Pena not happy with playing time

[missionhockey21]

Pena not happy with playing time
By Hal McCoy
Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | — When Ken Griffey Jr. went down, Wily Mo Pena figured center field was his for the duration. While he has played more, Sunday was another disappointment when he walked into the clubhouse and saw his name was not on the lineup card.

And that's why he says he wouldn't mind being traded. He doesn't want to be part of another four-outfielder system like this year — Griffey, Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns and Pena.

"I don't want to be doing this next year," said Pena. "With Griffey out they could be playing me, but they don't play me. I don't want this situation next year.

"They can trade me if they want, because now I know I can play up here and I can play every day for lots of teams," he said. "It has been this way for three years and I barely have 600 at-bats (701). I play and feel good and get a couple of hits, then I don't play. That's hard. That's not good. I'd just like to go someplace where I can play every day."

In 300 at-bats this year, Pena is hitting .260 with 18 homers, 49 RBIs and 110 strikeouts. On defense, though, his glove seems so full of iron it is a wonder he gets it through a metal detector.

Coffey looks for splitter

Manager Jerry Narron said before he first saw relief pitcher Todd Coffey, "All I heard was what a great split-fingered pitch he had, but I haven't seen it all year."

That's why Coffey is going to the winter instructional league for two weeks, "So I can go down there and get it back," he said. "Where did it go? No clue. I just quit throwing it so I don't have a feel for it."

Said Narron, "If he gets that splitter back, he could be a very good closer," said Narron. "He has a good fastball and good command. He needs that big out pitch to be a closer and the splitter could do it."

Used mostly by Narron as a situational pitcher and a set-up guy, Coffey is 4-0 with one save and a 4.08 ERA over 55 appearances.

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[Wally Mo Pena]

i like coffey as the closer if he gets a good splitter since it can be such a good strikeout pitch. Wagner can be a good set up guy if he figures something out.

i'm with wily, i think he can play everyday, and what's more i think it's the only way he's going to reach his potential. When they gave him more ABs last year he put up a post all-star .877 OPS, and that wasn't even playing every day, just more regularly.

[Geki Ace]

Wags would make a better closer than Coffey, methinks. If he's healthy, he can dominate, like we saw earlier this year. He's not exactly old, and he's got insane amounts of movement on his pitches, more than making up for his lack of velocity. I like Coffey, but he desperately needs a pitch that can make guys miss. He has good control, but a guy with as few walks as he has shouldn't have a WHIP as high as his. Until he stops being so hittable, he'd be Danny Graves v2 at closer.

And I'm really liking how they've handled the outfield situation. I'm pretty sure none of them want to stay in Cincinnati at this point, with the possible exception of Griffey.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Dunn has stated that he wants to stay in Cincy. Pena and Kearns have been the two who have voiced displeasure. That's really not surprising since they are the two who have been fighting for the final outfield spot.

[Reds_fan_4_life]

to solve all problems.. Trade Casey teach wily mo how to play 1B since he sucks at D in the OF and since Dunn doesnt like playing at 1B. OF of Kearns/Jr/ Dunn.. doesnt that sound easy? or just get rid of Pena he really isn't proving alot to me that he is worthy of starting. Trade him to the AL for a good Starting Pitcher. but thats what i've been saying since the start of the season.

[Wally Mo Pena]

i remember wagner being real good for about one month. oh, and that other month right when he came up. so of 2+ years in the majors he's been good for 2 months. Anybody can have a good month in a year, even danny graves. if coffey gets the splitter back, he'll be the guy.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I'm not sold on Wagner OR Coffey.

[Geki Ace]

I think Wagner's problem has just been his health. He certainly has the stuff to dominate, but he had shoulder problems this year that he tried to play through. Last year he had control issues, but it's expected out of a young pitcher with pretty much no minor league experience. He's shown that he can dominate on a major-league level, while Coffey has shown that he's incredibly hittable on a major-league level.

[redsfan28]

Until WMP can figure out how to hit a curveball, he has no room to complain about playing time.

[Wally Mo Pena]

and how is he going to figure that out on the bench?

[missionhockey21]

We all know the situation with WMP. He can't go to the minors for AB's (even if he could, he has shown he can hit with power up here) nor can he get the experience he needs on the bench. And that's not just with hitting but with his defense. If the Reds really want to find out what Wily Mo can do and where that elusive ceiling is at, he's going to need a couple seasons with 500 AB's of consistent playing time.