After a season with the Chicago Cubs, Carlos Pena is back on the free agent market. Rob Neyer suggests that he is a fit for the New York Yankees, but I have to disagree with that. Carlos Pena does not have a spot on the 2012 New York Yankees squad – not as a DH at least. Neyer is correct in that Carlos Pena’s power from the left side of the plate would play well in Yankee Stadium and, yes, it is true that the New York Yankees tried to claim Carlos Pena when the Chicago Cubs placed him on waivers last year. I can’t see Brian Cashman and Co. bringing him to the Bronx though. Not only is first base blocked by Mark Teixeira, but the DH slot is blocked by Jesus Montero. Head-to-head there is no way that Carlos Pena beats out Jesus Montero. If the latter gets moved in a blockbuster then maybe the conversation opens up again, but until that happens this discussion is moot.
Let’s humor ourselves a for a little bit though. Let’s say that Montero is dealt in a package for Clayton Kershaw (NEVER going to happen, but he’s one of the few pitchers I’d be happy dealing Montero for). In this hypothetical situation, I like the idea of adding Pena to the mix if he is part of a DH platoon. His numbers against right-handed pitchers last year were still good – .255/.388/.504 with 21 bombs, 79 walks and 115 whiffs. I’m not going to talk much about his work against southpaws because everyone pretty much knows that his work against them is slop. If the Yanks did sign Pena, they would sit him against lefties and let Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter get a half-day off at DH. With Eduardo Nunez in the fold they have some roster flexibility to make that platoon work in theory, but that also means penciling in the young infielder for a potential at-bat increase next season – maybe not ideal, but not the worst case either.
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, any chatter that the New York Yankees should/could/would add Carlos Pena is moot unless Jesus Montero gets traded and I’m hoping it stays that way.
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If I must humor myself, it won’t be with an old, low average, high strikeout, part-time DH. This is exactly what this team does not need. Why didn’t you suggest bringing back Giambi?
Even if Montero is traded, they still don’t need a DH. Rodriguez and all the other over 30 players can fill this slot easily.
I can’t really disagree with what you’re saying, but I wasn’t necessarily saying he’s the best option (after Montero of course). I do like him under certain conditions though. Hopefully this whole thing is moot anyway.
Please say it isn’t so! The last thing we need is another HR, BB, GIDP or SO hitter. Teams that romp during the season and then falter in the playoffs always have high HR, low average hitters. Guys like Swisher and Teixeira will feast against poor pitching, but you just don’t see much of that deep into October. Your ideal performer in the playoffs is somebody like Gardner who can create things and is used to scrapping, or Jeter who is able to keep his focus (don’t ask me how he does it, I just wish he could teach A-Fraud). Pena is a career .239 hitter! I’d bring back Johnny Damon before Pena.
The main thing to remember is that this probably won’t happen. Even if Montero does get traded, there are likely to be several options that the Yankees consider for DH before Pena.
I don’t see this happening either, but I believe it was Kevin Long who worked with Pena and got him back on track when he spent a year at Scranton. Pena credits Long with straightening him out, and also had a lot of good things to say about the Yanks organization.
Too bad he went to Tampa Bay soon after the Yanks straightened him out, huh?