As for the Royals, the real question is: how good is the Royals replacement player for TPJ? The Dodgers have Berroa, who is pretty bad with the bat, so I assume that whoever is now at AAA is even worse, but even so it appears that Berroa is a better fielder from the stats at BR. I think every manager in baseball would rather have his best SS at SS and not on the mound. If the Royals have an athletic 3B at AAA, then it makes more sense; bring him up, let him hit at SS, then do some kind of switch to eventually have TPJ at Pitcher during a late inning at bat and then move to SS.

As for TPJ, IIRC his dad had a gun behind the plate, so he comes by his arm genetically. And there are two things going on here. First, nobody is going to claim TPJ off wavers to try him as a pitcher who is already three years into his career (and arbitration and free agency). So send him down if it makes sense. But I just don’t see the Royals having a better option. I mean, I recall when Robin Yount went from being a high school classmate of mine to starting for the Brewers, because the Brewers didn’t have anybody better in their entire system to use. But even then he OPSed 79, not -1 like Pena, and it wasn’t until his fifth year that his OPS+ went above 100. If the Royals really have nobody better, or maybe have a prospect in the low minors they don’t want to ruin because, lets face it, the Royals are not competing for a pennant this year or next, then moving Pena won’t help.

So I’m thinking that you talk to Pena about winter ball and the Rookie Instructional League as a pitcher. He’s 27 years old, and if this is all he brings (both as a SS and as a hitter) then he’ll be a utility player if he’s lucky and more likely out of baseball before he’s 32. Hell, I don’t understand why Berroa isn’t the good field no hit shortstop out there, or why Berroa was sent down. The range factors look much better for Berroa, Berroa looks like a better pinch runner and base stealer, he at least has had some offense some years in his career, and I can only assume that Berroa slept with somebody’s wife to be replaced by Pena. Based on what the stats show, I’d rather have Berroa at age 30 than Pena at age 27. If Pena was only 23, then it’s a different matter.

I’m 100% in favor of making Tony Pena Jr. a two-way utility player, as you’ve suggested, Joe. Woody Williams played both ways in college, FWIW.

My recommendation regarding Pena, since you ask, is to forget this season’s record, which isn’t going to be very good anyway, and pitch him in tough spots, starting tonight. If he has two or three good outings, maybe the Royals can trade him to a contender before the deadline.