Why Carlos Pena should go to the Washington Nationals

Legitimate power and proven leadership at a reasonable price

 Carlos Pena 2011 stats: BA .225; OBP .357; HR 28; RBI 80 Cost: $10 mil.

Why Carlos Pena should go to the Washington Nationals: 

1. Chance to be a star again. The Nationals will be in the national spotlight next season. Stephen Strasburg is already a national hero, and Bryce Harper has a good chance to eclipse his stardom. Being the leading RBI man and team veteran on a rising underdog team everyone is watching could do wonders for his own personal fandom.

2. Increased stats. On the Cubs, Pena knocked in 80 runs and had 28 HR hitting in front of Aramis Ramirez, who only had 26 HR himself and slugged .510. On the Nationals, he could have the protection of Michael Morse, who had 31 HR and slugged .550. Furthermore, Ramirez could be a free agent at the end of the season, leaving Pena without anyone to provide him lineup protection.

The Nationals also could provide Pena with more protection from the front side. Number two hitter Jayson Werth led the majors with 4.5 pitches per plate appearance in 2009, and Zimmerman saw 4.37 last season. After tiring himself out in back-to-back at bats against Werth and Zimmerman, and fearful of Morse's power, Pena has an increased chance of seeing some great pitches.

Lastly, if Werth could bounce back and approach his .388 OBP from 2010 and Zimmerman can keep up the .370 OBP he's averaged over the past three seasons, Pena's RBI oportunities would increase dramatically with a move to the Nationals.

Why the Washington Nationals should sign Carlos Pena:

1. Added thump. Werth and Zimmerman are both OBP machines, but have very little power behind them to knock them home. Pena has a very low average and strikes out a ton, but his proven RBI abilities are a necessity for a team that wants to compete. No one on the Nationals had 100 RBI last season, Pena has hit 100 RBI three times. He also too 101 walks last season, so he isn't a Mark Reynolds-type who stops the offense dead if he doesn't hit a home run. He can keep the line moving.

2. Jayson Werth. In the last three seasons that he hit in a powerful Phillies lineup, Werth averaged 29 HR per year and a .279 BA. Last season - with very little protection - he hit .232 with 20 HR. If the Nationals were to sign Pena, not only would his stats help the team, he would provide relatively cheap protection for Werth. Werth is due to make $112 million over the next six seasons, so the Nationals CANNOT afford for him to keep playing at this level. Pena averaged 34.4 HR over the past five seasons, so his protection in the lineup could spell the return of a dominant Jayson Werth.


3. Bryce Harper. Harper is a young, cocky slugger. Pena is a veteran who has seen both the joy of MVP consideration and the pain of getting released from team after team because he didn't live up to expectations. Pena could be a very important mentor to the young Harper, who can teach him how to deal with the pressures of being a blue chip prospect.

4. Show the fans you're dedicated. Signing Werth was a big step in showing Washington fans the owernship is dedicated to fielding a winning team, no matter the cost. Bringing in a slugger of this caliber will remind them this is a team on the rise, and the team's first winning season could be in the near future. And the Nats wouldn't have to break the bank to get him either.

If the Nationals can slip in and grab Pena for under $10 million, he would provide the thump in the heart of their order that could mean a winning season. A lineup featuring Ian Desmond, Werth, Zimmerman, Pena, Morse, and Harper 1 - 6 would be the perfect mix of high OBP plus power. Throw in the first full season of Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann pitching side by side, and you have a recipe for success. Finally.

Why Tim Wakefield should reunite with the Pirates

Tim Wakefield's Red Sox career should be over.

The beloved pitcher had a 5.12 ERA this season, and his chase for his 200th win was a major distraction to the club. If he returns to the Sox, it will be to chase more milestones, not to help the team.

At 45 years old, his "fastball" is into the mid-60s, and after 17 years in the league, AL hitters have clearly learned to hit his knuckleball.

So he's distracting the Sox and can't pitch well in the AL. Should he retire?

Wakefield's knuckleball is just as good today as it was 19 years ago, and he's still healthy enough to play. He's also an immensely likable pitcher, a veteran with leadership (and World Series) experience, and has many milestones ahead of him.

He should return home to the Pirates.

Pitchers who go from the AL to the NL generally have better success, due mostly to the lack of the DH in the league. But Wakefield will have an even greater chance at success. It's been 17 years since the NL has seen a knuckleball as good as Wakefield's (no disrespect to R.A. Dickey). The last time Wake let that knuckleball dance for the unsuspecting NL, his ERA ended up at 2.15. So Wakefield could easily confound hitters in the NL for a few more years at least. The NL in general is the only place his career could continue.

The NL Central is also his best bet. A Central division suddenly lacking Prince Fielder (certainly) and Pujols (probably) will be one of the lightest hitting divisions in baseball.

And the Pirates are definitely his best bet in the Central. They need pitching help (11th out of 16 in ERA this season). They need veterans (not a single one of their starters is over 30). And they need inexpensive players (Wakefield cost $1.5 mil).

But most importantly, they need a culture change. After 19 straight losing seasons, the Pirates are a franchise without hope. What better way to bring in some hope than to bring back the only active player who was part of a Pirates winning season?

The fans haven't had a true franchise player in years. What better way to rejuvenate the fans than to bring back a successful major leaguer who started in Pittsburgh? To bring the active wins leader back to the yellow and black?

A return home after 18 years is just what Wakefield and the Pirates need to keep from fading away.