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Muscular Pena says 30 homers too wimpy
Reds slugger excited he finally has chance to play every day
By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

SARASOTA, Fla. | Wily Mo Pena's hair is short, the long curls he wore last year shaved off so that he is nearly a skinhead, and there are scraggly whiskers on his chin.

He is 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, with upper arms that look as if they came off a box of Arm & Hammer baking soda, so whatever Pena wants to do most people smile and say, "Yes, sir, Mr. Pena, whatever you want."

His appearance isn't all Pena says will be different in 2006.

As he leaned against a batting cage during Cincinnati Reds workouts Thursday morning, somebody said, "What do you think, about 30 homers and 100 RBIs this year?"

A large smile spread across his face and he said, "No, no. Not 30 home runs. More home runs."

More home runs?

"More home runs."

Pena said he can't wait for fans to witness the new, improved Wily Mo Pena, the one that developed this winter in the Dominican Republic Winter League.

"You'll see," he said. "Much different, much better. My swing is better. If I take the same approach I had in the D.R., everybody is going to see. More home runs. I was taking a lot of pitches, not swinging at bad pitches, getting my pitches to hit. And I was hitting balls all over the field."

Then he stepped into the batter's box to face Aaron Harang and flipped a little flare into short right field.

"That's a home run," he said. "Inside the ball park."

Pena bounced around the three outfield spots last year like a red rubber ball and hit 19 home runs last year in 311 at-bats, some of which had to be tracked by GPS.

"I hit 11 home runs in about 100 at-bats in the D.R.," he said, "And four in the playoffs."

What makes the 24-year-old outfielder so confident is that it looks as if he is going to play more and it looks as if he has found a home in left field.

With the trade of first baseman Sean Casey and the switch of left fielder Adam Dunn to first base, the plan is to put Pena in left field. No longer is he arguing with Austin Kearns over right field or waiting for days Ken Griffey Jr. doesn't play so he can man center field.

It is general knowledge that Pena's defense is suspect and his glove has problems getting through airport metal detectors.

Manager Jerry Narron isn't worried about it and neither is Pena, who played right field in the Dominican. Narron's theory is that Pena was moved around so much that he couldn't get comfortable in a position. He says that will change this spring, that Pena will play left field, left field, left field and, for variety, left field. And there will be extra work.

"He is willing to work," said Narron. "Anybody who says he is not willing to work hasn't been around enough to say that. I'm sure the last couple of years when he didn't play and we switched him around so much, he got frustrated and said to himself, 'Why bother?' It's not because he is lazy."

Pena was, indeed, frustrated the last couple of years about his situation, so frustrated that at one point late last season he said if he couldn't play every day he would like to be traded.

"All I want is a chance, an opportunity, to show what I can do," he said. "I can't do that when I'm not playing."

The opportunity has arrived.

"I've had to be patient here, wait for my chance," he said. "This year is my opportunity. They are giving me the chance. This is the year I have to do it, show 'em.

"As for left field, I know they are going to help me a lot and I just have to listen to them and learn," he added.

During one turn in the batting cage Thursday, Pena took four straight pitches from Harang as Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench watched from behind.

"What is this, an eye test?" said Bench.

Pena walked out of the cage and said, "Last year I might have swung at all four of those pitches, which weren't good pitches. This year? Patience, my friend, patience."

Pena is well-versed in patience.
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Guest bengalrick

[img]http://lenfu.com/img/jobu.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.frohnau-flamingos.de/oldpage/icon/film/cerrano.jpg[/img]

"You no help me now, I say, fuck you Jobu, I do it myself."

the day that wily mo can hit a curve ball well....... :o

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[quote name='bengalrick' post='222453' date='Feb 24 2006, 02:28 PM'][img]http://lenfu.com/img/jobu.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.frohnau-flamingos.de/oldpage/icon/film/cerrano.jpg[/img]

"You no help me now, I say, fuck you Jobu, I do it myself."

the day that wily mo can hit a curve ball well....... :o [/quote]
[img]http://rotoauthority.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/wilymo.jpg[/img]
Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. :lol:

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Guest bengalrick

[quote name='BuckWoody' post='222469' date='Feb 24 2006, 02:47 PM'][quote name='bengalrick' post='222453' date='Feb 24 2006, 02:28 PM']
[img]http://lenfu.com/img/jobu.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.frohnau-flamingos.de/oldpage/icon/film/cerrano.jpg[/img]

"You no help me now, I say, fuck you Jobu, I do it myself."

the day that wily mo can hit a curve ball well....... :o [/quote]
[img]http://rotoauthority.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/wilymo.jpg[/img]
Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. :lol:
[/quote]

[img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//24.gif[/img] :thumbsup:

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[quote name='bengalrick' post='222453' date='Feb 24 2006, 02:28 PM'][img]http://lenfu.com/img/jobu.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.frohnau-flamingos.de/oldpage/icon/film/cerrano.jpg[/img]

"You no help me now, I say, fuck you Jobu, I do it myself."

the day that wily mo can hit a curve ball well....... :o [/quote]


:headbang: :headbang: :lol: :lol:

exactly what i was thinking when i read it rick.

