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For the first time in my fantasy baseball career, I drafted Carlos Pena this year. I took him in the 10th Round of a 15 Team Keeper League thinking, "Man if he falls to me there, he could really produce in Wrigley... and what the heck, I am a Cubs Fan after all."

Well 2 weeks into this adventure and the big whiff is hitting .185 0 HR 4 RBI 0 R 0 SB (also has 6 Total Bases). I am so sick of waiting for this guy to break out and watching him leave what seems to be 4 - 5 guys on base per game makes me sick...

Do I bench him for Lyle Overbay next week or not....??? Hmmmm...



[ April 13, 2011, 07:51 AM: Message edited by: WINSTON'S EMPIRE ]

[ April 13, 2011, 07:51 AM: Message edited by: WINSTON'S EMPIRE ]

Originally posted by WINSTON'S EMPIRE:

For the first time in my fantasy baseball career, I drafted Carlos Pena this year. I took him in the 10th Round of a 15 Team Keeper League thinking, "Man if he falls to me there, he could really produce in Wrigley... and what the heck, I am a Cubs Fan after all."

Well 2 weeks into this adventure and the big whiff is hitting .185 0 HR 4 RBI 0 R 0 SB (also has 6 Total Bases). I am so sick of waiting for this guy to break out and watching him leave what seems to be 4 - 5 guys on base per game makes me sick...

Do I bench him for Lyle Overbay next week or not....??? Hmmmm... I never draft low average sluggers like him, but like you, got tempted to draft Carlos this year (on one team) with the same reasoning. Unless he's injured, I'm going to leave him in the starting lineup a few more weeks.

Thanks Jim... At least I am not alone I guess in my thinking and I never drafted him or the Mark Reynolds of the world for the same low average reasoning! Those darn Cubs heart strings get me everytime!

I lived with Pena in 2010 as well, he had 95 hits, almost every 3rd hit was a HR-problem was there were also 302 outs! HR and RBI pan out at the end...you just need a .400 hitter to compliment him in your lineup.

Last year on April 22nd, Adrian Beltre's BA stood at .263 and he had no home runs before going on to have an MVP type season. I own Pena as well and may sit him until he heats up, but historically, it's good to keep from getting too worked up over these things.

You just know the week that you bench him, he goes on a tear and hits 3 or 4 dingers. That is the dilemna that I have been dealing with as well.

When I was putting together my plan for that draft, I took Mauer to offset Pena in the BA department. Mauer has been very average and Pena couldn't hit himself out of a wet paper bag.

One of the tricky things about this league is its hosted on sportsline and we can't shift or hitters around on Friday.

And your right... as soon as I sit him BOOM there he goes for 4 - 5 dongs....

Just for record, Pena is riding the pine this week...

Nice! I started him so i can expect his 4HR week with all home games at cozy wrigley.



I have been debating it too but when a guy hits .220 and hits 40HR it's the BIG weeks that you cant miss. Just buy and hold my way to last place

This is a funny thread that reminds me of a painful episode in my brief High Stakes career.



True story.....



Time frame: June 2010.

Location: NFBC Super.



I had started Carlos Pena at 1B week in and week out for this team despite his sub-Mendoza average, minimal run production, and diminishing power numbers. I knew that streaky power hitters like Pena typically put up most of their yearly production in a small fraction of their games during their 2 or 3 hot streaks each season. To date, I had lived with his sickly numbers in the fear that the week I'd bench him would be one of the weeks he went off.



Finally I had enough. He was batting around .180 and adding very little else. He was almost single-handedly killing me in the offensive categories. A three-game Monday-Thursday week approached, I had a corner player with a 4-game Monday-Thursday. After over 2 months of disgusting stats, I finally sat Pena. The rest is ingrained in that part of my brain where we store painful memories......



Tuesday - Pena goes off for 2 homers and 5 RBI's. I'm sick.

Wednesday - Pena hits another homer, my nausea grows.

Thursday - Despite my pleas to the Fantasy Gods, Pena hits yet another homer, sending my nausea into full blown convulsions.



I switched Pena back into my lineup on Friday and managed to salvage the back end of his hottest streak of the year (and maybe his career). Still, it was painful to watch.



I lost out on 3rd place in that Super by the slimmest of margins on the last day of the season. I don't know if the 4 missed home runs and multiple missed runs and RBI's made a difference, honestly I don't want to know. It's funny looking back on it now, it wasn't funny at all that week.



Good luck Winston, hopefully Pena continues to suck this week.

Guys, I feel all your pain with Pena. Stayed away from him in NFBC this year but wound up rostering him in a private league despite my better judgement. He just kept on falling further and further down the board and finally pulled the trigger on him.I also understand the reluctance to bench him(as illustrated by Glenn's story) but I've decided to have him ride the pine for now.Apparently he's been playing through a thumb injury which has manifested itself in his awful start. The Cubs have had him fitted for some sort of a cushioning cast that fits inside his glove.I guess this is probably as good a time to sit him as any,at least until there is some evidence that the thumb has gotten better. I just hope that evidence isn't a 5 HR/15 RBI breakout while he rides my pine!



Rich McCormick

Astoria,NY



"Don't look back,something might be gaining on you"------ Satchel Paige

Thanks for the story Glenn ... You are in the league I sat him, so you will know the results! I was in Chicago today on business and I was hoping the Cubs games would simply get rained out the rest of the week making my decision genius

Double header so pena might only play one game today if they want to give Colvin some PT. Looking like a bench week was a good move.



He rides the pine next week or even fri-sun if he dosent hit better.



Did any of you guys watch him bunt for a base hit on monday night! is this a 40HR guy we drafted or Otis Nixon...

Going into today's games, the bench seems to have been a good place for him. Unless, of course, he slams a few dingers this weekend.

He's good if you like 0-3 games with 1 BB.



He's lost! 10MM well spent!!!!

Cubbies really know how 2 budget wisely!

Well, I sat Pena last week and lived to tell about it

He went 2 for 17 (.118) w/ 2 BB and an RBI. Hate to say it, but he has been punished for bad play and he is right back into my lineup for this week

No let get that power going

Glad Carlos didn't just limit all those 0 hit games for the week I sat him...

Double kick to the stones is him striking out to end the game and a Cubs loss

He's as lost as lost can get right now. It is certainly possible this is his last shot at an everyday gig - everytime I watch him bat I say that this guy is done. I know he's dealing with a thumb issue but outside of an above average defensive 1B, what the hell does this guy bring to the table? I read somewhere he's hitting .210 his last 1000AB's. 'Nuff said.



At least Hendry didn't revert to his old tricks and give him a 3 year deal.

He's as lost as lost can get right now. It is certainly possible this is his last shot at an everyday gig - everytime I watch him bat I say that this guy is done. I know he's dealing with a thumb issue but outside of an above average defensive 1B, what the hell does this guy bring to the table? I read somewhere he's hitting .210 his last 1000AB's. 'Nuff said.



At least Hendry didn't revert to his old tricks and give him a 3 year deal.

Agree on the 3 year deal Ando! That would have been typical and pathetic all at the same time.

If I have to watch Pena strike out one more time from an inside breaking pitch from a RH pitcher, I will puke....

I am not surprised by a low batting average (not this low granted), but the lack of power is a major disappointment.

May 3, 2011: 1 HR (what a long wait!)

Figures.... I sat him again this week!!!! Just kidding, he has been terible and I can't justify putting him back in my lineup again until he hits at least .200 for a week or two... :rolleyes: