TONY PENA RETURNS TO YANKEES AS 1B COACH IN 2007

SANTO DOMINGO - Tony Peña will return again as coach of first base of the New York Yankees next season with a 1-year contract.

The information was offered by Pena himself, during his appearance on the program the Sport Week, that takes place every Sunday, of 12:00 to 2:00 of afternoon, by Telecentro, channel 13, under the conduction of the journalists Héctor J. Cross, Tomas Troncoso, Bienvenido Rojas and Mario Emilio Guerrero.

• The old receiver revealed that “I return in 2007 with the Yankees in equal terms as in the last campaign, with an agreement of a year and to be coach of the first base”.

Pena emphasized that he was interviewed for the position of leader by the Nationals of Washington, position that finally his compatriot Manny Acta will occupy.

• “Manny and I were finalists for the position of manager of the Nationals and I congratulate his being chosen, because he is a very able person and a great connoisseur of the game”.

He added that “With Acta it unites one close friendship to me, from the days we worked together in the Houston Astros organization, when I was leader of the triple AAA branch and Manny was my coach of third base."

• “I knew that Acta would someday be a mánager of Big Leagues and as much it is thus, that when I was named years ago leader of the Kansas City Royals, in an interview I indicated he'd be the next Dominican in piloting a team in the Big Leagues."

Defeat of the Yankees Being questioned on the Yankees failing again to arrive at the World Series, Pena said that “the pitching of the Tigers of Detroit was too much for our players”.

• “The reason by which we were eliminated in the Series of Championship is simply that the throwers of Detroit made a great work and silenced our offensive."

In another tenor, Pena praised the work of Joe Torre.

“Torre had to compete with a team decimated by injuries and with only two outstanding pitchers, Mike Mussina and Wang." Adding, “in opposition to the image that shows, Torre is a communicative and comprehensive man, who is not created a genius that knows everything to it”.

“He makes consultations with his coaches all along and delegates functions, in addition to which he's a class of mánager that always is in contact with his players”, he expressed.

• “I believe that in the last campaign, Torre made an extraordinary work, because with a club with great problems it managed to classify for the postseason".

Cabrera and Cano

Pena also emphasized the work of the Dominican players Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano, who enjoyed a good campaign in the 2006.

“For me, Cabrera is the player of more progress in the Great Leagues and at the moment of the injury of Hideki Matsui he assumed a great responsibility within the Yankees and unfolded a shining performance”, affirmed.

About Cano, he asserted that “he's a star in ascent and soon he will be a stellar one in the Big Leagues. I was surprised by his talent, because he's shown he is a formidable batter and owner of a great defense, with good hands, strong arm and a tremendous reach."

STORY BY MARIO EMILIO GUERRERO, LISTIN DIARIO, NOV. 30, 2006, google translation

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