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The Wily Mo Pena Era is finished, the power hitting outfielder turned into a dinosaur by his own personal Ice Age…the inability to hit a breaking ball.
The Sox have been trying to deal the 25-year old for weeks, without much success. They finally found a trading partner in the Nationals and GM Jim Bowden, the same guy who got him from the Yankees while with Cincinnati. The Red Sox has to send cash to Washington as well, getting the proverbial “player to be named later” in return. I doubt that player will be anywhere near as valuable as the player Boston sent to Cincy to acquire Pena in the first place.
I was a big proponent of the trade at the time, arguing that the 40+ HR potential was more than worth a mediocre starting pitcher. Bronson Arroyo made that opinion look stupid last year, posting career numbers while making the National League All-Star game. Meanwhile, Pena struggled with performance and injury, never quite living up to the billing in ’06, before severely regressing this year. And even though Arroyo’s come back to earth, the trade is still clearly an “L” in Theo Epstein’s loss column. (In a bit of irony, Clay Buchholz, the player temporarily replacing Wily Mo on the roster is wearing Arroyo's #61...just one of those stupid facts only I find interesting!)
You know what’s funny though? If I’m Theo and the same opportunity presents itself (meaning trading a mediocre starting pitcher for a power bat), I do the trade again in a heartbeat. Perhaps that’s why I’m sitting here tapping away at my laptop in a restaurant instead of the General Manager’s box at Fenway.
Oh well, at least my performance was as good as Theo’s in this case. Maybe I’m qualified to run a baseball team, after all!
What are your thoughts on the Wily Mo Pena Era in Boston? How disastrous was it? (Feel free to take your shots and gloat if you argued against me when the Arroyo-Pena trade first happened)
Comments (6)
Pitching is what wins Championchips! Lets say that again Pitching wins Championchips! Granted Bronson Arroyo is not having a good season, but that does not mean he would peform the same way here in Boston. No offense against Willy Mo, but I was against this trade from the start. Good Luck Willy Mo and let the Era of Clay Buchholz begin...
Go Sox!
Posted by Shappy | August 18, 2007 1:04 AM
Posted on August 18, 2007 01:04
Bronson Arroyo-types are a dime a dozen. Wasn't he waived by the Pirates before the Red Sox got him? Jeremy Guthrie of the Orioles is another guy anyone could've had. Just takes some scouts with an idea for who can pitch for you or not.
Guys with the raw power (Wily Mo has the raw power- just can't hit a breaking ball and strikes out way too much) are not that easy to come by so I think I would make a similar deal again- #4 starter (at best) for guy with power potential...
The thing is you DON'T want to acquire a guy like Pena with no minor league options left. The guy was signed extremely young and was stuck at the major league level way too soon. Had he been able to have been sent to AAA earlier this year I'll be you he'd be much more valuable than Kielty would be...
Posted by dboisver | August 18, 2007 11:16 AM
Posted on August 18, 2007 11:16
Well said, DB. I might also add that Arroyo was only going to block the path for Lester, Buchholz and the rest of the Baby Sox that every scout raves about. Not to mention, at the time they acquired Pena, Nixon was in the final year of his deal and they were still thinking about trading Manny, which would have cleared a definite everyday spot in one of the corner spots.
Shappy, while the words are "pitching wins championships," the implied word is "good" pitching. Arroyo was, is, and always will be a mediocre starter. His numbers with the Reds this year are much more than norm...'06 was the aberration.
Posted by Teddy P. | August 18, 2007 12:49 PM
Posted on August 18, 2007 12:49
You guys took the words right out of my mouth. I couldn't have said it any better! Believe it, it's true!
Posted by T2 | August 19, 2007 11:34 PM
Posted on August 19, 2007 23:34
God you guys are stubborn. How can you say you'd do it again when Pena was such a bust. I didn't mind the trade when it happened but you have to admit a mistake and move on. It was stupid to think they could get Pena enough at bats to get in a groove. Especially when they're giving so much money to Drew. Terrible planning on Theo's part. I don't care how poorly Arroyo is pitching, he would have helped last year and was a far better option than Jason Johnson and the rest of the stiffs they were trotting out on the mound while they collapsed in August.
Terrible, terrible trade Teddy. If you say you'd do it again, that's why you're a blogger and not a GM.
Posted by Tito's Terrors | August 22, 2007 9:50 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 09:50
Pena's hitting up a storm for the Nats so far. Maybe had Boston had a regular spot for him instead of making him a 4th outfielder he'd have been a fabulous acquisition?? Had Manny burned his bridges (as it seemed he was going to) Wily Mo could be the starting LF right now...
Arroyo wouldn't have helped enough last year to make a difference. Sometimes you have to stick your neck out for the potential guy you are getting- sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but when an opportunity like that presents itself and the cost is relatively small you have to do it.
Posted by dboisver | August 22, 2007 7:44 PM
Posted on August 22, 2007 19:44