Cleveland Indians: Slugger Wily Mo Pena Signs with Tribe
By Tim Boyle
The Cleveland Indians have signed slugger Wily Mo Pena to a minor league deal after several successful seasons in Japan.
Slugger Wily Mo Pena invokes memories for many of a simpler time in the early 2000s when everyone was swinging for the fences. Those distant memories may come flashing back in 2017 as he has reportedly signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians.
Pena, 35, last played in MLB back in 2011 as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. It was a disappointing season as he spent time more with each team’s Triple-A squads.
While in the big leagues in 2011, Pena slashed only .204/.250/.416 with seven home runs. It was a much different story for him in Triple-A. He absolutely crushed minor league pitchers for a .358/.440/.712 batting line with 25 home runs in 332 plate appearances.
Pena appeared trapped in that odd place between Triple-A and MLB. So, he decided to take his talents to Japan where he has enjoyed some success over the last several seasons.
Long before Japan, Pena was a highly-regarded prospect thanks in large part to his power potential. He put his talents on display as a 19-year-old in 2001 with the Cincinnati Reds’ Single-A team by crushing 26 home runs and finishing the year with 113 RBI.
Of course, that same season, Pena opened the door and let out the major weakness that would keep him out of the big leagues consistently. Despite the power, he hit only .264 and struck out a mammoth 177 times in 135 games played.
The Reds stuck with him and by 2002 he got his first crack at the big leagues. It took him until 2004 to become someone worthy of staying on an MLB roster. In the 2004 season, Pena smacked 26 home runs. Unfortunately, a lack of patience remained as he struck out 108 times in 364 plate appearances while drawing only 22 walks.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
The poor walk to strikeout ratio was a constant theme throughout Pena’s career in MLB. Worst of all, his batting average also dropped as did the faith that he belonged in the big leagues. Pena often bounced between the minors and majors all through his time in the U.S. He was often traded or released which was surely frustrating for someone so close.
Once Pena did get to Japan he seemed to find the level of play where he belonged. In his first season with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks he hit .280/.339/.490 with 21 home runs in 507 plate appearances. He had a down year the following season where he saw limited action, but rebounded in 2014 with 32 home runs for the Orix Buffaloes. He continued to power his way back to MLB with a strong 2015 that included only 17 long balls.
Most of all, Pena seemed to learn patience in Japan. He drew 70 walks in 492 plate appearances during the 2015 campaign which helped give him a .396 OBP. While the strikeouts did still appear regularly, Pena seemed to at least learn a little bit of discipline.
Although he did not play in 2016, the Indians are willing to take a chance on Pena. As exemplified by his contract, they have very little to lose.
Next: Top 4 Players Entering Contract Years
If Pena can make it onto the Indians’ roster he will receive a $700K deal. Certainly, at this point, Pena is not playing for money. Earning back some respect is the goal as he never fully reached his potential in MLB. As retirement likely looms, he will get another shot to do so with the Indians.