Pena isn't happy waiting for chance to start for Reds

[OnBaseMachine]

Pena isn't happy waiting for chance to start for Reds
By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

CHICAGO | Wily Mo Pena said it calmly — didn't demand a trade, didn't pound his spikes on a podium, didn't threaten to turn over the postgame meal table.

That doesn't mean he is happy sitting. He's not. He wants to play and manager Jerry Narron has said, "I wouldn't want players who are happy if they aren't playing."

Pena wonders where it will lead, this four-outfielders situation where Austin Kearns is playing right field most of the time and Pena is playing some right field and a game or two in left field.

He is surprised the Reds didn't trade an outfielder, either him or Kearns.

"My agent told me there were a couple of teams interested in me (Washington, Chicago Cubs), but the Reds wouldn't do it," Pena said. "I would like them to tell me what's going on. They don't tell me anything.

"I know Kearns could start for another team and I could start for another team. This situation is not good for me. I want to play every day and it is tough to play every day in this situation.

"It's tough to play one day and not play the next, tough to get comfortable. I was 1 for 3 (Sunday) and feeling good, now I'm not in (Monday's) lineup.

"I have to wait and see because there is nothing I can do about it," said the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder who is hitting .263 with 14 homers and 35 RBIs in 213 at-bats.

"I don't feel good about this and next year we can't have four guys who can all play and start in the outfield, and I know they have to play Ken Griffey Jr. I don't want this (situation) next year. I hope something is done."

No celebrating yet

For a long period, Narron has said, "I hate it that I haven't been able to get starts for (infielder) Ray Olmedo."

Narron said today is the day — Olmedo at second base for a resting Ryan Freel, but as Narron said, "Like (former Texas manager) Johnny Oates used to say, 'It isn't written in see-ment.' "

Olmedo smiled when asked about it and said, "He has told me that before and it hasn't happened, so I'll get excited when I see my name on the lineup card."

Olmedo is hitting .333 with 27 at-bats in 22 games. He has started only two games since his June 28 callup from Class AAA Louisville and his last start was July 9.

"We'll see what happens," Olmedo said. "You have to wait for your time and I've been waiting. That's what I need ... to play in games."

Shortstop Felipe Lopez gets Wednesday off with Rich Aurilia filling in, although it, too, is not written in see-ment.

Switch at the top

The flip-flop had more to do with matching up against pitchers than it did the fact that Ryan Freel and Felipe Lopez entered Monday's game a combined 0 for 33.

Narron switched leadoff hitter Freel, a right-hander, to second in the order and moved Lopez from second to leadoff.

"When Lopez is in the two-hole and we have (left-handers) Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn and Sean Casey all lined up, it gives the opposing manager a chance to bring in a left-handed relief pitcher with Lopez batting," Narron said. "This way we might get one more at-bat against a right-hander or Freel might get an at-bat against a left-hander.

"And maybe this will stir them up a little bit, considering the last couple of days they haven't done a lot," Narron added.

Old-school Coffey

Todd Coffey is 24, but wants to be an old-school throw-back type player, "Which is why I listen to everything veterans Kent Mercker and David Weathers tell me and everything they say in the bullpen," he said.

"When I was a kid I used to go to old Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium in the early 90s when Mercker was pitching for the Braves," Coffey said.

Coffey is from Forest City, a one-horse town in North Carolina and Mercker told him, "You were drafted by the Reds in the 41st round, but they wanted to draft you in the first round but your folks didn't have a telephone and couldn't get hold of you."

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sport...redsnotes.html

[Walkerforpres]

"My agent told me there were a couple of teams interested in me (Washington, Chicago Cubs), but the Reds wouldn't do it," Pena said. "I would like them to tell me what's going on. They don't tell me anything.

I hate this situation, and it seems like many others on the Reds (Dunn, Kearns, Griffey, LaRue, Aurilia) have been involved in the same types of situations where management seems to think everything is a big secret as to not piss someone off by actually letting them know what's going on. Honesty (say, to someone like Aurilia: "Rich, we appreicate what you're doing for the club, and you're doing a decent job of it, but we didn't sign you to be a full-time player, and you're not going to be a full-time player unless circumstances arise which make it necessary for you to be that type of player.") isn't going to make anyone any happier than they are now, but it sure would help with the whole CIA-style atmosphere that seems to surround the Reds right now.

