January 20th Update: This just in, Carlos Pena is again a Ray. Pena has signed a one year deal, reportedlyworth $7.25 MM. According to MLBTraderumors, the Cubs offered Pena arbitration after the season, so they’ll earn a compensatory draft pick for losing the Type B free agent. However, the Rays don’t have to surrender a pick to add Pena.
Pena will add substantial power to the Rays, who were looking to bolster the power in the lineup in this off-season. I’d be interested to see how the projected offensive numbers may change with the addition of Pena to the roster.
It is bittersweet to say goodbye to Casey Kotchman who will now, presumably, sign elsewhere. I’ve overstated this to a fault already, but it would have been nice to see the addition of a long term player (cough, Mark Trumbo) to the roster. In the end, we’ll be in the exact same spot next year. However, you know exactly what you’re getting in Pena who offers something that neither Trumbo or, arguably, Kotchman could: a motivating leader in the dugout.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN-nZ-KLj4w&feature=player_embedded]