We all know the power of nepotism. It’s why so many celebrities have children with gold and platinum records. It’s why Mordecai Richler’s family could build a cabin out of books they’ve published. It’s why Harvard’s endowment could build and launch into orbit a second, cheese-filled moon. But a baseball player getting a shot in the majors?

I’m not suggesting that Tony Pena Jr. is in Kansas City as a favour to Tony Pena Sr. No, it’s just a coincidence that Pena Sr. managed the team and Pena Jr. is now playing SS. The alternative is just too incredible. Given that Pena doesn’t own the Royals, it’d be tough to argue that the guy’s just creating a job for his son. (He’s going into the family business.) But how do you explain the younger Pena getting regular playing time? Even for KC?

Tony Pena Jr. is, as far as I’m concerned, the worst player in baseball. He reminds me of the pre-steroid ’80s when guys who were 6′2″, 165, started at 1B and hit fifth. I want to compare him to Manny Lee, but Lee was actually better. And not a little better–a lot better.

Manny Lee, over his career, compiled a .255 average and a .323 SLG %. Awful numbers. Lee’s .305 OBP is something from a Bad News Bears prequel. But he puts Pena to shame. Lee’s glove was beautiful. (I actually remember seeing his mitt up close. It was about seven inches long and as wide as a saucer.)

Tony’s career numbers: .239 average, .258 OBP, .317 SLG %.

A .258 OBP! Shock me out of fibrillation, please.

Pena is supposed to be a glove man. He’s supposed to make plays in the field. If he can do that, they’ll forgive his deadwood. But his .968 fielding % is second-worst among qualifying AL shortstops. (Julio Lugo is last.) Among MLB shortstops, Pena is ahead of Ryan Theriot, Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, and Lugo.

His range factor (a stat that a lot of people prefer over fielding % when evaluating defensive performance) is 3.87. Julio Lugo’s is 3.63. After Lugo you get the dull thud of the bottom of the barrel.

But back to Pena’s offensive stats. In ‘08 Tony Pena Jr. is hitting .154/0/7 in 162 at-bats. His .258 OBP is one thousandth of a point higher than the league’s worst number (Jose Vidro’s .257). His .154 BA is last among players with at least 150 at-bats.

I think all you really need to say is that Jamie Moyer is on pace to best Pena Jr. in RBI, SLG %, OBP, hits, and K:BB.

Other awful players: Andruw Jones, hitting .165/2/7 with a 45:20 K:BB. Jaque (post-steroid-era-rapid-decliner) Jones, hitting .147/1/7, Travis Buck, hitting .160/3/13. I don’t know what to think about J.R. Towles’s .145, or Troy Tulowitzki’s .152/1/11.

If you’re wondering what it’s worth to go .154/0/7, well, quit your job. Pena’s making $405,000 this year.

I’m interested to know whom you’d nominate as baseball’s worst (ever) player.