The Tampa Bay Ray’s playoff hopes are pretty much dead as they felt the nail in the coffin with the recent news that their powerful slugging first baseman, Carlos Pena is out for the year.  Pena, who is leading the AL in home runs (39), was hit by a first inning fastball on Monday from the hard throwing Yankee C.C. Sabathia.  The pitch hit Pena in the left hand, breaking his middle and index fingers and will likely require surgery.  Umpires ruled that Pena swung, so he was not awarded first base, and on the next pitch Pena checked his swing and struck out.  The pain was very evident on Pena’s check swing, as he walked back to the dugout holding his hand gingerly and left the game soon after.

X-Rays showed obvious fractures in both fingers and Pena is now done for the 2009 season.  The Rays picked up first basemen Chris Richard’s contract from AAA Durham to replace Pena, however Richard has not seen any major league action since April of 2003 with the Colorado Rockies.  The Rays have now lost five in a row and their best power hitter, so you will not see Tampa Bay in the playoffs this year.