other than veteran leadership and some 'pop' I don't get what this guy brings to the team. He's just clogging a spot for a promising prospect/young gun. Is he really going to 'miraculously' start hitting over .240? the fact that he can't is pathetic for an everyday starter. No thanks. Give me Wallace-Frieman-Carter at the DH the others at LF, 1B
Agreed completely. There's really no benefit other than veteran leadership that he brings. It would be miraculous if he hits above .200 at this point. I don't think he's going to be around long...if he makes it out of ST at all.
I think veteran leadership from a platoon spot could be useful, though. Here is a guy that played on a 96 loss Rays team, and then saw them go to the WS just a year later. I am not saying that the Astros will do this, but this guy is a stand up guy that has been through some similar stuff that this club is about to experience. That being said, I would prefer that we didn't have him, but I can see why his leadership would make a difference on this club that is worth keeping around if he is platooned.
I'm very glad we have him. I think on a team this young you really need veteran leadership. I think there is something to young guys being able to have someone around who has "been there done that" . . .and in this case Pena fits the bill perfectly, cause not only has he been a productive major league hitter, he has been in this exact situation before
Couldn't agree more. The one issue is that he is at a log jam position for us. As much as I would like to hold on to him, it will become interesting if Freiman becomes a viable option and worth holding on to. The people on this board have done a far better job analyzing the splits than I have, but if we can platoon Pena enough to make him useful, then his leadership will be able to go the extra mile.
I hope Peña get all of his value-added veteran leadership in, before the trade deadline. I'm just saying ... Seriously though ... How many players will be here in 2015 or 2016 when the Astros break 500 again. It would not surprise me if the number was five or less. The trade off of keeping Peña over a prospect like Freiman hinges on how much impact will Peña have on the handful of players who will make it to 2015 versus the value of Freiman if he turns into an everyday MLB player by 2015.
I think Ankiel can be that veteran presence and he's shown much more activity with the bat. I would never keep Pena over Frieman all things being equal. Not worth it...veteran leadership can come from the coaches and a guy like Bedard and Ankiel..if they stick around its all a wash. Hopefully Pena pans out but I wouldn't keep him JUST for veteran leadership on a team thats gonna lose a lot of games anyways over a prospect with a lot of promise.
Not sure what "activity with the bat" means, but over the last six years Pena HR 19-28-28-39-31-46 RBI 61-86-84-100-102-121 Ankiel HR 5-9-6-11-25-11 RBI 15-37-24-38-71-39 I'm not saying Pena will be great, but if you take out last year's terrible year, he was pretty productive 5 years straight, Ankiel has one year that approaches what Pena did five years in a row. The big thing is, there is really not much downside with Pena, he isn't on a huge contract. And with this regime, I have no doubt that he will not play over younger guys unless he is producing to a level that he is really helping the team and/or building trade value
Nope, it is there. 28 HR and 84 RBI in 2010. If you are referring to the .196 average, I simply do not think that is nearly as damaging as some do. His on base % that year was .325, not great, but not terrible. By comparison the Astros team ob% last year was .302, and that .325 on base he had in 2010, exactly 10 teams had a better on base percentage in all of baseball last year. So yes, the batting average was terrible and usually is. But even in that year you mention, he got on base and drove in 84 runs (29 more than any Astro last year)
If you think a .734 OPS is acceptable from 1B, then you have very low standards for a 1B. Hell, Brett Wallace posted a .746 OPS. I guess he was pretty productive last year. J.D. Martinez has been about equal to Pena in terms of driving in runs. I guess he was pretty productive as well. Comparing to the Astros as a whole, that was the worst team in baseball, and had a pitcher hitting, really makes no sense.
Hey no problem man, we can all find "stats" that make people look better or worse than they are. Fact is, in his worst season, the one that you said I dismissed when in fact I didn't, he drove in 84 runs and got on base at an above average pace. I like people that drive in runs, some like people who have a great batting average or other made up stats. I would not be happy if we gave him a huge contract, or traded away good prospects for him, fact is we didn't and there is almost zero risk here. But no matter who is signed and for what amount, there will be people who don't like the signing.
Gonna be interesting to see how this plays out over the next week. Of the 1b/lf/dh candidates Carter, Pena, Ankiel, Wallace have all been very good. Even JD has had a decent spring. The one that has been by far the worst is Freiman, but if we don't keep him on the big league roster we have to offer him back, or try to work out a deal to keep him. Would obviously be nice to keep any guy around who has some possible upside, but Freiman's approach at the plate has been bad and I think it is pretty obvious he needs some more time in the minors. When you consider Veres hasn't been good and Lo has been outstanding, could be an interesting situation develop over the next week at the back end of the bullpen also
Freiman has been waived and was picked up by the A's. Procedureally the Astros had to waive Freiman and have him clear waivers, before they could trade for him with San Diego.
