taken in the draft.

The Cubs are checking Brandon Webb's medical reports to gauge the status of his right shoulder. Webb, who went 22-7 in 2008 with the Diamondbacks, has not pitched since April 2009 because of shoulder issues.

Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.