Carlos' Corner: How simple can I keep things?
A's rookie talks about transition to Majors
By Carlos Peņa / Special to MLB.com
Carlos Peņa, a 23-year-old rookie heralded as one of the top
prospects in the game, was acquired by Oakland during the offseason
in a six-player trade with Texas. He's replacing Jason Giambi as the
A's first baseman and is providing for MLB.com an exclusive daily
diary for the 2002 season.
Before Friday's game in Anaheim, Peņa talked about the challenges of
keeping his life uncomplicated as a first-year Major Leaguer.
One of the things I've been trying to do is to see how simple I can
keep my life. The reason I do that is because I think it makes for an
easier transition to the Major Leagues.
In the Majors, you observe and saturate so much information -
sometimes I think it can be too much. So my attitude is, 'How simple
can I keep things?'
That's true on and off the field. For that reason, I'm trying to do
the same exact things I did in the minors. So when I'm not at the
stadium, I do the same things I've always done. I'll go to my room,
chill out, watch TV, read books.
And when it comes to prep work, that's why I don't like to know too
much. There is so much TV, news articles and info on the game --
statistics, highlights -- everything. I think reading and seeing all
of that can make the pitcher truly bigger than he is.
That's why for me, I don't want to know everything there is to know
about a guy: wins, strikeouts. I don't need to know that a guy is a
five-time Cy Young winner and see all the highlights of him pitching.
I feel like all that stuff empowers him, and in my mind it can make a
pitcher bigger than he really is.
I want to keep it simple. Is he left-handed or right-handed? What
does he throw? Curveball, splitter, fastball?
I want it to be like little league. The difference is, as a friend
told me, everybody's just taller now.
In my opinion, that's the best way to come out and make this
transition smooth, whether I'm facing Pedro [Martinez], or [Roger]
Clemens or anybody.
That's why sometimes ignorance is bliss.
Carlos Peņa's diary appears as told to Kent Schacht who is an
editorial producer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
ie talks about transition to Majors
By Carlos Peņa / Special to MLB.com
Carlos Peņa, a 23-year-old rookie heralded as one of the top
prospects in the game, was acquired by Oakland during the offseason
in a six-player trade with Texas. He's replacing Jason Giambi as the
A's first baseman and is providing for MLB.com an exclusive daily
diary for the 2002 season.
Before Friday's game in Anaheim, Peņa talked about the challenges of
keeping his life uncomplicated as a first-year Major Leaguer.
One of the things I've been trying to do is to see how simple I can
keep my life. The reason I do that is because I think it makes for an
easier transition to the Major Leagues.
In the Majors, you observe and saturate so much information -
sometimes I think it can be too much. So my attitude is, 'How simple
can I keep things?'
That's true on and off the field. For that reason, I'm trying to do
the same exact things I did in the minors. So when I'm not at the
stadium, I do the same things I've always done. I'll go to my room,
chill out, watch TV, read books.
And when it comes to prep work, that's why I don't like to know too
much. There is so much TV, news articles and info on the game --
statistics, highlights -- everything. I think reading and seeing all
of that can make the pitcher truly bigger than he is.
That's why for me, I don't want to know everything there is to know
about a guy: wins, strikeouts. I don't need to know that a guy is a
five-time Cy Young winner and see all the highlights of him pitching.
I feel like all that stuff empowers him, and in my mind it can make a
pitcher bigger than he really is.
I want to keep it simple. Is he left-handed or right-handed? What
does he throw? Curveball, splitter, fastball?
I want it to be like little league. The difference is, as a friend
told me, everybody's just taller now.
In my opinion, that's the best way to come out and make this
transition smooth, whether I'm facing Pedro [Martinez], or [Roger]
Clemens or anybody.
That's why sometimes ignorance is bliss.
Carlos Peņa's diary appears as told to Kent Schacht who is an
editorial producer for MLB.com.
