Luis Pena

[VegasBrewerFan]

Just wondering if someone could tell something about this guy.

Like is he a hard thrower.

Does his fastball have alot of movement.

How many other plus pitches does he have.

Has he had any injury history

Is he in the plans for future closer.

[Mass Haas]

Bullet points:

 

- Signed at age 16 in July of '99 out of Venezuela, his first action came as a 17-year-old in the Brewers now defunct Venezuelan Summer League program in 2000

 

- He was added to the 40-man roster in 2005 and used one of his three options that year. The Brewers could option him to the minors each of the coming two seasons while still controlling his rights. However, because he was already outrighted off the 40-man roster once (October '05), if the Brewers remove him from the 40-man again, he can elect free agency.

 

- Going back to 2001 or so, he was listed as 6'5", 160 -- he's now at 6'5", 200.

 

- At the end of '05, Pena underwent surgery to repair slight fraying in his rotator cuff. The then-22-year-old prospect was bothered by ongoing shoulder problems over the course of the 2005 season at Brevard County.

 

- 2007 was the first time Pena focused strictly on bullpen, namely closer, work. He excelled in every primary and secondary category, as evidenced by a breakdown of his stats here. We saw multiple reports of Pena reaching the high 90's consistently with his four-seam fastball throughout this season, touching triple digits at times. His off-speed has been a curveball in the past -- not too sure about current fastball movement, but most guys in that velocity range tend to be straighter than most.

 

- He'll be 25 in January. I'm sure the Brewers would be thrilled with a standout closer season at AAA Nashville in 2008, and wouldn't it be just perfect if he could get in some time in Milwaukee later in '08, with the possibility of being the main set-up man or even the closer in '09. That sure would free up money to be used elsewhere. Effective young closers are gold for just that reason.

 

To be honest, we hope to have some interviews published here in late January that would include comments from among those folks who saw Pena pitch regularly live last season. That should enlighten fans further, to be sure, and whet everyone's appetite for spring training even more.

 

Please, others chime in as they wish. Maybe we can bring our old friend "huntsvillefan" or David Weiser out with a comment or two.

[colbyjack]

Just to add to Mass' thoughts, Pena's fastball does have some movement when he takes a little off of it, and I believe he throws a slider as well, as that pitch has been clocked in the mid to high-80s according to someone affiliated with Pena.

 

I know a lot of people were surprised that Pena originally got added to the 40-man roster several years ago, and I always remind myself of just how special Pena's arm is when I think back to an interview I conducted with Lou Palmisano when he was with the Snappers, catching the likes of Pena, Dana Eveland and Carlos Villanueva:

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewArticle.do?articleId=175

 

Question: Who has the filthiest stuff?

 

Palmisano: Filthiest stuff...Luis Pena is pretty nasty.

 

Question: Who is the hardest to catch?

 

Palmisano: I'd probably say Pena, just because his ball moves so much.

 

-------------------------

 

I personally think Pena is one of the biggest dark horses in the system, and a player that legitimately could solve a lot of issues with the team's bullpen should his AAA season go as well as his season did a year ago. For whatever reason, despite having a special arm, his name hasn't been tossed around by almost anyone that past several years, as it doesn't come up in prospect conversations from BA, Jim Powell, etc., and the only reason we have heard about his stuff is by listening to the broadcasts and following the link report.

[VegasBrewerFan]

Thanks alot guys I recently read a short paragraph on him in sports weekly and they seem to be very high on him saying his major league ETA WAS 2008.Got me wondering thanks again for some great answers.Consider me the driver of the Luis Pena bandwagon.

[ILuvDaBush]

Also understand that international signees are harder to get a read on given that many times, they don't progress quickly like a college drafted player. Further compounding the problem is that he just recently got shifted to relief. A good example of this problem is Manny Corpas. Not many places had him as a top prospect, and now...well he's made a flame throwing lefty available.

[And That]

I am truly excited by Luismar's prospects. Ever since he was converted to relief, he's been light's out. Always has had great stuff, has just been ridiculously raw until he started filling out a few years ago... the 6'5, 160 was no joke back around 2003. I don't think he'll make the big club out of spring training, but I do think he'll be up by the end of June.

[agent39]

Im just beyond happy to be his agent.

[sbrylski]

Im just beyond happy to be his agent.

Is there anything you can add about him that hasn't been covered? Or did they pretty much cover the bases? What's he like personality-wise?

 

[logan82]

Sounds pretty sweet. We are going to need relievers in '09 as most of our relievers are on one year contracts or in the last year of their contracts.

[Mass Haas]

I'm guessing Luis is going to get short-changed in the Top Prospect Fan Poll that colbyjack is currently tabulating because he was omitted from the postseason Power 50 on a technicality that he was eligible for minor league free agency prior to being added to the 40-man roster. Don't worry, he'll be pretty prominently featured in the spring training version of the P50.