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Guest BengalsOwn
It looks like most of the guys on this team lost a ton of weight in the offseason.

I saw a picture of Austin Kearns, and pretty much all you could see was ears. There was no longer a fat ass to go along with them.

I may change my prediction to barely above .500 this season.
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Guest ThurmanMunster
[quote name='#22' post='222431' date='Feb 24 2006, 01:45 PM']now, if only he could throw the ball more like a howitzer and less like jon kitna, we'd be set.[/quote]


wat r u talkin about? he has a good arm, his problem is he doesnt judge flyballs well because he doesnt really play taht much. sadly his best OF position is CF but griffey has too much "pride" to move.
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[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225381' date='Mar 2 2006, 06:54 PM'][quote name='#22' post='222431' date='Feb 24 2006, 01:45 PM']
now, if only he could throw the ball more like a howitzer and less like jon kitna, we'd be set.[/quote]


wat r u talkin about? he has a good arm, his problem is he doesnt judge flyballs well because he doesnt really play taht much. sadly his best OF position is CF but griffey has too much "pride" to move.
[/quote]
It isn't that, Griffey is VASTLY superior to Wily Mo in defensive abilities, ESPECIALLY in CF, where you have to roam more and have even better flyball judgement than any of the other OF positions....
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Guest ThurmanMunster
[quote name='Bunghole' post='225441' date='Mar 2 2006, 08:53 PM'][quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225381' date='Mar 2 2006, 06:54 PM']
[quote name='#22' post='222431' date='Feb 24 2006, 01:45 PM']
now, if only he could throw the ball more like a howitzer and less like jon kitna, we'd be set.[/quote]


wat r u talkin about? he has a good arm, his problem is he doesnt judge flyballs well because he doesnt really play taht much. sadly his best OF position is CF but griffey has too much "pride" to move.
[/quote]
It isn't that, Griffey is VASTLY superior to Wily Mo in defensive abilities, ESPECIALLY in CF, where you have to roam more and have even better flyball judgement than any of the other OF positions....
[/quote]

griffey needs to move. going to LF would be safer, health wise and his speed is diminishing...there was a lot of flybals last season that other players coudla gotten to that griffey couldnt. He only has like 2 more seasons here and he is gone, i woulda prefered to groom wily mo at his natural OF position.
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Guest bengalrick
[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225540' date='Mar 3 2006, 04:02 AM'][quote name='Bunghole' post='225441' date='Mar 2 2006, 08:53 PM']
[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225381' date='Mar 2 2006, 06:54 PM']
[quote name='#22' post='222431' date='Feb 24 2006, 01:45 PM']
now, if only he could throw the ball more like a howitzer and less like jon kitna, we'd be set.[/quote]


wat r u talkin about? he has a good arm, his problem is he doesnt judge flyballs well because he doesnt really play taht much. sadly his best OF position is CF but griffey has too much "pride" to move.
[/quote]
It isn't that, Griffey is VASTLY superior to Wily Mo in defensive abilities, ESPECIALLY in CF, where you have to roam more and have even better flyball judgement than any of the other OF positions....
[/quote]

griffey needs to move. going to LF would be safer, health wise and his speed is diminishing...there was a lot of flybals last season that other players coudla gotten to that griffey couldnt. He only has like 2 more seasons here and he is gone, i woulda prefered to groom wily mo at his natural OF position.
[/quote]

i disagree... he is one of the best CF's in the league... and in the outfield, that is the most important postion... grif has lost a step or two, but he is so good at CF that he rarely takes a bad angle at the ball, and makes up for the lack of speed, w/ his brains...

wily mo will never be very good at fielding imo.. same as dunn...
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Guest ThurmanMunster
[quote name='bengalrick' post='225598' date='Mar 3 2006, 10:53 AM'][quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225540' date='Mar 3 2006, 04:02 AM']
[quote name='Bunghole' post='225441' date='Mar 2 2006, 08:53 PM']
[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225381' date='Mar 2 2006, 06:54 PM']
[quote name='#22' post='222431' date='Feb 24 2006, 01:45 PM']
now, if only he could throw the ball more like a howitzer and less like jon kitna, we'd be set.[/quote]


