Fittingly, Pena stands out

His 46th homer in a season-ending win caps a year in which he emerged as an elite slugger.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 1, 2007

Carlos Pena finished the season with 46 homers and 121 RBI, which should put him in the running for American League Comeback Player of the Year.
	[Dirk Shadd | Times]

TORONTO - Carlos Pena made a strong bid to be the American League's Comeback Player of the Year. He's also going to get some votes as the Most Valuable Player.

Pena capped his remarkable season in Sunday's 8-5 win over Toronto by hitting his 46th home run (fourth most in the majors) and knocking in his 121st run (sixth most). He finished second in the majors with a .627 slugging percentage (behind only Alex Rodriguez), ninth with a .411 on-base percentage and third overall when added together, an OPS of 1.037.

"I'm very grateful," said Pena, a nonroster invitee to spring training. "I know how blessed I am. I'm on the right team, I'm around the right people, the right atmosphere, the right situation. I do realize that. I don't take that for granted. I came onto a team that had a lot of young energy and that was very favorable to me, and also a staff that's incredibly positive and very respectful."

Pena - who manager Joe Maddon said would be worthy of MVP selection if he were on a contending team - wasn't the only Ray to accomplish something.

Scott Kazmir won his first American League strikeout with 239 and would end up the major-league leader if San Diego's Jake Peavy doesn't strike out more than four in today's one-game playoff with Colorado.

Carl Crawford, despite not playing the final 12 games, won a share of what it is his fourth AL stolen base title, tied at 50 on Saturday night by Baltimore's Brian Roberts.

As a team, the Rays set an AL record by striking out 1,324 times, the fourth-highest total of all time. Their pitchers struck out 1,204, the sixth most in league history. They became the sixth team in the past 50 years to lead their league in both, and the first to ever do so in the AL while having the highest ERA, 5.53.

FAST FACTS

Getting better?

Here's how the Rays have done in each of their 10 seasons:

Year W-L BA R HR ERA

1998 63-99 .261 620 111 4.35

1999 69-93 .274 772 145 5.06

2000 69-92 .257 733 162 4.86

2001 62-100 .258 672 121 4.94

2002 55-106 .253 665 133 5.25

2003 63-99 .265 715 137 4.93

2004 70-91 .258 714 145 4.81

2005 67-94 .274 748 156 5.38

2006 61-101 .255 689 190 4.97

2007 66-96 .269 782 187 5.53

[Last modified September 30, 2007, 21:45:50]