Carlos' corner: 'You just take it all in'
By Carlos Peņa
Special to MLB.com
Carlos Peņa, a 23-year-old rookie, was acquired by Oakland during the
offseason in a six-player trade with Texas. Expected to replace Jason
Giambi as the A's starting first baseman, perhaps as soon as Opening
Day, Peņa is considered one of the top prospects in the game and has
agreed to provide for MLB.com an exclusive daily diary for the 2002
season. On Friday he did not play in Oakland's 5-2 loss at the hands
of a split-squad version of the Milwaukee Brewers.
PHOENIX -- You have to make the most out of the days that you don't
play, because there's still a lot of work to be done before the game.
I'd always rather be in the lineup, of course, but when I'm not, I
just try to get as much done early as I can.
That means taking care of business in batting practice -- getting
your swings in, taking your ground balls. Just getting your work in.
There's never a day off here, even when you aren't playing.
During the game you just take it all in. You can always learn from
watching your teammates, and that's important for a young player like
myself. And you have to be mentally ready in case you're asked to hit
late in the game, because you never know.
Carlos Peņa's diary appears as told to Mychael Urban, Site Reporter
for OaklandAthletics.com.