wat r u talkin about? he has a good arm, his problem is he doesnt judge flyballs well because he doesnt really play taht much. sadly his best OF position is CF but griffey has too much "pride" to move.
[/quote]
It isn't that, Griffey is VASTLY superior to Wily Mo in defensive abilities, ESPECIALLY in CF, where you have to roam more and have even better flyball judgement than any of the other OF positions....
[/quote]

griffey needs to move. going to LF would be safer, health wise and his speed is diminishing...there was a lot of flybals last season that other players coudla gotten to that griffey couldnt. He only has like 2 more seasons here and he is gone, i woulda prefered to groom wily mo at his natural OF position.
[/quote]

i disagree... he is one of the best CF's in the league... and in the outfield, that is the most important postion... grif has lost a step or two, but he is so good at CF that he rarely takes a bad angle at the ball, and makes up for the lack of speed, w/ his brains...

[b]wily mo will never be very good at fielding imo[/b].. same as dunn...
[/quote]

they used to say that about Brett Boone
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[quote name='bengalrick' post='225598' date='Mar 3 2006, 10:53 AM'][quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225540' date='Mar 3 2006, 04:02 AM']
[quote name='Bunghole' post='225441' date='Mar 2 2006, 08:53 PM']
[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225381' date='Mar 2 2006, 06:54 PM']
[quote name='#22' post='222431' date='Feb 24 2006, 01:45 PM']
now, if only he could throw the ball more like a howitzer and less like jon kitna, we'd be set.[/quote]


wat r u talkin about? he has a good arm, his problem is he doesnt judge flyballs well because he doesnt really play taht much. sadly his best OF position is CF but griffey has too much "pride" to move.
[/quote]
It isn't that, Griffey is VASTLY superior to Wily Mo in defensive abilities, ESPECIALLY in CF, where you have to roam more and have even better flyball judgement than any of the other OF positions....
[/quote]

griffey needs to move. going to LF would be safer, health wise and his speed is diminishing...there was a lot of flybals last season that other players coudla gotten to that griffey couldnt. He only has like 2 more seasons here and he is gone, i woulda prefered to groom wily mo at his natural OF position.
[/quote]

i disagree... he is one of the best CF's in the league... and in the outfield, that is the most important postion... grif has lost a step or two, but he is so good at CF that he rarely takes a bad angle at the ball, and makes up for the lack of speed, w/ his brains...

wily mo will never be very good at fielding imo.. same as dunn...
[/quote]


bengal rick, i agree with what you said.
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Guest bengalrick
[quote name='dieselman44' post='225658' date='Mar 3 2006, 01:15 PM'][quote name='bengalrick' post='225598' date='Mar 3 2006, 10:53 AM']
[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225540' date='Mar 3 2006, 04:02 AM']
[quote name='Bunghole' post='225441' date='Mar 2 2006, 08:53 PM']
[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225381' date='Mar 2 2006, 06:54 PM']
[quote name='#22' post='222431' date='Feb 24 2006, 01:45 PM']
now, if only he could throw the ball more like a howitzer and less like jon kitna, we'd be set.[/quote]


wat r u talkin about? he has a good arm, his problem is he doesnt judge flyballs well because he doesnt really play taht much. sadly his best OF position is CF but griffey has too much "pride" to move.
[/quote]
It isn't that, Griffey is VASTLY superior to Wily Mo in defensive abilities, ESPECIALLY in CF, where you have to roam more and have even better flyball judgement than any of the other OF positions....
[/quote]

griffey needs to move. going to LF would be safer, health wise and his speed is diminishing...there was a lot of flybals last season that other players coudla gotten to that griffey couldnt. He only has like 2 more seasons here and he is gone, i woulda prefered to groom wily mo at his natural OF position.
[/quote]

i disagree... he is one of the best CF's in the league... and in the outfield, that is the most important postion... grif has lost a step or two, but he is so good at CF that he rarely takes a bad angle at the ball, and makes up for the lack of speed, w/ his brains...

wily mo will never be very good at fielding imo.. same as dunn...
[/quote]


bengal rick, i agree with what you said.
[/quote]

its funny, since casey is out of the equation, you and i will probably agree alot more about the reds imo....

