Carlos Felipe Pena...Attended Northeastern University (Boston, MA) and Wright State University (Dayton,OH)...Prepped at Haverhill HS (Haverhill, MA)...Selected by the Texas Rangers in first round (10th overall) of 1998 amateur draft...Acquired by Oakland (w/ LHP Mike Venafro) for OF Jason Hart, C Gerald Laird, OF Ryan Ludwick and LHP Mario Ramos, Jan. 14, 2002...Sent to Detroit (w/ RHP Franklin German & RHP Jeremy Bonderman) for RHP Jeff Weaver, July 6, 2002...Has appeared in Majors with eight different teams (Texas, Oakland, Detroit, Boston, Tampa Bay, Chicago Cubs, Houston and Kansas City)...From 2007-09, launched 116 home runs - tied with Albert Pujols for 5th-most in MLB in the span...Connected for a career-best 46 homers in 2007 with Rays...Tied for MLB-lead in HRs (39) in 2009...Named AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2007 by Major League Baseball and The Sporting News...Also voted as team VP with Tampa Bay...2008 Rawlings Gold GLove winner (1B) and named to 2009 AL All-Star Team...Appeared in 2008 World Series as member of Rays.
2012
The 34-year-old first baseman played in a career- and team-high 160 games in his 12th major league
season...became just the third Ray to appear in 160 or more games in a season, joining Delmon Young
(162 in 2007) and Aubrey Huff (162 in 2003)...ranked fifth in the AL with 87 BB, second on the team behind
Ben Zobrist (97)...Zobrist and Peña's combined 184 walks were the most by any teammates in the majors...
started 118 of the team's first 132 games but only started 17 of the final 30 games...had four bunt singles...
has 25 bunt hits and 277 HR in his career, making him one of only three active players with at least 250 HR
and 25 bunt hits...also Derek Jeter (255-HR, 57 bunt singles) and Carlos Beltran (334-HR, 26 bunt singles)...
on Opening Day (April 6 vs. NYY) hit a grand slam off CC Sabathia in his first at-bat...in the 9th inning, he
delivered a bases-loaded, walkoff single off Mariano Rivera for a 7-6 win...according to the Elias Sports
Bureau, it was the fifth grand slam in Major League history in the 1st inning on Opening Day, joining CAL
Brian Downing (1981), OAK Terry Steinbach (1994), MIL John Jaha (1995) and FLA Juan Encarnacion (2005)...
according to the Elias Sports Bureau, became the first player with a grand slam in the 1st inning and a
walk-off RBI in the same game since PHI Charlie Hayes on Aug 28, 1991 vs. HOU...his five RBI set a club
record on Opening Day, breaking Fred McGriff's record of four in 2000...recorded his 1,000th career hit
with a 6th-inning home run off RH Ervin Santana on April 24 vs. LAA...on Aug 18 at LAA delivered his first
career pinch-hit homer-a two-run shot in the 8th off Kevin Jepsen that snapped an 8-8 tie...it completed
an eight-run comeback for the Rays (8-0 to 10-8), matching the largest deficit overcome in a victory in club
history...had 19 BB in June, third in the AL and one shy of the club record for June (shared by B.J. Upton
in 2008 and Jose Cruz Jr. in 2004)...on June 15 vs. MIA, tied his career high with four walks (also Sep 4,
2011 vs. PIT as a Cub)...became the first AL player with at least four walks and four runs scored in a single
game since Cliff Floyd did it with the Rays on Aug 14, 2008 at OAK...on May 22 vs. TOR, Joe Maddon batted
him leadoff for the first time of his career, after entering the game in an 0x17 slump...he responded by
going 2x5 with a three-run homer...the homer off Drew Hutchison went an estimated 452 feet, longest
at Tropicana Field in 2012...became the 14th player in Major League history to hit leadoff after hitting 46
HR or more in a season, as he did in 2007...signed with the Rays as a free agent on Jan 24...made his 10th
Opening Day roster, his ninth career Opening Day start and fourth Opening Day start at 1B for the Rays,
tying Fred McGriff's club record.
