Carlos Pena News: Pro Sports Daily

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November 7

Tampa Tribune

"When Carlos Pena learned he'd become the first Gold Glove winner in Rays history, he relayed the news from executive vice president Andrew Friedman to his wife, Pamela, in mid-phone call. "It was kind of funny because Andrew was hanging on the phone waiting for us to stop celebrating and screaming," Pena said Thursday after being named to the American League team at first base. "My wife grabbed the phone and started calling my parents and calling my brothers and calling her family. I mean, that's something that means a lot to me, and my family knows how much it means to me. I couldn't be more thrilled." Pena, the 30-year-old former journeyman whom the Rays signed as a minor-league free ..."

First baseman Carlos Pena wins first Gold Glove for Rays franchise

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November 7

St. Petersburg Times

"Carlos Pena sees himself as the figurehead for a Rays defense that - like the team itself - was tremendously improved this season. The American League champions had several players who could have won Gold Glove awards, he said. That didn't temper the 30-year-old first baseman's excitement when he was informed by Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman that he had been named the top defensive player at his position in the AL by managers and coaches. "I called everybody. My wife was extremely excited. We got excited when Andrew was on the phone, and we were celebrating and screaming," Pena said. Pena, whose presence has bolstered the Rays offense and defense since his arrival in 2007, ..."

Pena, Longoria missing in action

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October 27

Orange County Register

"The clubhouse guy was writing on the greaseboard, giving the Tampa Bay Rays the schedule for the postgame buses that would take them back to their rooms and shield them from home runs and umpires and Phillies. The He also wrote: "Recommended Attire Tomorrow: Express Yourself." That could be Manager Joe Maddon's final stab at giving his Rays a comfort zone in 2008. He has let them wear designer T-shirts on the road, he has joined them in Mohawk haircuts. Now, heading into a World Series Game 5 that could throw this ebullient ride into a bridge abutment, Maddon wants them to be themselves. He hopes it doesn't mean that Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria, the Rays' 3-4 hitters, will show up ..."

Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena come up short for Tampa Bay Rays

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October 27

New York Daily News

"Carlos Pena led the Rays with 31 homers and 102 RBI during the regular season, despite missing 20 games with a broken left index finger. Evan Longoria represented Tampa Bay in the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium and is the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year honors after belting 27 homers in 448 at-bats. Now the Nos. 3 and 4 hitters for the Rays are a combined 0-for-29 with 15 strikeouts in the World Series. And with Sunday night's 10-2 loss to the Phillies in Game 4, they're facing elimination Monday when Scott Kazmir opposes Philadelphia ace Cole Hamels. Pena went 0-for-3 with a walk Sunday night and Longoria was hitless in four at-bats, with three strikeouts. Still, the Rays are ..."

Rays' Pena will enjoy long-awaited dance

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October 22

Orange County Register

columnist Mark Whicker

"Sometimes they don't make it because they're too slow, too old, too hurt, too dumb. Carlos Pena carried a more absorbent tag through five unfulfilling big league stops. Too smart. "It was true, definitely, because I would overanalyze everything," Pena said Tuesday, in the dugout of the Tampa Bay Rays, the club that won the American League pennant and came from whatever the next place is beyond nowhere. "I would always try to figure it out, try to work hard, put pressure on myself. Then I came here and I realized, because of the atmosphere here, that you can enjoy yourself. You have to bring the joy." The Rays begin their first World Series tonight, against Philadelphia. They are young but ..."

The only person to see it coming

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October 22

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Ray Ratto

"As people cast about for the one person who honestly can claim not to have been surprised that the Tampa Bay Rays are opening the World Series here tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies, the obvious answer stands before them, at first base. Carlos Peña, the former A's first baseman, was the first one to see the greatness in this team, and it was sometime around its 34th win and 54th loss a year ago. Then again, Peña is the kind of relentlessly cheery sort who could see opportunity in a hospital fire, so maybe his opinion doesn't really count as a full-on prediction. Whatever it was, though, it was on the record, it predated any spreadsheet predictions for 2008, and it helped change the ..."

