Pittsburgh Pirates

Date of birth: June 4, 1957 in Monte Cristi, Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic

High School:  1975: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent.

First Impression; Ah the card is the card but of the rookie cards this was probably my 3rd favorite behind Raines and Fernando/Scoiscia. Vance and Tony later played for the White Sox and Pascual’s brother Melido also pitched for the White Sox so this one had some meaning.

Career stats player: I don’t remember anyone ragging on Tony Pena. We all mimicked his catching style. I tried to in little league and they were not thrilled because the only reason I was catching was the last kid, probably 3 years younger, broke his arm, playing catcher. I didn’t care, 104 degrees, no idea what I’m doing but lets get er done. Here comes my sole glory story for baseball. To me this was like Mike Piazza coming from nowhere to lead the team… and I did do well. I actually made the All-Star team and got a double in the All-Star game. I think that the coaches wanted to prevent me from being injured like the last kid so they frowned on me catching like Tony but I loved the catcher persona. Unfortunately, I think I may have permanently damaged my arm. I was a real lousy hitter. I was a 3 outcome hitter, much like my unrelated namesake Adam Dunn. But my three true outcomes were walk, strikeout and hit by pitch.

I really wanted to pitch and my cousin had a great arm and pitched in his little league and I figured they dont expect pitchers to be good hitters. Anyway my avenue to stardom in my mind was broken when that kids arm forced me behind the plate. I had been asking to pitch all year and they wouldnt let me. Wouldnt even say, ok lets see what you have. So when our pitchers could not throw strikes I would cannon the ball back to them and I hurt my arm so bad, along with all the playing on the side that to this day I have a hard time throwing for more than a minute.

And so that’s not exactly the end. Before my arm was totally wrecked, in the last game, maybe in the last inning they allowed me to pitch. And this is true though it sounds very Hollywood, I think that I was aging out of little league and that was my last game. I pitched one inning. One strikeout, one ground out and the last guy popped out to me and the feeling I had was as if I had just thrown a no-hitter.

So yeah, Tony Pena, this was an era where catchers were kind of cool, Gary Carter, Lance Parrish, and Carlton Fisk. Bob Boone’s card… cmon. Something tells me that Pena in the Black and Gold was what made it work, that and his stance. He would kick one leg out and get lower for the pitcher to have a lower target. He would usually only do this with the bases empty. The Pirates had Steve Nicoscia and Ed Ott and would hand the full time job to Pena in 1982. He would win 4 Gold Gloves as a catcher and was a 5 time All-Star. He would later be dealt in 1987 to the Cardinals for Andy Van Slyke and his replacement Mike LaValliere (and Mike Dunne).

All Time Stat: Peña finished with 1,950 games caught, ranking fourth all‑time among catchers when he retired. He also won one other piece of hardware…

Career stats manager: 198-285. He solely managed for Kansas City and took over the full time job in 2002 from Tony Muser. In 2003 they started off rolling 17-4, and then the wheels came off. I remember feeling good because the Royals were 11-1 coming to Chicago and lost 2 games. They got back on track winning 5 more and then a lot of losing, and numerous double digit losses, these weren’t squeakers they were losing, they allowed 35 runs to the White Sox in the final season series AT HOME. And yet they still awarded Pena the Manager of the Year that year.

This one baffles me. Congrats on the award but he was 83-79 and did not make the playoffs. How about Ken Macha, a rookie manager, took over the A’s as the first post Art Howe Moneyball coach and won 96 games, and won the AL West? Macha didn’t get a first place vote, nor did Grady Little and Joe Torre, who get the “you’re supposed to do it” treatment. Some jagstick actually voted for Alan Trammell for coach of the year. I guess they thought losing 119 game should be recognized.

In 2004 more large losses and few wins. Their team ERA was 5.15 and their lowest starting staff ERA was a young Zack Greinke at 3.97, the next lowest was 5.35 and the highest was 5.94. So if they wanted Tony to use his catching knowledge to mold a staff they may have given him a better staff to use.

Fun Fact: Managed the Dominican Republic to a perfect WBC title in 2013.

Ever a Future Star?  This card.

Rookie or final card? This card. But no cards in his career (for Topps) where he is in his trademark stance. Also another card oddity is he has 3 manager cards 2003-2005. The 2003 and 2004 cards have the same photo used.

Not sure why Topps chose this odd pose TWICE:

Possibility? “Tony Peña finally had enough of his outfielder misplaying balls, so he jogged out to take the position himself. He confidently assumed the position… then immediately had to call time because he forgot he wasn’t wearing a glove.”

Hall of Fame? Number retired? Ok so had to include this, he was a Pirate and he’s in the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame. Boom.

Links to stories including Tony Pena.