Pascual Pérez (baseball)
Pascual Pérez | |
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Pitcher | |
Born: San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic | May 17, 1957|
Died: November 1, 2012 San Gregorio de Nigua, Dominican Republic | (aged 55)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 7, 1980, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 2, 1991, for the New York Yankees | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 67–68 |
Earned run average | 3.44 |
Strikeouts | 822 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Pascual Gross Pérez (May 17, 1957 – November 1, 2012) was a Dominican professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, and New York Yankees.
Career[]
Pérez was signed by scout Neftalí Cruz for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1976. He reached the major league club in 1980. Traded to the Braves on June 30, 1982, he enjoyed his winningest seasons while with that organization, going 15–8 and 14–8 in 1983 and 1984 respectively. His most successful seasons were spent with the Montreal Expos, where he went 28-21 with a 2.80 ERA between 1987 and 1989.
Slender at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m), 162 pounds (73 kg), he received extensive press coverage for both on-field and off-field controversies. He was arrested for cocaine possession in his native Dominican Republic between the 1983 and 1984 seasons and did not rejoin the Braves until May 1984. He often drew the ire of his opponents, using an imaginary finger gun to shoot opponents and would pound the baseball into the ground. While it is customary for pitchers to walk back to the bench after completing an inning, he would run full speed to the dugout (gold chains and long, curly locks bouncing) after an inning-ending strikeout. He eventually added the "Pascual pitch" (his version of the "eephus") to his repertoire.[1] He was also involved in more than one beanball incident, most notably an August 12, 1984 brawl with the San Diego Padres where he hit the Padres' Alan Wiggins with his first pitch leading off the game, inciting each San Diego pitcher in the game to throw at him each time he came to bat. He had just received his driver's license and earned the nicknames 'Perimeter Pascual' and 'Wrong-Way Perez' after missing a start on August 19, 1982, while circling Atlanta's Interstate 285 (a ring road/beltway) 3 times looking for Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, he ran out of gas and arrived at the ballpark 10 minutes late.[2]
Released by the Braves on April 1, 1986, he missed the entire 1986 season. After signing a minor league contract with the Expos in 1987, he joined them in August and finished the 1987 season 7–0 with an outstanding 2.30 ERA. His last winning season came the following year when he went 12–8 and posted a 2.44 ERA with the Expos.
Pérez threw a five-inning rain-shortened no-hitter against the Phillies on September 24, 1988. It was the first no-hitter in Veterans Stadium history. Pérez allowed one walk, and another Phillies baserunner reached on an error. Umpire Harry Wendelstedt waved off the game after a 90-minute rain delay after the game was stopped by rain with one out in the top of the sixth.[3] However, due to a statistical rule change in 1991, no-hitters must last at least nine innings to count. As a result of the retroactive application of the new rule, this game and thirty-five others are no longer considered no-hitters.
He was granted free agency in November 1989 and signed with the Yankees. Through 1990 and 1991, he started only 17 games for the Yankees and compiled records of 1–2 and 2–4 respectively. Prior to the 1992 season, he was suspended by Major League Baseball for one year for violating the league's drug policy, a suspension that ended his career. His career record was 67–68.
Two of his brothers, Mélido and Carlos, were also major league pitchers, as was a cousin, Yorkis.
He also was married for 16 years and has two daughters.
Pascual first made his trademark peek through the legs to check the runner on first in 1979 in the Dominican League.[citation needed]
Death[]
Pérez was found dead in his bedroom in San Gregorio de Nigua, Dominican Republic, on November 1, 2012, after being hit on the head repeatedly with a hammer in an apparent robbery. He was also stabbed in the neck. There was barely any blood left in his body [4]
References[]
- ^ "The four most memorable things about Pascual Perez". USA Today. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
- ^ "He Has Found The Way To Go". CNN. Retrieved 2013-08-13.
- ^ Bob Ford (1988-09-25). "Perez Blanks The Phils On 5-inning No-hitter". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
- ^ Huffington Post "Pascual Perez Murder Suspects Arrested: Dominican Police Arrest 3 in Killing of Ex-MLB Pitcher,
External links[]
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
- 1957 births
- 2012 deaths
- 2012 crimes in the Dominican Republic
- 2012 murders in North America
- 2010s murders in the Dominican Republic
- Águilas Cibaeñas players
- Albany-Colonie Yankees players
- Atlanta Braves players
- Charleston Patriots players
- China Times Eagles players
- Columbus Clippers players
- Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada
- Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Taiwan
- Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Fort Lauderdale Yankees players
- Deaths by beating
- Deaths by stabbing in the Dominican Republic
- Dominican Republic murder victims
- Dominican Republic sportspeople in doping cases
- Indianapolis Indians players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
- Major League Baseball players suspended for drug offenses
- Male murder victims
- Montreal Expos players
- National League All-Stars
- New York Yankees players
- People from San Cristóbal Province
- People murdered in the Dominican Republic
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- Portland Beavers players
- Richmond Braves players
- Salem Pirates players