At first, Yankees didn't see power of Rays' Carlos Pena

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October 22

New York Daily News

"Carlos Pena had been summoned into Joe Maddon's office on the morning of March 30, 2007, an ominous sign for a player in spring camp on a minor-league deal. The Devil Rays were making their final cuts, and despite a solid showing during spring training, PeÃ±a had lost out to Greg Norton, relegating him to start another year at Triple-A. "Carlos was sitting right here and I said, 'Carlos, we're going to send you back. You had a great spring and we love what you're doing, so hang in there and you'll probably be back at some point,'" Maddon said from behind his desk at Tropicana Field. "Carlos said, 'I'm going to be back and I'm going to make an impact here.' I believed him." Just hours ..."

Rays' Peña quick to engineer booming career

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July 13

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Before he was on the radar of big-league scouts, before he had a 40-plus home run season and before he fully knew what he was getting himself into, Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Carlos Peña was a student and baseball player at Wright State in Dayton. Yet, despite the numerous awards Peña has won, few know that Peña has roots -- albeit short standing ones -- at the Ohio college. Peña spent just one year, 1996, at Wright State. But unlike many with his skills, his departure wasn't brought on by a big-money deal to join the majors."

Pena helping Rays with sharp eye, mind

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July 7

St. Petersburg Times

"RHP James Shields said of 1B Carlos Pena, "Once (he) gets hot, I think the whole lineup gets hot." The Rays' current series with the Royals bears that out. Pena went 3-for-5 with two RBIs Sunday, with his hits ranging from line drives to surprises. Before he delivered a two-run double in the third, Pena shocked the Royals' shifted defense in the second by dropping a perfect bunt down the third-base line. According to baseball-reference.com, it was just the fifth bunt single in Pena's career, which spans 721 games. The last time he did it was Sept. 19, 2007, vs. the Angels."

Pena Due Back Friday

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June 26

St. Petersburg Times

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"1B Carlos Pena will join Rocco Baldelli in Class A Vero Beach uniforms tonight in Sarasota (7 p.m., Ed Smith Stadium). Pena's previously fractured left index finger has healed and, after going through extensive workouts Tuesday and Wednesday with no problems, he will play in what he hopes is one rehab game to regain his timing, then is planning to rejoin the Rays on Friday in Pittsburgh."

Pena's Finger Healing, But Return May Be In A Week

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June 23

Tampa Tribune

"An X-ray Sunday of 1B Carlos Pena's fractured left index finger revealed that the bone has begun to heal, but there still is no fixed return date for the 30-year-old slugger. Pena, who has progressed to hitting in a cage and playing catch with a baseball, is scheduled to participate in the team's pregame workout Tuesday at Dolphin Stadium. "That should go very well," Pena said. "And then, after that, we'll set our plan to come back. If it were up to me, I'd be playing right now. But I guess there's a pattern I need to follow and a program I need to follow before I actually go out there.""

Catwalk blast by Rays' Pena another sign of reemergence

May 27

St. Petersburg Times

"1B Carlos Pena showed flashes Monday of returning to his record-setting hitting form of a year ago. Hitting catwalks, that is. Pena struck a Trop catwalk a club-record five times last season. On Monday, Pena thought he had a second homer in as many days when his blast got stuck in the B-ring catwalk in centerfield during the third inning. But after he rounded the bases, it was ruled a ground-rule double. "It's a tremendous sign," manager Joe Maddon said. "Because when he's hitting our roof he's swinging the bat well."

This time, Walker prevails vs. Pena

May 26

Baltimore Sun

"The matchup didn't seem to favor the Orioles on paper or in the batter's box. Orioles manager Dave Trembley summoned left-hander Jamie Walker from the bullpen in the sixth inning yesterday with two runners on base, two outs, the score tied and Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena due up. The move wasn't automatic, as Pena had hit game-tying home runs off Walker on two consecutive nights last month at Tropicana Field. But starter Daniel Cabrera had thrown 118 pitches and walked two straight batters, so Trembley went with the percentages - left-hander vs. left-hander. Walker struck out Pena on a changeup to preserve the tie and continue his resurgence in this series."

Rays' Pena showing signs of snapping out of slump

May 26

St. Petersburg Times

"Manager Joe Maddon has said several times that if 1B Carlos Pena is walking, he's hitting. Pena's patience at the plate, and a couple of recent mechanical adjustments, have Maddon believing the 30-year-old is "getting back on track" following a recent 4-for-24 slump. Pena walked three times Sunday, going 1-for-2 with a two-run homer, and has reached base eight times in the past two days. "He absolutely looks right to me," Maddon said. "He's more spread out, he's lower, his foot is getting down sooner. He looks really good.""