[agent39]

He's one of the funniest people Ive ever represented, great sense of humor, bilingual, just got married and most importantly has a short memory. Great Great guy. Im going to dinner with him tonight! Talk to you all soon

[agent39]

My buddy Tom H. wrote this on Luis in this months BA

Brewers Organization Report

 

Back On The Radar

 

By Tom Haudricourt

January 2, 2008

http://www.baseballamerica.com/architecture/images/email.gifE-mail http://www.baseballamerica.com/architecture/images/print.gifPrint

MILWAUKEE-A few years back, righthander Luis Pena was considered one of the top pitching prospects in the Brewers organization, before falling off the radar screen completely.

 

Now Pena, who signed out of Venezuela in 1999, is considered one of the top relief prospects in the system, which tells you a lot about his perseverance and what a change in roles can do for someone with a blazing fastball.

 

Pena's trials and tribulations began with shoulder surgery that shortened his 2005 and 2006 seasons. After four seasons at the Class A level, he stood at a crossroads in 2007. No longer on the Brewers' 40-man roster, it was a make-or-break season.

 

"After my surgery, I knew I had to work hard," Pena said. "First, I had to get healthy. Then, I had to pitch good."

 

Pena did exactly that in yet another assignment to high Class A Brevard County. But he didn't stay there long. Promoted to Double-A for the first time, Pena emerged as closer for Huntsville, compiling a 2.89 ERA with 12 saves. In 46 innings, he issued 14 walks and struck out 42 hitters.

 

"I like being a closer," Pena said. "At first, I was nervous, but now I like it. You've got to do your job and get the last three outs. I try to have fun out there."

 

Because Pena, 25, regularly throws in the mid 90s with a sharp-breaking slider, the Brewers protected him from the Rule 5 draft by again adding him to the 40-man roster.

 

Pena's re-emergence came at the perfect time. After losing closer Francisco Cordero and set-up man Scott Linebrink to free agency, the Brewers were retooling their bullpen, having acquired veterans Guillermo Mota, David Riske, Salomon Torres and Eric Gagne.

[TooLiveBrew]

2008 is a huge year for Luis. I don't think any bullpen spots are guaranteed beyond Riske, Gagne, Shouse, and maybe Torres - oh, and however we align a SP for long relief. That's two or three spots there for the right guys. Does Pena have a shot out of ST, or would he more likely get called up as the season progressed? Not talking about making him the closer/high leverage guy, just to clarify.

[TheBrewer]

Which Pena are we talking about:

 

http://thebaseballcube.com/players/P/Luismar-Pena.shtml

 

http://thebaseballcube.com/players/P/Luis-Pena.shtml

 

Both Penas evidently did well in 2007 out of the BP and saving games according to the baseballcube. Luisimar Pena doesn't have his 07 listed though. I've always been confused.

[bretsky07]

It's Luismar Pena. thebaseballcube just screwed up and put our Pena's 2007 stats in the other Luis Pena's page.

[DrWood]

2008 is a huge year for Luis. I don't think any bullpen spots are guaranteed beyond Riske, Gagne, Shouse, and maybe Torres

 

I guess you don't like turnbow.

[TooLiveBrew]

It's not that I don't like him, per se... it's that I don't think he's demonstrated the ability to be consistent enough to have his spot locked up for 2008. But I know Yost seems to love him, so that obviously will play a role.

[ILuvDaBush]

I mentioned this earlier, but it needs to be said again. Turnbow over the first half of last year, was one of the three best relievers in the NL. His OPS-against was over 150 points higher than our balleyhooed closer, and if not for his success, Cordero NEVER would have sniffed his early successes. He was also leading the NL in holds and was compiling over 10K/9IP with a very good ERA. I fully expect Turnbow to thrive this coming year, moreso than Torres.My question is, between Riske and T-Bow, if Gagne goes down, who is the closer? Luis Pena!!!

[hsvstarsfan]

Please, others chime in as they wish. Maybe we can bring our old friend "huntsvillefan" or David Weiser out with a comment or two.

 

No one, not even Nick Neugebauer, had hit 100 on the scoreboard's radar display. Luis Pena did several times, peaking, by my notice, at 103. Pena lives and dies by this pitch, though (as evidenced by the outcome of Game 5 of the SL Championship Series). So Montgomery hitters were waiting for one they could connect on. (Tennessee did this, too, in Game 5). Luismar, which is how he signs, needs to have more confidence in his secondary pitches -- the curve and change. If he can throw them, develop them and start using them more, he'll be untouchable.

[chowyo123]

No one, not even Nick Neugebauer, had hit 100 on the scoreboard's radar display. Luis Pena did several times, peaking, by my notice, at 103.

Talk about giving me shivers down my spine when reading that. Thanks for the information. I can't wait to hear about his progress this year.

 

[rousieboy]

Where would he rank on the Power 50 if he were eligible?

 

 

 

Just wondering...Rouse

[Mass Haas]

Luismar will probably be in the 10-15 range for the spring training P50, maybe even a touch higher.