2011
Led the Cubs with 28 home runs and 101 walks
while setting career highs in games played
(153) and starts (142, all at 1B)...his 101 walks
were 2 shy of his career high, 3rd in the NL and
the most by a Cub since Sammy Sosa drew 103 in 2002...became just the 10th Cubs player to reach the 100-walk mark in the franchise's 136-season history and one of only four
to do so in the last 80 years: Richie Ashburn in
1960 (116 walks), Gary Matthews in 1984 (103),
Sosa and Peña...the rest of Peña's teammates
walked only 324 times as the Cubs finished
29th in the majors in walks...Also set a modern day (since 1900) walks record for a Cubs first baseman...Mark Grace previously had the mark with 95 BB in 2000...His .357 OBP was 132 points higher than his
.225 avg., the 2nd-largest difference among
big leaguers with at least 500 PA...TOR Jose
Bautista had a 145-point difference (.447 OBP,
.302 avg.)...Drew one walk every 6.0 PA, tops in the NL and
second in the majors behind Bautista (4.96)...Did not hit his first home run until his 73rd atbat, a game-tying solo shot on May 3 at LAD off
Chad Billingsley...hit 17 in his next 50 games-
the first Cub ever to go homerless in April but
record 17 HR before July...batted only .157 (11-
for-70) in his first 25 games in a Cubs uniform...Batted .255 (95-for-373) with 21 HR vs. RHP
compared to a .133 average (16-for-120) with
7 HR vs. LHP...Went 44 straight games without an error,
May 18-July 3 (374 total chances)...committed only one error in his final 52 games (405 total chances)...Hit his first Wrigley Field homer in his 13th
game there, May 7 vs. CIN, a game-tying solo
off closer Francisco Cordero in the 9th inning.
ÊÊ Drew a career-high 4 walks on Sep 4 vs. PIT,
capping a 5-game stretch in which he drew 13
free passes, including 3 with the bases loaded.
2010
In his final season with the Rays, Carlos led the club with 28 home runs and took over the franchise mark with 144 long balls
in his four years with Tampa Bay ... was limited to 144 games after battling plantar fascia in his right foot.
... Batted .196 (95-for-484) with 28 homers, 84 RBI and 87 walks -- was
one of just seven players in baseball with at least that many homers, RBI
and walks, and the only to do so in less than 150 games played.
... Landed on the 15-day disabled list, August 1-16 with a right plantar
fascia sprain ... his D.L. stint included a one-game rehab assignment with
Single-A Charlotte.
... His 28 blasts were third-most all-time among players who hit under .200
in a season.
w Mark McGwire hit 29 homers and batted .187 for St. Louis in
2001 ... Mark Reynolds hit 32 homers with a .198 average in
2010 for Arizona.
... Homered in a franchise-record six-straight games, June 6-12, becoming
the first player to do so since Oakland's Frank Thomas, September 5-11,
2006.
... His hottest stretch at the dish was June 6-July 29, in which he batted
.270 (43-for-159) with 15 homers and 35 RBI in 45 games - raised his
average from a season-low .165 to .216.
... Belted eight homers in June and seven in July, both one long ball shy of
franchise marks for those months.
... Recorded his franchise-record 11th career multi-homer game and
seventh career grand slam, June 8 vs. Toronto.
... His 87 free passes gave him a franchise-record 373 walks in his four
seasons with Tampa Bay.
... Struck out 158 times, third-most in the A.L. behind Detroit's Austin
Jackson (170) and teammate B.J. Upton (164).
... Appeared on his eighth Opening Day roster and made his seventh start.
2009
Became the first Ray to lead the American
League in home runs despite missing the final
25 games of the season...his 39 homers tied
with NYY Mark Teixeira...His season ended on Labor Day (Sep 7 at
NYY) after he was hit by a CC Sabathia pitch,
breaking two fingers on his left hand...he is
the first player in the live ball era (since 1920)
to lead his league in home runs despite missing
at least 25 games to end the season...the
closest were Dick Allen in 1974 (20 games) and
Jimmie Foxx in 1939 (21).
..Underwent successful surgery in St. Petersburg
Sep 10 to repair the broken fingers...
during the two-hour surgery, Dr. Doug Carlan
inserted pins into Peña's left index and middle
fingers...a full recovery is expected.
At the time of his .. injury was leading the AL in
home runs by 6 (over Teixeira), walks (87) and
strikeouts (172)...was tied for 2nd with Evan
Longoria with 100 RBI and tied for 5th in extrabase
hits with 66...finished the season 3rd in
strikeouts, 8th in walks and 12th in RBI.
..In his last 19 games before the injury, batted
.333 (21-63) with 8 home runs, 23 RBI, 16 runs
and 12 walks...in his last 40 games starting
July 25, he hit 15 homers and had 40 RBI...the
Rays lost the first 7 games without him...his 12
HR in August led the majors and were the 2nd
most in a single month in club history behind
his own record of 13 (September 2007).
..Led the majors with a 12.08 AB per HR...his
15.52 career average is 9th among actives.
His 202 career HR are 16th all time among
players born in the Dominican Republic...trails
Rico Carty by 2 and Felipe Alou by 4...his 116
in 3 seasons as a Ray are 2nd most in club history
behind Aubrey Huff's 128.
..His 12 HR off lefties were a career high...homered
twice off BOS Jon Lester and NYY Andy
Pettitte and once off NYM Johan Santana.
..His .227 avg. is the 2nd lowest ever by a league
HR champion ahead of only NYM Dave Kingman
in 1982 (.204, 37-HR)...had the fewest hits
ever (107) for a player with 100+ RBI...previous
low was 111 by SD Phil Plantier in 1993.
..His average was also the lowest in modern
major league history for a player with a .500 or
better slugging pct.
..Led major league first basemen with 4 bunt
singles, all coming against the defensive shift
employed by most teams...since 1974 only
2 league home run champions have had 4
or more bunt singles: COL Dante Bichette
(40-HR, 6 bunt singles in 1995) and PHI Mike
Schmidt (38-HR, 5 bunt singles in 1975)...
since 1974 only one AL player has reached
Peña's totals for bunt singles and home runs
in the same season: SEA Alex Rodriguez (42-
HR, 4 bunt singles in 1998).
..Is one of 9 major league players with 30
home runs and 100 RBI in each of the last 3
seasons...owns 3 of the Rays 6 all-time 30-
HR seasons...no other Ray has done it even
twice.
..Made 10 errors, tied for most among AL first
basemen...also his most since 2003 and eight
more than he made in 2008 when he was the
AL Gold Glove winner.
..Had four 2-homer games giving him nine multihomer
games as a Ray, most in club history...
hit 2 homers and a walk-off single in the 10th
inning Aug 22 vs. TEX...hit two off lefty Brett
Cecil the in Rays 7-3 win on Aug 25 at TOR, the
199th and 200th of his career.
..Over the past 3 seasons (2007-09) has hit 29
home runs against the Yankees (14) and Red
Sox (15), 12 more than any other player...homered
in the Rays first 2 games at the new Yankee
Stadium, May 6-7, including a 10th-inning
game-winner off Phil Coke in a 4-3 win on
May 6 giving the Rays a 2-game series
sweep...the Rays had never had an extrainning
home run in 11 years at the old Yankee
Stadium...it was his 7th career extra-inning
home run (and club-record 3rd as a Ray).
..In the home opener April 13 vs. NYY went
3-for-6 with his 6th career grand slam and
6 RBI.
..On July 25 at TOR, he had a bases-loaded triple
in the 7th and solo HR in the 9th as the Rays
came back from a 9-1 deficit to win 10-9 in 12,
the largest comeback win in club history.
..In 5 games between Aug 21-25, he hit 6 homers
and drove in 12 while leading the Rays to 4
wins, bringing them to within 3 games of wild
card leader Boston.
..Had two notable streaks: a 12-game hit streak,
April 8-19, and a club-record 11-game streak
with at least one walk, May 15-25.
..ALL-STAR GAME: Made his first All-Star
Team, but did not play...added to squad by
Joe Maddon as a replacement for Dustin Pedroia...
hit 6 HR in the Home Run Derby.
2008
In his second season with the Rays, led the
club with 31 HR, 102 RBI and 242 total bases
despite missing 20 games (June 4-26) with a
broken left index finger...started 136 games
(131-1B, 5-DH)...his 490 at-bats matched his
career high (2007).
Ranked among AL leaders in several categories:
11th in HR, 10th in RBI, 5th in walks (96)
and 2nd in strikeouts (166).
