25
2010
Could Carlos Pena Provide Mets With Power Bat?
An article by 
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported that unless the Tampa Bay Rays’ financial situation drastically improves. they could end up trading both Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena.
Cafardo puts the time-line of something happening at around the trade deadline, but maybe an enticing package can accelerate the situation.
When you think of a comparable player to the powerful Carlos Pena, the first name that comes to mind is Adam Dunn. And while the comparison is valid and justified, Pena might be just a tick better because defensively he’s significantly better than Dunn at first base. That’s not to say Carlos Pena will invoke memories of Keith Hernandez at first base, only that he can hold his own and make the routine plays.
Of course when you consider a guy like Carlos Pena, your only motivation is the power he brings to your team. Only a few baseball players are known to have the kind of prodigious power that enables them to hit a baseball out of any ballpark. They include Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols and Carlos Pena.
In the last 3 seasons, he has slugged 116 home runs for an average of 35 per season. He has driven in 323 runners in that same span for an average of 108 RBI’s per season.
Like Adam Dunn, he consistently ranks among the league leaders in both strikeouts as well as walks. In fact, despite his low .252 batting average over the last three seasons, his on-base percentage is a robust .382. His .553 slugging percentage is on par with many of the elite power hitters in the game and combined with his on-base, it gives him a .935 OPS over his last three seasons.
Although I am not a big proponent of WAR, I’ll cater to those readers who are beholden to it and point out that his WAR for 2009 was 2.6 and CHONE projects him for 3.6 in 2010. From what I understand, that makes him a nice addition for the Mets. The only player on the Mets who logged more than 500 at-bats in 2009 and had a higher WAR than Pena was David Wright at 3.4.
You may recall that Pena’s season ended abruptly in 2009 after breaking his fingers. He is doing fine now, “I feel great,” Pena said recently. ”I’m very happy with that. My hand is pain-free – no discomfort at all.”
Pena, 31, is in the walk year of his contract and becomes a free agent at the end of this season. He may be strongly motivated to turn it up a notch as he sets himself up for what could be the final multi-year contract of his career.
The left handed Pena, would render Daniel Murphy useless for the Mets and he could be packaged along with a prospect to land the Tampa Bay slugger.
His addition to the Mets would clearly give them one of the most formidable lineups in the league upon the return of Carlos Beltran.
1. Jose Reyes
2. David Wright
3. Carlos Beltran
4. Jason Bay
5. Carlos Pena
6. Jeff Francoeur
It would be hard to top a 1-6 that looks like that. Pena is a positive influence on his teammates and has served as a mentor for many of the younger players who all look up to him.
He sounds like everything the Mets could use right now, and he would certainly provide a nice morale boost heading into spring training.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
Went to my first Mets game, a Mayors Trophy game at Shea, in '73. We beat the Yankees 8-4 and I was hooked. I marched in two Banner Day parades, and before the Grand Slam single, there was the "Hendu Can Do" grand slam - I was there. I've collected Mets memorabilia all my life and started Mets Merized Online to feed my addiction.
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Interesting idea Joe. He certainly would be an offensive upgrade. It begs the question: Do we need more offense before we need more pitching? Or if we traded for Pena, could we also get more pitching? i think Tampa, at one point this off season, needed relief pitching. Can we afford to let a Parnell and/or a Niese/Nieve/Figueroa go in a trade at this time? Also, i do have a soft spot for Murphy. But you do raise a very enticing question.
BOB, THOUGHT THAT SOFT SPOT SHOULD’VE HARDENED BEFORE U STARTED WALKING
LOL
This is the best damned option I’ve heard all winter, I wonder if Jeff would allow it as a successful season makes jettisoning Omar that much more difficult a sell job to Papa Wilpon. Just as Fred opposed acquisition of Piazza so as to not increase team’s value prior to proposing a buyout(was there any other viable reason?) So, I would expect Jeff to look out for himself before the fans or team & since he’s wanted Omar gone since ’07!
I like Pena a lot. Although to be fair your projected lineup isn’t totally accurate because Beltran is out and Francour sucks. I expect Fmart to take his spot by July.
Nosh, give Francoeur a chance to absorb Hojo’s apprioach entirely, We did see a maked improvement with them together in ’09.
My preferred lineuip with Pena once Beltran returns would certainly be:
REYES
BELTRAN/PAGAN
WRIGHT
PENA
BAY
FRANCOUER
C
CASTILLO
P
BELTRAN should feast on all those Reyes’ provided fastballs & Castillo can use his advancing skills to advance a slow catcher to scoring pos late in games for pher production. I’m not certain how Bay would respond thrust into cleanup in NYC pressure though I believe, like Carter in ’86 he’ll fit #5 perfectly.
I like Pena a lot and thought the Rays might consider trading him last season and felt sure they would this off-season. They have enough guys to fill in for him now without losing much. Actually for them the best move they could make would be to trade him for a package including guys like Maine and Niese and then use that money to go out and get guys like Calero and Smotlz.
I would easily part with either of Maine or Niese to add a bat like this. With loss of Kazmir, they might really go for it.
I think this would be a good idea for the Mets IF they could get it done, without giving up too much. If they could get him, it would still set up Davis for 2011, or, in a worst case scenario, if Davis has a down year this year, they could always resign Pena if he plays well for them. I just don’t know what it would take to get him to go along with Murphy. If you could keep Niese, but get rid of Nieve or Figuero, then I would do it. But is that even enough?
Maybe throw in F-mart?
Throw in F-Mart for a 1-year ‘rental’? Nah. And that’s the issue…what would it take to get him and would it digestible for us?
Actually don’t forget that Davis plays OF too. Perhaps he takes Frenchy’s spot if that does not work out.
It would be nice to have that guy in AAA that forces us to make a decision instead of making them now because of him.
Maybe Maine, Murphy and Fmart?
I was gonna say to get Pena you’re gonna have to throw in one guy with some serious upside. With all due respect to Maine and Neise I would think Tampa would ask for FMart.
Great out of the box thinking. I’ve never considered the possibility of adding a player like Pena, but you laid out a brilliant case for it. I’m all for it.
They will want Davis no question! They have to fill a void at 1st base if Pena were to be traded. They would probably want a young pitching prospect also. I also think the Mets would want to do the trade and re up, as one yr. wonders are a bad investment.
Say Holt or Parnell/fmart/and another young player (I really don’t see anyone wanting Murphy until he can prove he can play a defensive position. Hell, I will take Crawford and run the bases and play defense.
Garko still seems like the obvious pick up at this point. If you can’t get Pena.
[...] Joe D advocates Carlos Pena for a power bat. I thought Omar said they were going to build this team around speed and defense? [...]
fernando martinez is a rag guys!!! why doesnt anyone see this?yes i love the whole mets farm kid prospect coming to the bigs and being our savior and a superstar.he came up last year and looked lost and overwhelmed.yes hes young which i give him the benefit of the doubt about.but hes a kid and hes gotten hurt every year of pro ball.which means if hes 18-19-20 and getting injured whats going to happen to him when hes 26-27-28 and into his 30′s.id package him in a heartbeat for a slugger like carlos pena and let ike davis take his sweet-azz time developing.just my opinion ive never been a big f-mart fan.we need a power 1st baseman murphy just dont cut it.
he turned 21 on 10/10…he’s NOT 26/26, not even 23 in March like Ike…he’ll play the year at 21…big thing with him is to stay healthy so that he can put the #s up we all may drool over…
peña to the mets would be awesome, but frankly i just dont see the mets making a deal for him. but we fans can dream right…let me play mlb the show and put peña with the mets and simulate a season…let me add ben sheets to the rotation as well.
I think Pena would be the best addition…I think if the mets got them they would be top of the division because even with pitching woes there offense can cover it..just like the Phillies did in the begginning of last year when there starting pitching was horrendous
I like the idea of Pena being a MET. I would trade Martinez, Murphy and say a pitcher like Niese. If they were serious about this I would have a few issues. First, when would we get him now or at the trade deadline ? Second, if they did get him he’s in his walk year so would we only use him for this year and then let him walk and loose any prospects that we might have left ? Third, if we did get him what would he command especially if he has a good year ? Finally, if we did get him and say we did lock him up for say 4 years that would block the way for Davis in 2011 but if we were to get him and he performs and they lock him up that would leave Davis as a possible trade piece to get some pitching. Let me know what you guys think.