April 12, 2006
Last fall after learning of his invitation to the San Diego Padres' spring training, Eddie Pena spoke with GUHoyas.com and his experience was featured in this story: Pena and Brooks Chase the Dream. Here Eddie tells GUHoyas.com about his spring training experience.
Spring training brings many different feelings for prospective minor leaguers. Excitement and fear among them.
The excitement of the possibilities.
The fear of getting sent home.
For Georgetown alumnus Eddie Pena the conclusion of spring training brought both surprise and excitement.
On the final day of spring training Eddie was given his assignment - Fort Wayne Wizards of the Midwest League, the Padres' Class A team.
In spring training the players usually work out with the team one level above where they will likely be assigned. So having spent every day working with the low A group, Eddie figured, if he made the cut, he would be assigned to the rookie team.
Eddie thought he was going to be staying at the Padres' facility in Arizona for extended spring training. Those assigned to extended spring training continue to practice and play at the team's training facility until after the amateur draft in June when most will go on to play in a short-season A league.
At the end of spring training Eddie was just happy to have made it through, having survived "massacre days" when they cut 15-20 players. Extended spring training sounded okay to him.
Then he got called over and was told his good news.
"I was pretty excited and pumped up," Eddie said from Grand Rapids, Michigan where he was waiting for his team's season opener. "It was a huge step for me to be assigned to a full season A team."
When departing Peoria, Arizona for Fort Wayne, Indiana late on Monday afternoon, many of the faces were still new to Eddie. Many of his new teammates had spent the spring training with higher level squads. Many of his new teammates were picked in the MLB amateur draft. Thirteen players selected by the Padres' in the June 2005 Amateur Draft headline the team, and only two other players besides Eddie went undrafted and signed as free agents. Many of his new teammates were expected to make it there.
On Wednesday, Eddie, a Miami, Fla. native, and his teammates signed leases for apartments in Fort Wayne. They then had a short practice at their home facility before the Wizards hosted a meet and greet with fans. More than 100 fans turned out to meet the newest Wizards and get excited for baseball season. Then Thursday morning it was time to head to Grand Rapids for the season opener for a quick two game series before returning to Fort Wayne on Saturday for their home opener.
Last week Eddie wasn't sure of what his roll out of the bullpen would be, and three games into the season, he made his Fort Wayne Wizards debut versus West Michigan. He came on in the sixth in relief of the starting pitcher to help preserve the lead. In 1 2/3 innings of work, Eddie struck out four and allowed two runs on three hits. The Wizards went on to win 11-3 and improve to 2-1 on the year.
For Eddie, this continues to be a dream come true and he hopes to have more feelings of surprise and excitement throughout his career.
