HOUSTON (AP) — Jeremy Peña’s key to success was keeping his head dry.

Capping a freshman season like no other, he became the first rookie position player to win a World Series MVP award Saturday night after hitting .400 in the Houston Astros’ six-game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

“The hardest part was just blocking everything that’s not part of the game,” Peña said. “There’s a saying that you can’t sink a ship with water around. It sinks if water gets inside. So I just try to stay strong and keep the water outside my head.”

Peña also won a Gold Glove and was the AL Championship Series MVP. The 25-year-old shortstop became the first hitter to win those three prizes in a career, according to OptaSTATS — and he did it all in his rookie season.

“It has a lot to do with my family, my upbringing,” he said.

Peña was 9 years old when his family moved to Providence from the Dominican Republic.

Peña praised Dusty Baker, the Astros’ 73-year-old manager. When Baker made his major league managerial debut for San Francisco on April 6, 1993, the leadoff hitter for the other team was Peña’s father, St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Gerónimo Peña.

“Dusty Baker’s a legend in the sport,” Jeremy Peña said. “Not just because he’s been around. He’s had success at this game. He brings the best out of his players. He gives you the confidence to just go out and play hard and let the game take care of itself.”

Peña singled to chase Phillies starter Zack Wheeler in Game 6, giving the Astros two baserunners for the first time. Yordan Alvarez followed with a go-ahead, three-run homer that sent Houston to a 4-1 victory.

Peña finished the postseason with a .345 batting average, four homers, eight RBIs and a 1.005 OPS. He also became the first rookie shortstop to win a Gold Glove, as well as the first to homer in the World Series.

Just 24 when he was handed the starting job at the beginning of the season after Carlos Correa left as a free agent, Peña became the third rookie at any position to earn World Series MVP, joining a pair of right-handed pitchers: the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Larry Sherry in 1959 and Miami’s Liván Hernández in 1997.

Peña’s 18th-inning homer completed a Division Series sweep at Seattle and he hit a go-ahead drive off Noah Syndergaard in Game 5 of the World Series. His Game 2 jersey is headed to the Hall of Fame.

“You have to make tough decisions in this job, and Jeremy’s making it look like it was an easy decision, and it wasn’t,” Houston general manager James Click said. “Carlos is a great player, and he’s been a huge part of this franchise. But to do what Jeremy did, to step in and elevate his game in the playoffs, it just speaks to his hard work, his character and the talent that he has. There’s not that many special guys on the planet that can do what he just did.”

Peña became the ninth player to win MVP of a League Championship Series and the World Series in the same season. He batted .353 with two homers and four RBIs against the Yankees in the ALCS.

The only other player to win an LCS MVP award, World Series MVP and a Gold Glove during their career was pitcher Orel Hershiser, who took all three prizes with the Dodgers in 1988.

Peña hit .291 with 22 homers and 63 RBIs during the regular season and likely will finish high in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Seattle outfielder Julio Rodríguez is the favorite.

Others to win LCS and World Series MVP in one year were Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell (1979), St. Louis’ Darrell Porter (1982), Hershiser (1988), Hernández (2003), Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels (2008), the Cardinals’ David Freese (2011), San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner (2014) and the Dodgers’ Corey Seager (2020).

Only four other rookies were LCS MVPs: Baltimore right-hander Mike Boddicker in 1983, Hernández in 1997, St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha in 2013 and Tampa Bay outfielder Randy Arozarena in 2020.

Peña thought back to last year’s Game 6 loss to Atlanta at Minute Maid Park, where he joined the Astros but was inactive.

“These guys were left with a bitter taste in their mouth last year,” he said. “Me being in the dugout last year, I didn’t want to experience that again.”

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I have no idea what the San Francisco Giants are up to at the close. I suspect none of us do. The team is also not in a situation where they absolutely have to do something; It’s only logical that they should. But how do you improve on a team that has the third-best record in the National League (sixth-best in MLB) as of May 1?

Based on FanGraphs-style wins over substitutes alone, the team has an 8.1 WAR and is the fifth-best pitching team in baseball since May 1, when the team turned hot. Her bullpen was the absolute best with 4 WARs on the same course. If you think they could do with tweaking some of the indicator numbers, their 0.89 HR/9 is the best #1 overall, their 2.64 BB/9 is the #1 in the NL (No. 2 in the MLB), and they’re evenly matched at a tepid 8.59 K/9 (#18) with a sport-leading groundball percentage of 48.1%.

That rate also easily exceeds the second best team at inducing groundballs (the Marlins) (46.8%) and it’s not just thanks to Logan Webb and Alex Cobb who were so impressive (with the exception of Cobb’s launch this morning in Cincinnati). but also the fourth-best defense in the Netherlands (+8.2, #9 in MLB) based on FanGraphs Defensive Runs Above Average.