He also won his first Rawlings Gold Glove, the
first Ray to ever win a Gold Glove.
Finished 10th in the AL MVP voting with 44
points.
His 77 HR over 2007-08 were 2nd in AL, trailing
only NYY Alex Rodriguez (89), and 5th in MLB
also trailing PHI Ryan Howard (95), MIL Prince
Fielder (84) and CIN/ARI Adam Dunn (80).
Became the first Ray to post two 30-HR seasons...
is also the 3rd Ray to post two 100-
RBI seasons (Aubrey Huff, 2003-04 and Fred
McGriff 1999-2000).
2007
Twenty-eight year-old was named American
League Comeback Player of the Year by Major
League Baseball and
The Sporting News ... he set
career highs and club records in several offensive
categories, including home runs (46), RBI (121),
walks (103), on-base percentage (.411) and slugging
percentage (.627) ...
He led the Rays with 99 runs scored and 307 total
bases and was named team MVP by the Tampa
Bay Chapter of the BBWAA ... he was also awarded
the Paul C. Smith Champion Award, given to the
player who best exemplifies the spirit of true
professionalism on and off the field ... joins Carl
Crawford (2006) as the only players to win both
awards ...
Became the Rays first-ever Silver Slugger Award
winner (also his first) ... the award is presented to
the league's top offensive player at each position.
He ranked 4th in the majors in homers behind
Alex Rodriguez (54), Prince Fielder (50) and Ryan
Howard (47), but his 10.7 ABs-to-homers ratio
was the best in the majors ... had 23 at home, 23
on the road ...
He finished 6th in RBI following A-Rod (156),
Magglio Ordonez (139), Matt Holliday (137), Ryan
Howard (136) and Vlad Guerrero (125) ... drove in a
run every 4.0 at-bats - only A-Rod (3.7) and Ryan
Howard (3.9) did it more frequently ... only A-Rod
had a higher slugging pct. at .645 ...
Became the 11th American Leaguer to reach 100
walks, 45 home runs, and 120 RBI in a single season,
joining Babe Ruth, Hank Greenberg, Jimmie
Foxx, Mickey Mantle, David Ortiz, Lou Gehrig, Jim
Thome, Harmon Killebrew, Rafael Palmeiro and
Rocky Colavito ...
Was one of three non-roster invites to make the
Opening Day roster (also pitchers Gary Glover
and Al Reyes) ... he was actually reassigned to
minor league camp on March 30, but a knee
injury to Greg Norton in the next-to-last spring
training game (March 30 at Sarasota), opened a
spot for him on the roster ...
He is the first player to hit 40 or more homers in
the subsequent season after being released ...
was actually released twice in 2006: late March
by the Tigers and mid-August from the Yankees'
Triple-A roster ... his lone ML action in 2006 was as
a September callup by the Red Sox, who signed
him to a minor league deal following his release
from New York ... had one home run in 33 AB for
Boston ... Rays are his 5th major league club (also
Rangers, A's, Tigers and Red Sox) ...
His 46 home runs were 12 more than the Rays
previous record of 34 shared by Jose Canseco
(1999) and Aubrey Huff (2003) AND 19 more than
his prior high of 27 in 2004 for Detroit ...
Only 8 players have hit more home runs in their
first year with a new team ...
Only Mark McGwire enjoyed a bigger increase in
home runs from one year to the next (1986-87, 3
HRs to 49) ...
His 121 RBI eclipsed the previous club mark of 117
by Jorge Cantu in 2005 AND were 39 more than
his prior best (82 in '04) ...
His .282 average finished nearly 40 points better
than his CAREER mark entering the season ...
Appeared in a career-high 147 games (139
starts) ... started just 7 of the first 17 games, then
took over as everyday first baseman April 22 with
Ty Wigginton moving to third base following
Akinori Iwamura's injury and started 132 of the
final 145 games ...
Hit 26 home runs after the All-Star Break, tied with
Ryan Howard for most in the majors ... included
was a season-ending 13 home runs in September,
a club record for ANY month ... only A-Rod (14 in
April) and Alfonso Soriano (14 in Sep.) had more
in one month this season ...
Had 54 RBI over the season's final two months ...
only Atlanta's Mark Teixeira had more in the
majors (56) during that stretch ... finished with 29
in September, a club record for ANY month ...
Sep 5 vs. Baltimore he collected 7 RBI in a 17-2
Rays win, a club single-game record ... in fact, it
had been the longest standing record in club history ...
Paul Sorrento had 6 RBI on May 3, 1998 at
Cleveland, the 29th game in franchise history...
that record stood for more than 9 years and 1,566
games until Peña eclipsed it ...
Peña hit a grand slam in that game (off Fernando
Cabrera), his 2nd of the season - also June 12 vs.
San Diego off Doug Brocail which was the 100th
HR of his career ... owns 5 career slams ...
Had 4 multi-home run games (2-HR), all coming in
his last 33 games: Aug. 26 vs. Oakland, Aug. 31 at
New York, Sep. 5 vs. Baltimore and Sep 22 vs. Boston ...
tied the club record (Jorge Cantu in 2005)
for most multi-HR games in a single season ...
Hit 8 home runs vs. the Yankees, a club record for
most home runs vs. one opponent ... they were
the most homers hit vs. NY by a single player this
season ... in fact, since divisional play began in
1969, only one player has hit more than 8 homers vs.
the Yankees in a single season - Jose Cruz,
Jr. with 9 in 2001 for Toronto ... the eight homers
tied for the most by any player vs. any opponent
on the season ... Peña also hit the most home runs
vs. Baltimore (6) and matched Derek Jeter for the
most vs. Boston (6) ...
Had a career-high 14-game hitting streak July
1-18, longest on club this season and 5th longest
in club history ... hit .360 (18-50) ...
Made his Rays debut April 7 vs. Toronto (0-for-4)
... hit his first TB home run April 11 at Texas (Robinson
Tejeda) ...
After a .213 April, he rebounded to .356 in May
(26-73), the best month of his career and the 6th
best May in club history ...
From May 6-June 5 he led the majors batting .431
(31-for-72) to raise his average from a season-low
.194 to a season-high .321 ...
Struck out 4 times in a game on 3 occasions (July
6 at KC, June 30 at CLE, Aug. 9 at DET) ... only Can-
seco (4) owns more 4-strikeout games in club
history ...
Struck a catwalk 5 times (3-C, 2-B), most by any
player in any season (Gomes did it 4 times in
2006) ...
Longest home run of the season was a 452 ft.
blast to the 3rd deck at Coors Field on June 17 (off
Cook), the 27th all-time to reach the upper deck
there ...
Hit 7 home runs in interleague action ... only
A-Rod and Ken Griffey Jr., each with 8, had
more ... AND only Fred McGriff (8 in 2001) had
more in club history.
2005
Pena began the season as Detroit's regular first baseman, but the Tigers
eventually sent him to Triple-A Toledo on May 31 with a .181 batting average. He
hit .311 with 12 homers and 45 RBIs in 71 games for the Mud Hens, then returned to Detroit to put on
a power display over the final seven weeks of the season. He homered 15 times over 38 games after the
recall, ranking among the best totals in the Majors in that span. That included an estimated 461-foot
blast September 25 against Seattle for the longest home run in Comerica Park's history.
2004
Established career highs during the 2004 season with the Tigers with 142 games played, 481 at-bats, 89 runs scored, 116 hits, 227 total bases, 22 doubles, 27 home runs, 82 RBI and seven stolen bases...Led the club with 27 home runs, while he finished third with 82 RBI...tied for the team lead with a career-high 70 walks...Hit safely in six of his first eight games of the season April 5-14, batting .387 (12x31) with eight runs scored, two doubles, two triples, two home runs and eight RBI...Over his next 35 games April 15-May 26, he hit .153 (17x111) with 41 strikeouts...In 23 games during April, he batted .228 (18x79) with 17 runs scored, two doubles, two triples, four home runs and 16 RBI -- led the American League with 25 strikeouts during the month, while he tied for seventh with 17 runs
scored and tied for 14th with 16 RBI...Matched a Tigers nine-inning single-game record with a career-high six hits May 27 at Kansas City, becoming the fifth player in franchise history to accomplish the feat and the first since Damion Easley on August 8, 2001 at Texas...his six hits came from the eighth spot in the batting order, the most from that spot by a single player in a
nine-inning game since Baltimore's Wilbert Robinson collected seven hits on June 10, 1892 versus St. Louis...Established season highs with two home runs and five RBI on May 27 at Kansas City...matched the high in home runs with two at Anaheim on August 14 and two at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field against the White Sox on September 18...Managed one hit in 20 at-bats (.050) over six games May 28-June 3...Tied for 12th in the league during May with 25 strikeouts, while hitting .228 (18x79) with four home runs and 15 RBI in 24 games...Blasted a walk-off grand slam June 27 versus Arizona -- first walk-off grand slam by a Tigers player since Lou Whitaker accomplished the feat on June 21, 1994 versus
Cleveland...ripped a second grand slam August 24
against the Chicago White Sox -- tied for fourth in the league with two grand slams...Batted .250 (18x72) in 21 games during June, connecting for three home runs and driving in 15 runs -- tied for 11th in the league during the month with 22 strikeouts...Did not commit an error in 57 consecutive games at first base July 15-September 28, a stretch of 524 total chances -- the 57-game errorless streak is the secondlongest by a Tigers first baseman since 1961, trailing Darrell Evans' 85-game errorless streak in 1987...Reached base safely via a hit or walk in 20 straight games August 1-25, including a season-high 11-game hitting streak August 14-25 -- hit .415 (17x41) over the course of the 11-game streak, scoring 12 runs and collecting three doubles, four home runs and 11 RBI...Started each of the club's final 55 games August 5-October 3...Third in the league during August with 18 walks, tied for sixth with 25 strikeouts, tied for ninth with 22 runs scored, 11th with a .422 on-base percentage and tied for 14th with six home runs -- batted .308 (28x91) with 17 RBI in 26 games during the month...In 27 games during September, he batted .233 (21x90) with 21 runs scored, eight home runs and 14 RBI -- tied for third in the league during the month with 19 walks, tied for fourth with eight home runs and 29 strikeouts and tied for seventh with 21 runs scored...His .241 batting average was fourth-lowest in the league...Third in the league with 146 strikeouts...fanned once
every 3.8 plate appearances, third-worst in the league...Averaged 4.04 pitches per plate appearance, ninthmost in the league...Posted a .434 batting average (23x53) when putting the first pitch into play, tied for 10th-best in the league...Averaged one walk every 8.0 plate appearances, 10thbest in the league...Put 15.0 percent of the pitches he saw and 32.7 percent
of his swings into play, both second-fewest in the league...Swung and missed 27.8 percent of the time, third-highest in the league...Hit .240 (80x330) with 19 home runs when facing righthanded pitchers -- his .240 batting average against righties was third-lowest in the league...batted .245 (36x147) with eight home runs against lefties...In 73 games at Comerica Park, he batted .254 (60x236) with 10 home runs...hit .229 (56x245) with 17 home runs in 69 games on the road -- his .229 batting average on the road was fourth-lowest in the league, while his 17 home runs tied for seventh-most...Batted .235 (28x119) when hitting with runners in scoring position, including a .224 batting average (13x58) with runners in scoring position and two outs...Hit .357 (5x14) with 18 RBI when batting with the bases loaded -- tied for 11th in the league with his 18 RBI...Sixth among league first basemen with a .995 fielding percentage, tied for sixth with 77 double plays and ninth
with 0.60 assists per nine innings...tied for fourth among league first basemen with six errors...His .995 fielding percentage is second in Tigers singleseason history among first basemen with at least 108 games played.
2003
In his first full-season with the Tigers, Pena was second on the club in doubles (
21) and triples (
6), third in hits
(
112), tied for third in home runs (
18) and tied for fourth in RBI (
50).
Third among all American League first basemen with 0.75 assists per nine innings and fourth with 91 assists...led
all league first basemen with 13 errors and his .990 fielding percentage was the lowest in the league among all
first basemen.
Fanned once every 4.2 plate appearances, the most frequent in the league...37.2 percent of his swings were put
into play, third-fewest in the league.
Posted a .422 on-base percentage when leading off an inning, ninth-best in the league.
Managed a
.208 batting average (
31x149) against lefthanders, tied for fifth-lowest in the league...batted .267
(
81x303) with righties on the mound.
Opened the season with three hits in his first 26 at-bats (.115) over an 11-game stretch March 31-April 13 before
he posted a
six-game hitting streak April 15-20...batted .304 (
7x23) with two doubles, a
home run and two RBI
during the six-game stretch.
Collected a
season-high three hits May 4
versus Tampa Bay, one of six three-hit games for Pena during the
season -- equaled the high in the following games: May 11 at Tampa Bay, May 19 at Cleveland, July 21-22 at
Boston and August 24 versus Anaheim.
Hit safely in a
season-best nine straight games May 14-22, batting .364 (
12x33) with two doubles, three home
runs and seven RBI.
42
Established career highs with three home runs and seven RBI at Cleveland on May 19 -- 19th time a
Tigers
player has connected for three home runs in a
single game to match a
franchise record and the first since Bobby
Higginson on June 24, 2000 at Cleveland...the seven RBI were the most by a
Tigers player since Higginson also
had seven on June 13, 2000 versus Toronto...Pena connected for his first career grand slam in the third inning of
the game against Cleveland's Jason Davis -- the first grand slam by a
Tigers player since Randall Simon on
August 25, 2002 versus Oakland.
In 26 games during May, he batted .272 (
25x92) with five home runs and 16 RBI...second on the club in both
home runs and RBI during the month, while he finished third in hits (
25).
Departed the game May 27 versus Cleveland in the third inning with a
left calf strain -- missed three games with
his next game action coming as a
pinch-hitter on June 1
versus the New York Yankees...landed on the disabled
list retroactive to June 2
on June 5
with a
left hamstring strain.
Assigned to Triple A
Toledo for a
rehab assignment on June 22...hit safely in seven of his eight games with Toledo,
batting .333 (
10x30) with four doubles, a
triple and five RBI.
Recalled from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the disabled list on June 27...hit safely in each of his first
six games back from the disabled list June 27-July 2, batting .429 (
9x21) with a
double, triple and two RBI.
Belted a
solo home run in the seventh inning July 8
versus the Chicago White Sox to snap a
1-1
tie, his first home
run since May 19 at Cleveland -- a
stretch of 18 games and 64 at-bats without a
home run.
Fell a
single shy of hitting for the cycle at Boston on July 22, finishing with a
double, triple and home run.
Went 18 games and 62 at-bats without a
home run or RBI before belting solo home runs in back-to-back games
August 12-13 at Texas.
Collected two triples versus Anaheim on August 22, becoming only the third player to triple twice in a
single game
at Comerica Park -- first since Oakland's Ray Durham on August 24, 2002...Juan Encarnacion was the first with
two triples in a
game, accomplishing the feat on July 28, 2001 versus Cleveland.
Homered four times in a
five-game stretch August 23-28...Pena hit safely in six straight games August 22-28,
batting .391 (
9x23) with eight runs scored, a
double, two triples, four home runs and five RBI.
Hit .273 (
27x99) with 15 runs scored, two doubles, four triples, six home runs and eight RBI in 28 games during
August...led the club in runs scored and triples during the month, while he was tied for second in hits (
27) and
third in home runs.
Belted home runs in consecutive games September 2-3
versus Cleveland, the fifth time he accomplished the feat
during the season -- May 3-4
versus Tampa Bay, August 12-13 at Texas, August 23-24 versus Anaheim and
August 27-28 at Cleveland...would not homer in his final 22 games of the season, a
stretch of 76 at-bats.
Committed three errors on September 10 at Yankee Stadium against New York -- first Tigers player since Dave
Borkowski on August 23, 1999 at Anaheim with three errors in a
single game.
Managed a
.216 batting average (
19x88) in 25 games during September, finishing third on the club with 12 RBI.
Struck out 44 times in his first 56 games of the season March 31-July 3, once every 4.25 at-bats...in his final 75
games of the season July 4-September 28, he fanned 79 times or once every 3.35 at-bats...his walk totals
increased along with his strikeout totals -- drew 18 walks in his first 56 games and 35 over his final 75 games.
In 64 games prior to the all-star break, Pena hit .245 (
52x212) with eight home runs...batted .250 (
60x240) with
10 home runs in 67 games following the all-star break.
Hit .267 (
69x258) with 12 home runs when hitting with no one on base, compared to .222 (
43x194) with six home
runs with runners on base.
