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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Carlos Peña returning to Rays

Posted Jan 20, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated Jan 20, 2012 at 02:15 PM

ROGER MOONEY

The Rays new first baseman is their old first baseman.

Carlos Peña resigned with the Rays.

“I’m coming back to Tampa. I’m very excited,” he texted to the Tampa Tribune.

The Rays have yet to make this official, and it’s likely they won’t announce the deal until next week.

Jon Heyman of CBSsports.com reported that Peña will receive a one-year, $7.25 million deal.

Peña, who played with the Rays from 2007 to 2010, holds the franchise record for career home runs (144) and home runs in a season (46 in 2007). He tied for the American League lead in home runs in 2009 with 39 despite missing most of the final month of the season with a broken finger.

He also won a Gold Glove for his defense at first base during the championship season of 2008.

One of the most popular players in team history, Peña hit .238 with a .516 slugging percentage during his four years in Tampa Bay.

His best season was in 2007 when he hit 46 home runs, drove in 121 runs and batted .282. Signed before spring training to a minor league contract with an invite to major league camp, Peña made the team when Greg Norton injured his knee and moved into the regular lineup when Aki Iwamura injured his knee.

Peña received the Sporting News American League Comeback Player of the Year after that season.

Peña hit just .196 in 2010, though he managed to hit 28 home runs and drive in 84 runs.

He was part of the exodus after that season, signing with the Cubs for $10 million.

Peña improved his average to .225 last season, hit 28 home runs and drove in 80 runs for the Cubs.

Peña’s left-handed bat provides balance to a lineup that already includes left-handed hitters Matt Joyce and Luke Scott and right-handed hitters Desmond Jennings, B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria.