Old friend Wily Mo Pena was released by the Diamondbacks earlier today after the team found no takers in a trade over the last ten days since he was designated for assignment.
Pena's all-or-nothing approach at the plate resulted in no walks, 19 strikeouts, and five homers in his 46 plate appearances for the D'Backs this season. Pena, who is now free to sign with any club, drew interest from the Tigers, White Sox, Orioles, and Astros this past winter before he agreed to a minor league deal with Arizona.
Not that we need him (as while I write this we're currently demolishing the Mariners, yet again) or even have a reasonable place for him on the roster, I've always felt a fondness for Wily Mo. The power in his swing used to just cause me to laugh; I didn't marvel like I did at Manny, or at Ortiz's clutchness. The brute force Pena exhibited seemed cartoonish, especially when contrasted with his inability to do pretty much everything else that comprises being a professional baseball player.
He'll probably catch on somewhere and provide a few more highlight-reel homers (and many more multiples of strikeouts), but I wish him well. If only Theo could throw him a minor-league deal so the fine residents of Pawtucket could benefit from his entertainment.
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