Tigers sign Pena to one-year deal
Final arbitration-eligible player to reach agreement
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
DETROIT -- The Tigers' record of avoiding arbitration in the Dave Dombrowski era continues.
A day after the start of the arbitration filing period, the team agreed to terms Friday on a one-year, $2,575,000 contract with first baseman Carlos Pena, the last of Detroit's arbitration-eligible players.
Pena led the team with 27 home runs last season in a year that saw him blossom as a power hitter after the All-Star break, but still struggle with a .241 average and 146 strikeouts. The 26-year-old hit .250 with 16 home runs and 35 RBIs in the second half while posting an .876 OPS. He was less consistent in the first half but still enjoyed a 6-for-6 game May 27 at Kansas City. In between, he briefly lost the majority of his playing time to Dmitri Young before slugging his way back.
Defensively, Pena rebounded from a rough 2003 season to regain his reputation as a slick fielder. His .995 fielding percentage ranked ninth among qualified Major League first basemen, while his 9.46 range factor ranked eighth. Only Chicago's Paul Konerko and Oakland's Scott Hatteberg turned more double plays among American Leaguers at the position.
Pena, who became eligible for arbitration for the first time, was yet another subject for agent Scott Boras to discuss with the Tigers. While Boras is no stranger to arbitration with his clients, he and Tigers vice president/legal counsel John Westhoff had talked about a deal around the holidays and a couple more times afterwards, leaving Westhoff "reasonably optimistic" about a deal.
A deal with another arbitration-eligible Boras client helped speed the talks towards a figure. Washington Nationals outfielder/first baseman Brad Wilkerson, a similar hitter to Pena who was also eligible for the first time, agreed to terms Thursday on a $3,050,000 contract. Wilkerson hit .255 with 32 homers and 67 RBIs last year.
At no point, Westhoff said, was a multi-year deal discussed.
With Pena's deal out of the way, the Tigers can now turn their attention to the final portion of the free agency period as well as potential contract issues to come after next season. Among the young Tigers expected to become eligible for arbitration next winter are pitchers Mike Maroth and Jeremy Bonderman. The Tigers haven't had to go to arbitration with a player since the team moved into Comerica Park five years ago.
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