Hit .215 (
23x107) with runners in scoring position, including .148 (
8x54) with runners in scoring position and two
outs -- his batting average with runners in scoring position and two outs was fourth-worst in the league.
2002
- Opened the season as Oakland's starter at first base before being optioned to Triple A Sacramento on May 21 and ultimately dealt to the Tigers in a three-team, seven-player deal on July 6.
- Drilled a game-winning, walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against Texas' Dan Miceli to
propel Oakland to a 3-2 win on April 2...belted four home runs in his first seven games with the A's, driving in a total of seven runs.
- Posted a five-game hitting streak April 17-21, batting .500 (8x16) with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI.
- Collected three hits April 17 against Seattle...matched the high of three hits for the season on one other occasion with Oakland -- April 27 versus the Chicago White Sox.
- Earned American League Rookie of the Month honors for April after hitting .264 (23x87) with seven home runs and 16 RBI in 26 games...fell one home run shy of the major league rookie record for home runs in April, eight by St. Louis' Albert Pujols (2001), Toronto's Carlos Delgado (1994) and Minnesota's Kent Hrbek (1982).
- Mired in a 0x19 slump before singling in the ninth inning on May 8 against Boston.
- Managed just four hits in 37 at-bats (.108) in 14 games during May before being sent to Sacramento by the A's.
- Belted eight home runs and drove in 20 runs over an 18-game stretch with Sacramento May 28-June 15.
- Was 7x16 (.438) with five runs, a double, triple, two home runs and six RBI over his final four games with Sacramento July 2-5.
- Made his Tigers debut July 7 at Boston, going 3x4 with two doubles and two RBI...the three hits matched a high for the season set previously with Oakland...posted three more three-hit games with Detroit -- July 28 at Cleveland, August 18 at Baltimore and September 25 at Kansas City.
- Recorded two six-game hitting streaks during August
-- hit .474 (9x19) with three doubles, a home run and three RBI over the first six-game streak August 13-19 and .348 (8x23) with three home runs over the second six-game streak August 24-30.
- Homered in three straight games August 27-30...his seven home runs during the month of August led all Tigers players.
- Posted a 12-game hitting streak September 8-21, matching teammate Omar Infante for the longest hitting streak by an American League rookie in 2002...batted .341 (15x44) with two doubles, two triples, three home runs and eight RBI.
- Finished among the American League rookie leaders in numerous categories: second with 19 home runs, 178 total bases and 40 extra-base hits, fourth with 96 hits and 24 multi-hit games, tied for fourth with four triples and a .448 slugging percentage, fifth with 52 RBI and 41 walks, sixth with 17 doubles, seventh with 43 runs scored and eighth with a .316 on-base percentage.
- Third-lowest among all American League players with only 34.6 percent of his swings put into play (288x832)... fifth-worst in the league by swinging and missing 27.6 percent of the time (230x832).
- Seventh in the league with a .538 slugging percentage against lefthanded pitching.
- Second among all American League first basemen with a .996 fielding percentage and ninth with 71 assists.
- Fared better against lefties, hitting .265 (35x132) with eight home runs...batted .230 (61x265) with righthanders on the mound.
- Hit .310 (13x42) with runners in scoring position and two outs.
- Named as the fifth-best prospect in baseball prior to the season by Baseball America.
2001
Traded to the Tigers from the Oakland A's July 6, 2002.
In Pena, the Tigers acquired a combination of strong offensive as well as a super glove. Pena, rated Oakland's top prospect by Baseball America, is currently at Triple A Sacramento batting .231 with nine home runs and 32 RBI in 42 games entering the game July 6. He was optioned to Sacramento on May 22.
In 40 games for Oakland this season, Pena batted .218 (27x124) with seven home runs and 16 RBI.
The 24-year-old was a first round selection (10th overall) of the Texas Rangers in the 1998 draft. He had a super 2001 season at Triple A Oklahoma, and was dealt to Oakland on January 14 of this year in a six-player trade. Pena was named a Triple A All-Star after last season at Oklahoma and was ranked the second-best prospect in the Pacific Coast League by Baseball America. Pena had the fifth-highest on-base percentage in the PCL at .408 and had 23 home runs and 38 doubles.