Carlos' Corner: 'His story is amazing'
Miller's saga appeals to Pena's passion
By Carlos Pena / Special to MLB.com

Carlos Peña, a 23-year-old rookie, was acquired by Oakland during the
offseason in a six-player trade with Texas. Expected to replace Jason
Giambi as the A's starting first baseman, perhaps as soon as Opening
Day, Peña is considered one of the top prospects in the game and is
providing for MLB.com an exclusive daily diary for the 2002 season.

Before Friday's game, the second game of the Bay Bridge Series with
the San Francisco Giants at Pacific Bell Park, Peña expressed his
admiration for a teammate who is making a surprising push to make
Oakland's final roster.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Today I want to talk about my friend Matt Miller.
He started out in the independent leagues, but I met him during my
first year of professional baseball. I was in Single-A at Savannah,
Ga., and he was the oldest guy on the team. I want to talk about him
because his story is amazing. Talk about chasing a dream.

This is a guy who went undrafted out of college -- he was studying to
be a teacher -- and had to start at the very bottom of baseball. But
he knew what he wanted, and he went after it. He didn't let anything
get in his way. And now he's here on the big-league stage, on the
verge of making a big-league roster.

To me he's a perfect example of persistence, of tenacity. And because
of that, I have great appreciation for him not only as a teammate,
but as a friend and fellow man.

We were in the Texas organization together, and Texas released him
twice. Then he went to San Diego, and San Diego released him. But he
never gave up, and that takes tremendous courage. He came here,
continued to do what he believes in, and he'd done an incredible job
in Spring Training.

Nobody can score off him, and he hasn't just opened eyes within the
Oakland organization. I think he's opened eyes all over baseball.
This guy can pitch at the Major League level. All he needs is the
opportunity, and I hope he gets it.

I've always had great admiration for people like Matt -- people who
succeed despite adversity, despite being faced with struggle at every
turn. Nothing has come easy for Matt, but I've never seen him
complain, I've never seen him get down. All I see is him continue to
chase his dream, and you have to give that all the respect in the
world.

Whenever he takes the mound, I'm pulling for him. Not just because we
play on the same team, but because I want his story to end the best
way possible. Some people get to take the fast track to where they
want to go, but Matt had to take the longest route possible. And I
believe that as long as he gets the opportunity, he'll get the
ultimate reward.

I'm proud to have a teammate like Matt Miller.

Carlos Peña's diary appears as told to Mychael Urban of OaklandAthletics.com.