Emergence of Carlos Pena

Ever since the departure of Fred McGriff, the Devil Rays have been looking for a dependable first baseman. They have found it in the most unlikely of places. Signed in February to a minor league contract, Carlos has emerged as the Rays everyday first baseman following the injury to Akinori Iwamura, and Ty Wiggington's subsequent move to the hot corner.

Pena’s stat line of .307/9/25 is comparable to the top first basemen in the league. Among first basemen, he is second in the American League in homeruns and rbis. Whether his current performance can be sustained over the long-term is yet to be seen; the few full years that Pena played in Detroit yielded numbers, which averaged out to approximately .240/20/60. Pena’s relatively young age, coupled with his defense and new found bat have the Rays staring at a possible long-term answer at first base.

Will Pena sustains his current output at the plate? Undoubtedly, the answer is no. Pena will produce above his career averages; however, he will not continue to produce awe-inspiring numbers. A reasonable assumption is that his bat will taper off and he will end up with respectable numbers: a .275 average, 25 homeruns, and 80 rbis.

The more pertinent question to both Ray’s fans and management is whether or not he is the first baseman of the future. If Pena is able to produce the numbers predicted above, he provides a reliable everyday first baseman that easily out produces the likes of Jorge Cantu or Greg Norton. Therefore, it is entirely possible that the Rays, a team desperate for stability, could see Pena manning first base for the next couple years.

With the exception of the Twins Justin Morneau, no other American League first baseman has as legitimate a claim to be on the All-Star team as Carlos Pena. Improbable, yes. Unbelievable, yes. Undeniable, yes. Enjoy it while you can.