These two factors in the success of the team are the formation. With 451 runs this season, the team is more or less in the middle (7th in NL, 13th in MLB). Even with the “as of May 1st” adjustment, they still rank 6th in the NL and 11th in the MLB with 324 runs scored. Worse yet, a 97 wRC+ puts them in a three-way battle with the Yankees and Phillies; an ISO of 0.144 (#25) and a BABIP batting average of 0.305, indicating Giants hitters are getting the results they deserve.

So they just need better batsmen, right? Should not be a problem. Farhan Zaidi is one of the greatest minds in professional sports. His system has managed to get Blake Sabol and Patrick Bailey up and running, they’ve already acquired and outperformed the likes of Darin Ruf, LaMonte Wade Jr. and JD Davis (at least for a while) for very little money. Adding a key club makes a lot of sense.

The problem is that even if the Giants have the smartest front office ever, they’re also competing against clubs with fairly smart front offices, and those who might not fit that description, a dozen or more contenders for one of these have players who may be willing to switch by the August 1st trading close.

Then there is the question of how long a player will actually stay on the team. The Giants will play 54 regular-season games after the deadline, almost as many games as Casey Schmitt played as a major league player prior to the start of the Reds streak. A third of the season remains. Depending on how you look at it, it’s either a significant number of games that would require a big move, or a number of games too small to warrant one.

Every decision made by the front office takes the risks into account. The Giants will almost certainly have to make a compromise to keep fans interested and to convey to their clubhouse that they believe in this year’s team. The move has to make sense – the right personality for the clubhouse has to be proportionate to the talent needed and driven by cost.

The cost… the cost…

It is logical to consider the cost of doing business in the trading market. The Giants have taken a number of actions across all regimes as of the deadline. Wheeler for Beltran didn’t end up beating the Giants — even though they ran Beltran in the offseason and could have used Wheeler during his team-control years — because they still won titles in 2012 and 2014. The mate-for-mate, Duffy-for-Moore trade, combined with relinquishing Mark Melancon when he had the chance, set the stage for the end of Bobby Evans’ baseball managerial career. The Kris Bryant deal didn’t help or hurt them much in the end, and it’s up to you how you feel about the Prelander Berroa-Donovan Walton deal.

I say all this to point out that trade deadlines are almost as much a coin toss as postseason. Brian Sabean once got Jason Schmidt for Ryan Vogelsong. Farhan Zaidi brought in JD Davis and Giants #28 contender Carson Seymour for Darin Ruf. Is there a Kris Bryant deal instead, or are we in the Carlos Beltran/Andrew McCutchen zone where the Giants will end up making a trade that will cost them dearly in the future?

It’s a big field of competition. The Braves, Phillies, Marlins, Brewers, Reds, Dodgers, Dbacks, Rangers, Astros, Twins, Orioles, Rays and Blue Jays are all tied when it comes to playoff spots, but there are also teams like the Red Sox and the Yankees, Guardians, Angels, Mariners, maybe the Cubs and maybe the Padres, all are at least still in the running for the wild card. There are over 60 games left of the season. That’s a good part of the league competing with the Giants.

It’s debatable how hot and hard teams would be for players from the A’s, Rockies and Royals – as far as there would be multiple teams that would start a bidding war – but beyond those three, the Tigers, White Sox, Mets and Cardinals, either have impact pitching or hitting that could potentially be on offer, and if fringe teams like the Mariners and Yankees (just to knock two teams out) decide to put up signs for sale, that could tip the scales as well.

Does the team see Kyle Harrison and Marco Luciano as untouchable or could it be motivated to switch one of them for the right one? What about Joey Bart (.333/.395/.538 in July) and Heliot Ramos (.341/.362/.750) – do they still have the prospect of becoming alternative trading chips?

The Giants have the financial flexibility to make a move. They’re about $18.5 million below the unofficial/official salary cap, colloquially known as the “competitive balance tax.” That puts them in a good position to take pay back to reduce potential capital, but we’ve increasingly seen teams prioritize potential capital over financial relief. Could that be different this year as regional sports network Diamond/Bally Sports’ cable deals collapse?

And above all: what would “the right one” look like? It’s obviously not just about the cost. The fit is also a pretty important part of this.

batsmen

Presumably looking for someone with twice the power and speed — on top of the team’s depressing isolated performance, it sits 29th in stolen bases (45), ahead of just Colorado.

Because of the injury situation (Thairo Estrada) and the performance situation (Schmitt, maybe JD Davis), does it have to be an infielder, or could you look for an outfielder? It’s going to be difficult because as bad as Mike Yastrzemski looked at times, he’s had a good time this season. Austin Slater is a solid draw racquet. Michael Conforto was fine. Blake Sabol isn’t available for pick just yet and I’m confident the team is committed to keeping this Rule 5 guy on the roster. You also probably don’t want to sign an infielder who could block Marco Luciano if he proves fast-moving in the Triple-A.