emotions are a hell of a thing..... casey was my favorite player, by a long shot... i can now be a little more objective...
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[quote name='bengalrick' post='225660' date='Mar 3 2006, 01:21 PM'][quote name='dieselman44' post='225658' date='Mar 3 2006, 01:15 PM']
[quote name='bengalrick' post='225598' date='Mar 3 2006, 10:53 AM']
[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225540' date='Mar 3 2006, 04:02 AM']
[quote name='Bunghole' post='225441' date='Mar 2 2006, 08:53 PM']
[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='225381' date='Mar 2 2006, 06:54 PM']
[quote name='#22' post='222431' date='Feb 24 2006, 01:45 PM']
now, if only he could throw the ball more like a howitzer and less like jon kitna, we'd be set.[/quote]


wat r u talkin about? he has a good arm, his problem is he doesnt judge flyballs well because he doesnt really play taht much. sadly his best OF position is CF but griffey has too much "pride" to move.
[/quote]
It isn't that, Griffey is VASTLY superior to Wily Mo in defensive abilities, ESPECIALLY in CF, where you have to roam more and have even better flyball judgement than any of the other OF positions....
[/quote]

griffey needs to move. going to LF would be safer, health wise and his speed is diminishing...there was a lot of flybals last season that other players coudla gotten to that griffey couldnt. He only has like 2 more seasons here and he is gone, i woulda prefered to groom wily mo at his natural OF position.
[/quote]

i disagree... he is one of the best CF's in the league... and in the outfield, that is the most important postion... grif has lost a step or two, but he is so good at CF that he rarely takes a bad angle at the ball, and makes up for the lack of speed, w/ his brains...

wily mo will never be very good at fielding imo.. same as dunn...
[/quote]


bengal rick, i agree with what you said.
[/quote]

its funny, since casey is out of the equation, you and i will probably agree alot more about the reds imo....

emotions are a hell of a thing..... casey was my favorite player, by a long shot... i can now be a little more objective...
[/quote]


yeah man all that shit last year was prolly my fault though, my discussions about the reds were alittle too headed because of the way they were playing and i took it out on you. im sorry for that man. but atleast it looks like this new ownership has us going in the right direction. im pretty pumped for this season although i realize until we get some good pitching :2dedhorse: (which this ownership will) we will only be able to contend for the sub-central title(two angry guys).

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[quote name='BuckWoody' post='222469' date='Feb 24 2006, 02:47 PM'][quote name='bengalrick' post='222453' date='Feb 24 2006, 02:28 PM']
[img]http://lenfu.com/img/jobu.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.frohnau-flamingos.de/oldpage/icon/film/cerrano.jpg[/img]

"You no help me now, I say, fuck you Jobu, I do it myself."

the day that wily mo can hit a curve ball well....... :o [/quote]
[img]http://rotoauthority.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/wilymo.jpg[/img]
Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. :lol:
[/quote]

"Up yer butt, Jobu!"

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Guest Claptonrocks
Pena could hit 40 homers with enough at bats... probably strike out 150 times or better as well.. very undisciplined at the plate but no mistaking the power he has..
Kearns, Dunn , Pena, Griffey and the rest could hit in excess of 200 home runs this year .. Problem is the pitching may give up even more than that!!!
All teams are pretty much loaded with good hitters ( look at Texas ) ]
All teams do not have good pitching staffs and the Reds are one of them..
they will score allot of runs but in the end winning 80 games will be an achievement for them....
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[quote name='maxbengal' post='225731' date='Mar 3 2006, 04:03 PM'][quote name='BuckWoody' post='222469' date='Feb 24 2006, 02:47 PM']
[quote name='bengalrick' post='222453' date='Feb 24 2006, 02:28 PM']
[img]http://lenfu.com/img/jobu.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.frohnau-flamingos.de/oldpage/icon/film/cerrano.jpg[/img]

"You no help me now, I say, fuck you Jobu, I do it myself."

the day that wily mo can hit a curve ball well....... :o [/quote]
[img]http://rotoauthority.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/wilymo.jpg[/img]
Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. :lol:
[/quote]

"Up yer butt, Jobu!"
[/quote]

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA that is great!

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Guest CrazyIrishman5
[/quote]
It isn't that, Griffey is VASTLY superior to Wily Mo in defensive abilities, ESPECIALLY in CF, where you have to roam more and have even better flyball judgement than any of the other OF positions....
[/quote]
CF you can judge the ball better but you also have to have that quick first step like Jr has and Wily Mo does not. Wily Mo will be good in LF the easiest out field spot.
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:( :boring: :angry: :rant: :thumbsdown: <_< -_-


We won't get to see those 30 homeruns now... [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img]
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Guest bengalrick

[quote name='JC' post='236199' date='Mar 21 2006, 06:01 PM']:( :boring: :angry: :rant: :thumbsdown: <_< -_-


We won't get to see those 30 homeruns now... [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//20.gif[/img][/quote]

just to put things in perspective about pena... if pena had the same amount of AB's as dunn last year, and had the same percentage of SO's/AB's as he does now, pena would have beaten adam dunn's SO record by 8 (203 to dunns' 195)

just imagine right now, having dunn and pena in the game every day this year... you would have an average of a little under 3 strikeouts a game between the two of those guys... wow....

to dunns credit, he had more AB's this year, and less strikeouts... he did improve... pena took a step back this year, while getting similar playing time...

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