http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3202548



I'm glad the local kid got to play for the Sox, then finally found a home in Tampa and played so well. Congrats, Carlos, and best of luck next year against all the AL East teams, with the glorious exception of the Red Sox

Edit: This is also awesome because the Rays are spending some money on thier talent. Powerhouse in the waiting.

Congrats to the Pena, D-Rays, and the fan base. Now if they can lock up Kazmir and maybe Crawford they will soon be the team to beat.

The bolded part is a joke right?

You realize of course that Carl Crawford is signed through 2008 with club options for 2009 and 2010, right?

Not at all. They have an amazing rotation lined up with Kazmir, Shields, Garza, Price, and Davis. If one doesn't pan out, they have a 4-star prospect in McGee. They also maintain a strong lineup with Crawford, Upton, Pena, Longoria, Jennings, and Brignac. Their biggest concern moving forward is getting young/good BP arms.



I didn't realize he had one for 2010, just knew he had one for 2009.

I am happy for him, but put me in the I not quite convinced yet crowd. Don't get me wrong, he had a great year last year. Another good year, I'll be on the bandwagon.

It's karma - TB should have removed 'Devil' from the their name a long time ago!

Seems to be a lot of pro-Ray sentiment here.
Myself, call me selfish but I'm not really rooting for another team in the AL East to be putting together a top notch lineup. If I were to root for an underdog to have a good season it'd be KC, let them compete vs. Minn, Celevland & Detroit. I'd much prefer to go 16-3 vs. TB.

Anyway, I'm not sure this is the best move by TB anyway. $8m+ on a player who's had a single good season! That's a lot of $ by TB standards, I think they're really taking a chance here.

Also, it's worth noting (I don't see it mentioned) that Kazmir has also signed a 1 year extension (value = $3.785m) & thus avoids arbitration.

VRI, thats a excellent deal for Rays, I bet Mets are still kicking at it!

Carlos Pena, I hope you do well.. just don't pull any "walk off" HR on us, do it on MFY instead!

Are you referring to the guy who had a career OPS+ of 114 before the 2007 season that bumped it up to 124? The guy who hit 27 HR's in 2004 as a 26-year old who had less than 500 at-bats that season? The one who had already hit 86 HR's in his career through 1,700 at-bats before turning 30? (And now has 132 and still isn't 30) The guy who hit 84 HR's in the Minors before he had his 23rd Birthday?

Carlos Pena has always had an impressive amount of power. Power he has shown at each level, without fully receiving a fair-shot in the Majors. He may not approach his 2007 numbers again, but he is a very quality .850+ OPS player with strong defense.

Pumped over this. Played against him in HS. Wish him nothing but the best.

Re: single good season:

Yes, the guy who played for 6 teams in 7 years, the guy who had a career BA of .243 prior to 07' & the guy w/ the 'impressive amt. of power' that hadn't cracked a slugging % of .477 before his stop in TB.

I don't wish the guy any ill will, I just don't feel that he's had an impressive track record since coming to the bigs outside of 07' & thus TB is taking a bit of a gamble in this signing.