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Pena Plans To Be Back In Lineup

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By MARC LANCASTER and TONY FABRIZIO The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2008

CHICAGO - After a frustrating couple of days on the sidelines allowing the vision in his left eye to return to normal, Carlos Pena on Saturday pronounced himself ready to play in Game 3.

"It's definitely healed, and today I feel as normal as I did before all this happened," Pena said before the Rays' afternoon workout at U.S. Cellular Field.

Asked if he planned to consult with an eye doctor one last time before today's game, as he did before he was scratched from the lineup Friday night, Pena said he didn't think that would be necessary.

"I don't expect to have to go through that," he said. "I feel pretty good right now, I'm going to go practice, and I don't expect any type of trouble. So right now I'll just assume that I'm going to be in the lineup today."

Manager Joe Maddon was on board with that plan, saying everything he had been told indicated Pena would be ready to play.

"I watched him today, and he hit the ball very well," Maddon said after batting practice. "Being outside in the middle of the day, there was no kind of discomfort with the eye. I really believe he is going to be well."

With Pena back at first, Maddon indicated the Rays probably would start Rocco Baldelli in right field and Willy Aybar - who has filled in ably for Pena the first two games - at designated hitter.

FEELING FAST: LF Carl Crawford had his first postseason stolen base in Game 2, and there could be more where that came from.

A four-time AL stolen-bases champion whose thefts fell off dramatically this year because of ailing hamstrings, Crawford says he feels healthier than he has all year. Sitting out seven weeks in August and September because of finger tendon surgery has rejuvenated his legs.

"I actually didn't feel that good even coming into spring training - I already had problems," Crawford said. "But now, I feel like my old self, and I hadn't felt like my old self in a while."

Crawford's speed presents a real problem for the White Sox, whose catcher, A.J. Pierzynski, threw out only 11 of 107 base stealers (10.3 percent) during the regular season. The Rays have three stolen bases in the series so far.

"It's not just Crawford," Pierzynski said. "I mean, Akinori Iwamura and B.J. Upton, you've got to keep those guys off base, too. It's all those guys. They get on base and put the pressure on you. They're very similar to the Angels in that way."

The Rays led the majors in stolen bases during the regular season with 142. Upton was tops with 44, followed by Crawford with 25 and Jason Bartlett with 20. Other speedsters on the roster include Fernando Perez, Rocco Baldelli and Aybar.

SPEAKING OF SPEED: Told that Maddon expects the White Sox to water down the turf and infield today to bog down the Rays' speed, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen reacted as though he'd been given a good idea.

"I will talk to groundskeeper Roger Bossard about it," Guillen said, drawing laughter. "If that's going to be our advantage, I will tell them to make sure you have a swimming pool at first base."

Thinking about it further, Guillen added, "Maybe that's why my team is slow, because the field is wet."

INTO PERSPECTIVE: Nobody appeared to be enjoying the Rays' first postseason road trip more than 60-year baseball man and longtime Pinellas County resident Don Zimmer, the Rays' senior advisor.

Zimmer said the Rays' turnaround ranks as one of the two biggest baseball "miracles" he has been associated with.

"Well, there were the '89 Cubs," he said. "That was a team nobody thought could win 40 games, and I could understand why. And we wound up winning the National League East. But I would say, overall, this is even a bigger surprise. It's been unbelievable."

Zimmer recalled a manager and coaches meeting during the preseason in which Maddon said he thought the Rays could go .500.

"And I remember saying to him, 'If this club plays .500 ball, you'll be the manager of the year,'" Zimmer said. "That's the way I felt. And then they win 97 games. It's been a wild ride."

Marc Lancaster, Tony Fabrizio

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