And here we spend all our time begging the FO to sign Dunn/Pena/Lopez to LTCs. It's never going to even materialize with these feelings going around the clubhouse. Wily Mo ought to know that it's a crowded situation and that he'll most likely get his shot next year once Dunn or Griffey is traded in the off-season, but he's not happy. No one's happy. And no one has a damn clue what the management's plan happens to be.

That worries me.

[MrCinatit]

if there is a guy who classicaly has not gotten a chance to prove himself in the long run, it is Wily Mo. guy spends the first two and a half years of his career riding the pine. he gets a half-year chance because of injuries, puts up some rather impressive power numbers...and is shown the bench once again.
i keep telling people, if the guy is given a solid chance, he could turn into one of the greats.
well, it would be nice if his fielding was better.

[Nugget]

I don't see what the big deal is about not being told what is happening on the trade front. The first thing is these guys are paid to play baseball, that means being on the bench if that is what the manager has in mind. Secondly, they now there will be no contract talk until the end of the season - that's it.

According to Rich, that was exactly what he was told and he was not happy about not being a full-time player.

Junior has the right attitude - when he was asked about being traded, he said he was here to play baseball, if and when he is asked about being traded that's when he will think about it.

[Cedric]

Junior is obviously playing every day no matter if he's traded or not, of course he cares less than Rich, Wily Mo, or Austin.

[KronoRed]

This sounds remarkably like what Kearns said, is everyone gonna jump on Pena here like they jumped on Kearns?

[Ron Madden]

I can't blame any of these young guys for wanting more playing time.

Then again I can't blame Dan O'Brien for holding on to them rather than trading them away for little or no return.

[Cedric]

This sounds remarkably like what Kearns said, is everyone gonna jump on Pena here like they jumped on Kearns?

If Pena was hitting .225 with 2 homers they probably would. Also Kearns like it or not had the lack of work ethic rep.

[OnBaseMachine]

Kearns deserves to start right now. He's hitting .280/.315/.520 since returning from Louisville on July 20. Seven extra-base hits in 50 atbats and three walks and eight strikeouts. The three walks aren't great but over the last few days he has flashed solid plate discipline(3 walks in last 19 atbats).

Pena, on the other hand, is hitting just .204/.264/.306 since the break, with only three XBH in 49 atbats. And I haven't even mentioned how well Kearns has played in the field. I've seen him make some plays over the last few days that Wily Mo couldn't dream of making(the catch near the wall in right field tonight, for example).

Don't get me wrong...I am a Wily Mo fan, but right now, in my opinion, the most deserving guys are starting in the outfield.

[Casey_21]

If Pena was hitting .225 with 2 homers they probably would. Also Kearns like it or not had the lack of work ethic rep.

He's hitting less then that now since Break.... guess that don't matter. I find it amaizing that when some people run their mouth, nothing is said. I can garontee if that was Rich, (Who's #'s prove even HE is more deserving to play) he would have got bashed till the weeks end. I really don't understand the fascination with Mr. Clumsey Mo... I didn't mind what he said in the article either... I just can't stand him. To be honest, I was quite surprised anyone else would want him. I say if he don't mind being traded then by all means, DO IT!! PLEASE!! Even if he DID mind, do it... before Chi and the Nats find him out!!
_____________________________________

:casey: 'Hey... what's wrong, Buddy?'

ena: Sob.. 'They found out me can only hit Fastball'

:casey: 'Oh dear... Well what are you going to do?'

ena: getting mad.. 'Refuse to swing untill me get one'

:casey: 'That's kind of risky, aint it? Oh well, I say go for it!! Heck, you may even get walked a few times'

ena: 'Wow... Yeah.. Me didn't think about that. Thanks Sean'

:casey: 'Ahh, don't mention it. I mean what are friends for? Now come here, let's give us a hug..'

[buckeyenut]

He's hitting less then that now since Break.... guess that don't matter. I find it amaizing that when some people run their mouth, nothing is said. I can garontee if that was Rich, (Who's #'s prove even HE is more deserving to play) he would have got bashed till the weeks end. I really don't understand the fascination with Mr. Clumsey Mo... I didn't mind what he said in the article either... I just can't stand him. To be honest, I was quite surprised anyone else would want him. I say if he don't mind being traded then by all means, DO IT!! PLEASE!! Even if he DID mind, do it... before Chi and the Nats find him out!!
_____________________________________

Thing is, I didn't take that as him running his mouth. Reporter asked him about situation. He said he would rather be playing. Says 4 OF situation is difficult on everyone and he hopes they don't have to go through it again next year. Sounds like a reporter asking questions and he answered honestly. Doesn't sound like him going and causing trouble.

It is tough to break out of a slump from the bench. And Dunner and Jr have been so hot that he isn't getting the normal lefty starts to spell them, either.

This situation should have been resolved before the deadline, the minute NYM said they had any interest in Sean Casey. But hopefully, Sean has a powerful second half of the year and NYM will take him on in the offseason.

[Caseyfan21]

I think a lot of this is perception. If a writer, such as Hal McCoy, likes a player they will take their quotes and twist them more favorably. Notice how the first sentence of the article sets this up peacefully and makes it look like Wily Mo is quiet and classy. It could be true or it might not be, we don't know. Writers always can add in some fluff around quotes to make a player look better or worse. Do the writers do that? Obviously, to some degree yes, but I don't think many here could ever pinpoint it.

I'm not trying to bash the writers or say players are different than how they are written, I'm just saying how a writer portrays a player can have a lot to do with whether or not we choose to bash them.

Imagine the article had gone like this:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO | Wily Mo Pena gets more and more frustrated everyday. Because of Austin Kearn’s emergence as the starting right fielder, Wily Mo has taken to the bench and he is simmering that he doesn’t get the chance to start.

"My agent told me there were a couple of teams interested in me (Washington, Chicago Cubs), but the Reds wouldn't do it," Pena said. "I would like them to tell me what's going on. They don't tell me anything.

"I know Kearns could start for another team and I could start for another team. This situation is not good for me. I want to play every day and it is tough to play every day in this situation.

"It's tough to play one day and not play the next, tough to get comfortable. I was 1 for 3 (Sunday) and feeling good, now I'm not in (Monday's) lineup.

"I have to wait and see because there is nothing I can do about it," said the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder who is hitting .263 with 14 homers and 35 RBIs in 213 at-bats.

"I don't feel good about this and next year we can't have four guys who can all play and start in the outfield, and I know they have to play Ken Griffey Jr. I don't want this (situation) next year. I hope something is done."

Jerry Narron defended Wily Mo and praised his aggresiveness to get into the game after hearing of his quotes. "I wouldn't want players who are happy if they aren't playing."

What will happen out of Cincinnati?

Stay Tuned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

See, same quotes, different tone, Redszone bashes away at Wily Mo for his selfishness and moody appearence. (Obviously no writer would ever write like this though, I exaggerated for the purpose of making my point.)

Quotes can be manipulated however the writer wants, read several writer's takes on a situation before forming a strong opinion one way or the other.

[Garrett]

Baseball is the true evolutionary jungle. You rise to the top based solely on ability. Not much sentiment, not many favors for old times sake. Either one of these guys would be starting every day if they had shown dominance. Neither one did.Both had ample opportunity to prove themselves while the other was sitting.
So they mouth off to the beat writers when they're unhappy. Or, in Kearns case, he sat his fat kiester at home for 5 days sulking when he was sent down. And he mouthed off a little to the press as well.
But nothing beats dominance, and neither one can quite "win" right field.

[deltachi8]

Its simple...Trade Casey. End of problem.

OK, I know, you need a dancing partner...just sayin....

[traderumor]

"My agent told me there were a couple of teams interested in me (Washington, Chicago Cubs), but the Reds wouldn't do it," Pena said. "I would like them to tell me what's going on. They don't tell me anything.

While I respect that any ballplayer should have his role defined, I think it is a bit much to ask for a young player to expect communications regarding his name coming up in trade discussions. And I see more and more posturing by agents who tell their client that certain teams are interested in them. Apart from the possibility that it is pure speculation on the part of these agents, or scuttlebutt from the media or peers, if agents are hearing from other teams in a "can you do anything to help us get this deal done" context, wouldn't that be considered tampering? It would probably be hard to prove, but I'm guessing it goes on in a wink, wink sort of way. And if so, that needs to be addressed by MLB.