Eyes of Texas upon slumping Pena
A's notebook

ARLINGTON, Texas -- One quiet single in nine at-bats. For Carlos
Peña, it's been a rather ordinary homecoming.

But it sure hasn't been treated that way.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram led its Tuesday sports section with a
huge front-page feature on Peña, featuring a picture of Peña circling
the bases, left arm raised, after his solo homer in the ninth inning
beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 in Oakland on April 2. The Dallas Morning
News devoted two long articles to him. A local television station did
a live report with him from The Ballpark in Arlington.

This series marks Peña's first in Texas since the Rangers traded him
and reliever Mike Venafro to the A's in January for pitcher Mario
Ramos, infielder Gerald Laird, first baseman Jason Hart and
outfielder Ryan Ludwick. That Peña entered the series leading the
American League with four home runs and the four players Texas
received all are in the minors has only intensified the hype.

"I'm trying not to think about it much," Peña said. "I'm just trying
to keep everything simple. I'm just trying to treat it like I'm
playing in my own back yard."

That approach hasn't seemed to help, at least in the first two games.
Peña went hitless in his first eight at-bats of the series until
grounding a single up the middle against Rangers closer John Rocker
in the ninth Wednesday. That hit broke an 0-for-10 slide. He began
the series hitting .333 and is now at .257.