Not THAT Wily Mo Pena!

The Diamondbacks won a heartstopping game against the Indians. The Tribe had a wonderful comeback in the 9th but with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th up stepped Wily Mo Pena.

Yes.
Wily Mo Pena.

I never hated Wily Mo Pena. I just hated the trade. There was no reason to trade Bronson Arroyo for a backup outfielder. I said it then and I say it now.

Ah well... so Pena went from the Reds to the Red Sox to the Nationals... then out of the bigs in 2009 and 2010... off to Buffalo and Columbus and independent Bridgeport... then to Portland and Reno.

Now at 29 years old he is in Arizona and watch him become the very player Theo imagined when he shipped off a decent starting pitcher who has given the Reds some All Star numbers and a lot of innings eaten.

Just saying.

I wonder how Wily Mo Pena did today

Evidently Wily Mo Pena is playing for the Padres' AAA franchise in Portland... a big step up from Independent Bridgeport.

Who knows? If he keeps hitting, the Padres could call him up and he might see some post season action.

I wish him well.

Meanwhile, Bronson Arroyo won again (win #14) and logged his 174 1/3rd inning of the season. And seeing he didn't let up a run all game, he lowered his ERA to 3.82 as he helped the Reds maintain their lead in the NL Central.

I always feel the need to check on Wily Mo when Bronson wins... seeing how the Red Sox side of the trade is doing.

Why?

Because I am petty.

WILY MO PENA UPDATE

Old friend Wily Mo Pena is hitting .311 with 6 homers for the Bridgeport Blue Fish.

Meanwhile Bronson Arroyo won his 9th game, going 8 strong against the Mets with 1 earned run well on his way to yet another double digit win season with 200+ innings for the Reds.

Just felt like pointing that out.

Not to sound too much like Mike Francesa but...

I kinda miss Bronson Arroyo... especially when he won again for the Reds.

Keep in mind Wily Mo Pena, the right handed slugger for the future that the Sox got in that deal, is now with the Independent Bridgeport Blue Fish.

Man that trade ALWAYS sucked.

I said it then and I'm saying it now.

The Francesa - Arroyo romance will continue

Reds starter Bronson Arroyo had a solid start today against the Pirates. He let up only one run while pitching into the 8th inning.

So get ready WFAN listeners. Mike Francesa will no doubt continue his bizarre infatuation with Arroyo.

For YEARS Francesa has been calling for the Yankees to acquire Arroyo. He talks about him like he is a no doubter... as if they'd be bringing in the second coming of Walter Johnson into a pennant race.

Even when his ERA is in the 5's, he wants him in the Bronx.
Yeah he's good for 200 innings a year, but so is Jon Garland and Francesa doesn't write Mike Francesa Garland on his notepad. But he does plan to take Arroyo's name.

Maybe it is a whole 2004 ALCS thing.
He remembers A-Rod slapping the ball out of Arroyo's glove and he thinks that he wants yet ANOTHER '04 Red Sox idiot to wear pinstripes.

(FYI, his ERA in the '04 ALCS was 15.75.)


But none of that matters... Francesa wants Arroyo and his shutting down the Pirates (who Mike will call "underrated") will justify his lust.

Hey, how could Arroyo be worse than Javier Vazquez?
Just saying.

Unhittable Arroyo

Tonight was a great night for pitching.

Obviously you had Sanchez's no hitter...
Jeff Niemann threw a complete game shutout for the Rays
Danny Haren threw a complete game shutout for Arizona.

Plus 8 shutout innings from Jon Lester in the Red Sox win (and 7 2/3 terrific innings from Bannister in the same game.)

Edwin Jackson threw a terrific game for Detroit.
Derek Lowe was solid for the Braves.
Brett Cecil was solid for Toronto.

And there was a fourth complete game shutout... and I am almost reluctant to bring it up.

I love Bronson Arroyo. He was a great 2004 Red Sox. He pitched well and stuck his hand out for A-Rod to slap it in the playoffs.

And he signed for less to stay with the Red Sox and the Sox repaid that loyalty by sending him to Cincy.

He stinks now. He may get some wins but his ERA would be a good credit score.

And he threw a complete game shutout tonight.
4 hits and no walks.

His ERA is 5.38 AFTER the shutout.

So why would I be reluctant to bring it up?

It was against the Mets.

Their lineups look like a split squad spring training line up.

The season is more than half over and they could be ten games under .500 before August 1.

How bad is their line up?

Bronson Arroyo throwing a complete game shutout against them is a pretty good barometer.

Hey! Wily Mo Pena is available!

Remember him?

The back up outfielder who the Red Sox loved so much that they torpedoed their pitching staff in 2006 to get him?

Hey, if it was worth making a stupid trade to get him, why not sign him on the waiver wire?

Don't you remember? He has GREAT POTENTIAL!!!!
He'll be like Big Papi!

Let's give a shot to a guy who couldn't win a job ON THE NATIONALS!!!!!