Óliver Pérez
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| New York Mets — No. 46 | |
| Starting Pitcher | |
| Born: August 15, 1981 | |
| Bats: Left | Throws: Left |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| June 16, 2002 for the San Diego Padres | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through May 3, 2008) |
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| Win-Loss | 47-55 |
| Earned Run Average | 4.41 |
| Strikeouts | 873 |
| Teams | |
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Óliver Pérez Martinez (born August 15, 1981, in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico) is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who plays with the New York Mets.
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[edit] Professional career
[edit] San Diego Padres
Oliver Pérez was signed by the San Diego Padres as an amateur free agent in 1999. He made his debut with the Padres in 2002. Pérez did well for a rookie after being called up by the Padres in 2002, striking out over a batter per inning, but he suffered from control issues at times. He regressed somewhat in 2003
[edit] Pittsburgh Pirates
In August 2003, Pérez was sent by San Diego to Pittsburgh along with Jason Bay and Cory Stewart in the same trade that brought Brian Giles to the Padres. Pérez continued to struggle for his new team.
Before the 2004 season, the team overhauled his pitching mechanics. His average of 10.97 strikeouts per nine innings was highest in the Majors (239 SO/196 IP); his 2.98 ERA was fifth in the National League (tied with Roger Clemens); and his 12-10 record could have been ever better with reasonable run support early in the season. Pirates' bats provided two or fewer runs in Pérez' 16 starts before All-Star break, causing him to post a 5-4 record with five no decisions despite a 3.24 ERA. In that season, Pérez pitched at least six innings and allowed three or fewer runs in 21 of his 30 starts (70%). Through this first three seasons, Pérez had compiled a 20-25 record with 474 strikeouts and a 3.86 ERA in 412.2 innings.
By contrast, Pérez's 2005 season was disappointing. He posted a 5.85 ERA in a season plagued by injuries. The Pirates were forced to place him on the disabled list on June 29 after he broke his toe kicking a cart following a loss to St. Louis. He missed two and a half months, returning in September to post a 4.58 ERA in 19.2 late season innings. Pérez had also lost significant speed off his fastball.
Pérez represented Mexico in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, where Mexico was eliminated in the second group stage.
In 2006, Pérez opened the Pirates' season as the number one starter. On June 27, Pérez was sent to the Pirates bullpen after struggling through the first half of the season with an ERA over 6.00. On June 29, he was sent to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, with Tom Gorzelanny being called up to replace him in the starting rotation.
[edit] New York Mets
On July 31, 2006, Pérez and Roberto Hernández were traded to the New York Mets in exchange for Xavier Nady. The Mets assigned Pérez to their AAA affiliate, the Norfolk Tides. He was recalled to the Mets' Major League roster on August 26, 2006. After two subpar starts, Pérez threw a complete game shutout against the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a doubleheader on September 6, 2006.
After the Mets lost two starting pitchers to injury in the final week before the playoffs started, they were forced to use Pérez in the playoff rotation. His first playoff start came in Game 4 of the NLCS, in which he picked up his first career postseason win. His second playoff start came in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS vs the Cardinals, he went 6 strong innings allowing 1 ER, The Mets would eventually go on to lose the game 2-1.
Entering the 2007 season, there were concerns about the Mets' pitching staff and whether Pérez could live up to his potential. However, Pérez emerged as one of the Mets' most consistent pitchers. Pérez finished the 2007 season 15-10 with a 3.56 ERA, striking out 174 in 177 innings pitched, while walking only 79.
On February 22, 2008, Perez won an arbitration case against the New York Mets and he will be paid $6.5 million in 2008.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
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