Carlos' Corner: 'Jermaine Dye is amazing'
Dye's attitude about injury inspires Peņa
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 is
providing for MLB.com an exclusive daily diary for the 2002 season.
Peņa went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored Saturday against the
Padres, and after the game he expressed his admiration for teammate
Jermaine Dye, who is rehabbing a broken left tibia.
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Jermaine Dye is amazing to me, because I've been
hurt before and I know how frustrating the rehabilitation process can
be. But this guy comes to work every day and goes about his business.
No complaining, no feeling sorry for himself. That's very impressive.
To do what he's doing takes an incredible work ethic and incredible
mental toughness. Because the work he's doing, there's no immediate
payoff. There's no applause, no nothing. He's totally in the shadows
compared to those of us who are out there playing, so I really admire
his extreme discipline.
It's almost like you don't even know that he's hurt because he's with
us every day, doing almost all of the drills, and he just kills the
ball in batting practice. And he's out there joking around with
everyone just like everyone else, so he's very much part of the team.
He's just not playing in games with us, that's all, and maybe he will
soon.
That he is even close to being ready at this point shows you what a
tremendous work ethic he has, and I'll tell you this: When Jermaine
comes back, this team is much, much better. He's a very important
member of this team, and when he's in the lineup it really adds
something. We're more dangerous with Jermaine, more powerful.
And when I say I've been hurt, I'm talking about something like last
year, when I pulled a hamstring and was out 15 days. That drove me
crazy, man. So for Jermaine to have the attitude that he's had
through all of this time just goes to show you what kind of man he
is. He's an example for all of us.
Carlos Peņa's diary appears as told to Mychael Urban of OaklandAthletics.com.
