 Yep. Both these bobbleheads are mine. |
Before I started blogging at WEEI.com, I began a segment for the old site called “Five Fun Facts”. I only trotted out three entries before I let the post-season take over and then I kind of forgot about it. I’m hoping to remember long enough to trot it out on Fridays. We’ll see how long that lasts.
In going around the Internet this morning, I found that today is Wily Mo Peña’s 27th birthday so I decided to dedicate today’s Fun Facts to Wily. Given that the Red Sox picked him up in a trade for one of my all-time favorite players, Wily, even now, holds some interest for me. I tried my best not to hold the trade against him. He couldn’t be blamed for what goes on in the front office. So, once he got to town, I decided to support him. Cheer for him when he was struggling and defend him to those who picked on him. (I’ll admit, though, to that all being a little difficult to do many times during his stint in Boston.) I never really “took” to him until close to the end of his time with the Red Sox. Feeling a little guilty about that since I try to make it my goal to support all the guys who don’t usually get support from the fans or media, I try to send him good vibes whenever I see him play and truly do hope he’s successful.
So there’s your background and here are Five Fun Facts about Wily Mo Peña:
* Wily Mo played for the Dominican Republic team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
* On July 31, 2006, he was a double short of hitting for the cycle at Fenway Park against the Cleveland Indians. **
* June 8, 2005 was Wily Mo Peña Bobblehead Night at Great American Ballpark. The Reds beat the Devil Rays 11-9 thanks to Wily Mo’s two home runs that night, including a two-run shot that ended the game.
* In July of 2008, he had shoulder surgery for a partial tear of his rotator cuff and a tear and fraying of his posterior labrum – ending his season and resulting in his only appearing in 64 games in 2008.
* The “Mo” is short for “Modesto”.