All of these considerations narrow the field. By mid-June, Thairo Estrada was the top second baseman in the National League. He was the team’s top positional player for most of the season. It’s always difficult to replace the best player on your team.

pitchers

I firmly believe that the team should try to get a starting player. The bullpen probably won’t be able to maintain its dominant work, but the best way to get into that future spin cycle is to slip another arm into the rotation. The eventual return of John Brebbia and Luke Jackson also reinforces the urgent need to snag another man who can pitch at least five innings a start. Sure, there’s Tristan Beck and Keaton Winn in Triple-A and the possibility of a coin toss from Kyle Harrison in September, but at this point, given their level of experience and perhaps their stage of player development, they really are just a hair’s breadth ahead of the veteran quartet of Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood, Sean Manaea and Ross Stripling Quartet; and if the Giants had a chance to pick, say, Jack Flaherty (1.5 fWAR) or Corbin Burnes (1.6 fWAR), I think each of us would pick one of the two over the other six.

I assume the likes of Anthony DeSclafani and Sean Manaea have little or almost no trade value, but we live in a world where the Darin reputation trade actually happened. Where Drew Pomeranz became a standstill helper in time and became a sales representative. Maybe some team out there really loves David Villar or Heliot Ramos, or the Giants are ready to replace Darin Ruf. Perhaps Sean Sean Manaea’s badminton efficiency boosts will wow Rays scouts.

Anything can happen, but what do you think will happen?

Continue reading

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RONALD BLUM, Associated Press

4 months ago

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena celebrates with the trophy after their 4-1 World Series win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Saturday, November 5, 2022 in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

HOUSTON (AP) — Jeremy Peña’s key to success was keeping his head dry.

He capped a freshman season like no other, becoming the first rookie position player to win a World Series MVP award Saturday night after hitting a .400 in the Houston Astros’ six-game win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

“The hardest part was just blocking everything that wasn’t part of the game,” Peña said. “There is a saying that you cannot sink a ship with water. It sinks when water enters. So I’m just trying to stay strong and keep the water out of my head.”

Peña also won a Gold Glove and was MVP of the AL Championship Series. The 25-year-old shortstop became the first hitter to win those three awards in his career, according to OptaSTATS – and all in his rookie season.

“It has a lot to do with my family and my upbringing,” he said.

Peña praised Dusty Baker, the Astros’ 73-year-old manager. When Baker made his major league managerial debut for San Francisco on April 6, 1993, Peña’s father, St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Gerónimo Peña, was the leading hitter for the other team.

“Dusty Baker is a legend in the sport,” said Jeremy Peña. “Not just because he’s there. He succeeded in this game. He gets the best out of his players. He gives you the confidence to just go out there and play hard and let the game take care of itself.”

Peña was able to chase down Phillies starter Zack Wheeler in Game 6, giving the Astros two baserunners for the first time. Yordan Alvarez followed up with a three-run go-ahead homer that propelled Houston to a 4-1 win.

Peña finished the postseason with a .345 batting average, four homers, eight RBIs and 1.005 OPS. He was also the first rookie shortstop to win a Gold Glove and the first homer in the World Series.

Peña was just 24 when he landed the starting job earlier in the season after Carlos Correa left as a free agent. Peña became the third rookie at any position to become World Series MVP, joining two right-handed pitchers: Los Angeles’ Larry Sherry of the Dodgers in 1959 and Liván Hernández of Miami in 1997.

Peña’s 18th-inning homer completed a Division Series sweep in Seattle and grabbed a Noah Syndergaard go-ahead drive in Game 5 of the World Series. His Game 2 jersey goes into the Hall of Fame.

“You have to make tough decisions in this job, and Jeremy makes it seem like it was an easy decision, and it wasn’t,” said Houston general manager James Click. “Carlos is a great player and he’s been a huge part of this franchise. But doing what Jeremy did, stepping in and improving his game in the playoffs only speaks to his hard work, character and the talent he has. There aren’t that many special guys on the planet who can do what he just did.”

Peña became the ninth player to win a League Championship Series and World Series MVP in the same season. He hit .353 with two homers and four RBIs against the Yankees in the ALCS.

The only other player to win an LCS MVP award, a World Series MVP, and a Gold Glove during his career was pitcher Orel Hershiser, who won all three awards with the Dodgers in 1988.

Peña hit .291 with 22 home runs and 63 RBIs during the regular season and will likely finish high in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Seattle outfielder Julio Rodríguez is the favorite.

Other winners of LCS and World Series MVP in one year were Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell (1979), St. Louis’ Darrell Porter (1982), Hershiser (1988), Hernández (2003), Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels (2008), and David Von the Cardinals Freese (2011), Madison Bumgarner (2014) from San Francisco and Corey Seager (2020) from the Dodgers.

Only four other rookies were LCS MVPs: Baltimore right-hander Mike Boddicker in 1983, Hernández in 1997, St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha in 2013, and Tampa Bay outfielder Randy Arozarena in 2020.

Peña thought back to last year’s Game 6 loss to Atlanta at Minute Maid Park, where he joined the Astros but was inactive.

“Those guys had a bitter taste in their mouths last year,” he said. “I was on the coaching bench last year, I didn’t want to experience that again.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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