Carlos Pena looks like he's 30 again. He's only 33, but still.
Pena’s two run homer Wednesday night gave him a team leading 18 for the season. Thirty five HR and 90 RBI are a realistic possibility for the first-year Cub. Stats you would expect out of a player making $10 million.
It only makes sense for the Cubs to trade Pena before this season’s trade deadline. The team is going nowhere this year, and Pena’s hot hitting isn’t nearly enough to settle one’s stomach when watching whatever social security-eligible starting pitcher the Cubs choose to hand the ball to.
Pena certainly will draw interest from offensively challenged teams. Pena’s power and ability to drive in runs are certainly attractive, and although his .225 batting average is ugly, he still sports a respectable .343 OBP. The left-hander’s playoff statistics are even better. In 19 career playoff games he's hit .269 with 4 HR and 14 RBI. Pena also comes with no baggage and is widely considered throughout baseball to be a great teammate.
Perhaps the Giants would be interested, and could creatively move Aubrey Huff to another spot on the diamond as they have in the past. A typical deadline trading partner of the Cubs, the Pirates would potentially be interested in buying hitting, barring a collapse before the deadline. Pittsburgh has certainly helped the Cubs out with trades in recent years, and Chicago could return the favor by giving them an upgrade over Lyle Overbay.
Pena’s defense is so good that if he were traded to an American League team, it could be to play first base, and a team’s current first baseman could move to DH. Odds are that if Pena is traded, it would be in the National League, but the option of going back to the AL remains a possibility.
Carlos Pena looks like he's 30 again. He's only 33, but still.
Pena’s two run homer Wednesday night gave him a team leading 18 for the season. Thirty five HR and 90 RBI are a realistic possibility for the first-year Cub. Stats you would expect out of a player making $10 million.
It only makes sense for the Cubs to trade Pena before this season’s trade deadline. The team is going nowhere this year, and Pena’s hot hitting isn’t nearly enough to settle one’s stomach when watching whatever social security-eligible starting pitcher the Cubs choose to hand the ball to.
Pena certainly will draw interest from offensively challenged teams. Pena’s power and ability to drive in runs are certainly attractive, and although his .225 batting average is ugly, he still sports a respectable .343 OBP. The left-hander’s playoff statistics are even better. In 19 career playoff games he's hit .269 with 4 HR and 14 RBI. Pena also comes with no baggage and is widely considered throughout baseball to be a great teammate.
Perhaps the Giants would be interested, and could creatively move Aubrey Huff to another spot on the diamond as they have in the past. A typical deadline trading partner of the Cubs, the Pirates would potentially be interested in buying hitting, barring a collapse before the deadline. Pittsburgh has certainly helped the Cubs out with trades in recent years, and Chicago could return the favor by giving them an upgrade over Lyle Overbay.
Pena’s defense is so good that if he were traded to an American League team, it could be to play first base, and a team’s current first baseman could move to DH. Odds are that if Pena is traded, it would be in the National League, but the option of going back to the AL remains a possibility.
CBS <b>News</b> Chief: 'We Did Lose Some Viewers' During Katie Couric <b>...</b>
Jeff Fager sees a brighter future ahead with Scott Pelley as anchor.
CBS <b>News</b> Chief: 'We Did Lose Some Viewers' During Katie Couric <b>...</b>CBS <b>News</b> Executives Speak Out on License Fees, Dan Rather at TCA <b>...</b>
CBS News Executives Speak Out on License Fees, Dan Rather at TCA.
CBS <b>News</b> Executives Speak Out on License Fees, Dan Rather at TCA <b>...</b>08/03/2011: U.S. Department of Justice, EPA to Hold <b>News</b> <b>...</b>
3, 2011) - Representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a news conference at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 4, in St. Louis, Mo., to discuss a significant ...
08/03/2011: U.S. Department of Justice, EPA to Hold <b>News</b> <b>...</b>
No comments:
Post a Comment