Pena expects his follow-up to measure up
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Published February 21, 2008
ST. PETERSBURG - Carlos Pena's 2007 season turned out to be a masterpiece, with a team-record 46 homers and 121 RBIs.
And while not predicting he will surpass, or even match, that performance, he reported to Rays camp Wednesday confident he'll end up with something to be proud of.
"Last year was a magical year, no doubt about it. A year that I will have as a source of energy, a source of confidence, and it definitely was a lot of fun," Pena said.
"But this year there is a blank canvas in front of me, and I intend to paint a beautiful picture. That is my intention. We understand that there is a process. And it's so funny, I keep on telling myself, 'Let the kid inside of me play. Get out of the way. Let him play.' And that's what I intend to do. I know if I do that, the picture can not help but be beautiful."
RIPKEN A RAY? A group led by Hall of Famer Cal Ripken is in talks to buy the Rays' Class A Vero Beach team and relocate it to the new Port Charlotte spring home for next season.
The move was expected, the involvement of Ripken a surprise. Ripken Baseball owns and operates two teams, the Aberdeen (Md.) IronBirds and Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets, and stages instructional camps that feature the former Orioles star.
The Rays would be a minority owner of the team under terms of the deal, which must be approved by the Florida State League and Minor League Baseball and reviewed by MLB.
NO MERCY: New closer Troy Percival couldn't wait to greet OF Jonny Gomes, who hit a mammoth walkoff homer off Percival in a July 2005 game, and caused a bit of a stir by savoring his trip around the bases.
"He said he'd been waiting two years for this, that he'd been working out for one pitch, to put in my ribs," Gomes said. "And he probably will (during batting practice)."
HEAVY HEART: Spanish radio broadcaster Ricardo Taveras was at the workout, still grieving the loss of his 18-year-old son, Richard, an aspiring ballplayer who was killed recently in a car accident in the Dominican Republic.
FAN FEST: Among those of mass interest in the autograph schedule for Saturday's FanFest at Tropicana Field: Scott Kazmir, David Price, senior adviser Don Zimmer and Percival from noon-1 p.m.; Rocco Baldelli, Akinori Iwamura and B.J. Upton,1-2; Cliff Floyd, Evan Longoria and Pena, 2-3; Carl Crawford and Gomes, 3-4. For a full schedule, visit rays.tampabay.com.
ARRIVALS DEPT.: The Rays still don't know when they'll see reliever Juan Salas and infielders Willy Aybar and Joel Guzman, delayed by visa problems in the Dominican Republic. Salas and Guzman are said to be awaiting a phone call for approval; Aybar's case may be complicated by his recent legal problems (he was arrested and held on domestic violence charges that were dropped) as well as a change of employer after being traded.
MISCELLANY: After practicing bunt plays and pickoffs at second base, Iwamura said "third base was a lot easier," but Maddon liked what he saw, especially the way Iwamura worked with new SS Jason Bartlett: "The beginning of the marriage." ... Zimmer was struck by a ball during batting practice, but Maddon said: "If it was (Josh Paul) that hit him, he'll walk."