Timo Pérez

Timo Pérez
Timo Pérez
	Pérez with the Detroit Tigers
	Outfielder
	Born: April 8, 1975 (age 49); Baní, Dominican Republic
	Batted: Left Threw: Left
Professional debut
	NPB: April 5, 1996, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
	MLB: September 1, 2000, for the New York Mets
Last appearance
	NPB: May 3, 1999, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
	MLB: September 29, 2007, for the Detroit Tigers
NPB statistics
Batting average	.271
Home runs	9
Runs batted in	59
MLB statistics
Batting average	.269
Home runs	26
Runs batted in	185
Teams
	Hiroshima Toyo Carp (1996–1999); New York Mets (2000–2003); Chicago White Sox (2004–2005); St. Louis Cardinals (2006); Detroit Tigers (2007);
Career highlights and awards
	World Series champion (2005);

Timoniel M. Pérez (born April 8, 1975) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder. Between 2000 and 2007, he played for the New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Detroit Tigers. Prior to his MLB career, Pérez spent four seasons with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Career

Hiroshima Toyo Carp

Pérez began his professional career by playing for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Japanese Central League from 1996–1999. His best season in Japan was 1998, when he hit .296 in 98 games.^[1]

New York Mets

The New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB) signed Pérez as a free agent in 2000. A September 1 callup, he made his MLB debut on September 1 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He singled to center field as a pinch hitter against Cardinals reliever Dave Veres and was then thrown out trying to steal second.^[2] He hit a combined 12-for-40 in the 2000 National League Division Series and 2000 National League Championship Series.

In Game 1 of the 2000 World Series against the New York Yankees, Pérez committed a baserunning blunder that remains infamous among Mets fans. With Pérez on first base, Todd Zeile hit a long fly ball that Pérez thought to be a home run, causing him to slow down on the basepaths. However, the ball hit the top of the outfield wall and stayed in the park. Pérez's error in judgment caused him to be thrown out at home plate trying to score on the play.^[3]^[4] Overall, he played in 5 games in the World Series for the Mets, and had two hits in 17 at-bats.

After another brief period with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides in 2001, he became a Mets regular. From 2000–2003 with the Mets, Pérez played in 372 games and hit .276 with 18 homers and 114 runs batted in.

Chicago White Sox

Pérez was traded to the Chicago White Sox of the American League during spring training in 2004, in exchange for Matt Ginter. He was the fourth outfielder on their 2005 World Series championship team, only recording one at-bat in the series. In two seasons with the White Sox, he hit .235 in 179 games.

St. Louis Cardinals

On February 10, 2006, the Cincinnati Reds signed Pérez to a minor league contract, but he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on April 21.^[5] Timo began his time with the Cardinals in the minor leagues and was promoted to the major league team on June 2, 2006. In his first Cardinal at bat, he was hit in the head with a pitch. He split his time between the Cardinals and the Memphis Redbirds before being designated for assignment on August 23. He played in 23 games with the Cards and hit .194.

Detroit Tigers

On January 5, 2007, Pérez signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers, and was called up on July 19, 2007 to replace the injured Marcus Thames. Pérez began the season with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, where his play earned him a spot on the 2007 International League All Star Team. Pérez was named MVP of the Triple-A All-Star game after going 3-4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. At the time of his callup, he was leading the league in hits, runs, and doubles, and was second in batting average.^[6] Pérez was optioned back to Toledo on July 23, 2007. Then on August 28, 2007 he was recalled when designated hitter Gary Sheffield was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Pérez was designated for assignment on November 30, 2007. He accepted an outright assignment to the minor leagues on December 7, 2007. The Tigers re-signed him on December 11, 2007, and placed him on the 40-man roster. He played with the Toledo Mud Hens for the entire 2008 Triple-A season and became a free agent at the end of the season, but re-signed with the Tigers in January 2009.

2009

He was released by the Tigers in April 2009 and signed with the Rojos del Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League^[7] He played in 77 games with them and hit .323. On August 13, 2009, Perez signed with Independent Can-Am League team New Jersey Jackals.^[8] He played in 21 games for the Jackals and hit .338.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On January 28, 2010, Pérez signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers with an invite to spring training. He was assigned to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes.

On July 7, 2010, he was released from his contract.

Philadelphia Phillies

Pérez signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on July 22, 2010 and was assigned to their AA affiliate in Reading, Pennsylvania.^[9]

Back with Detroit

Perez went back to Detroit on another minor league contract in 2011 and played with their AAA affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens. In 2012, he played for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

References

^ "Baseball Cube". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
^ "Sep. 1, 2000 Box score at Baseball Reference".
^ "2000 World Series". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
^ Greene, Jamal (October 22, 2000). "Timo's baserunning gaffe most egregious". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 7, 2001. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
^ Timo Perez Statistics – The Baseball Cube
^ "This URL has been excluded from the Wayback Machine".^{[dead link]}
^ http://www.elgolfo.info/web/deporte/36500-timoniel-perez-nuevo-refuerzo-de-los-rojos-del-aguila.html^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Home Page | New Jersey Jackals". Archived from the original on September 26, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
^ minorleaguebaseball.com

External links

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)

[1] "Baseball Cube". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved June 18, 2014.

[2] "Sep. 1, 2000 Box score at Baseball Reference".

[3] "2000 World Series". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved June 18, 2014.

[4] Greene, Jamal (October 22, 2000). "Timo's baserunning gaffe most egregious". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 7, 2001. Retrieved June 18, 2014.

[5] Timo Perez Statistics – The Baseball Cube

[6] "This URL has been excluded from the Wayback Machine".^{[dead link]}

[7] ttp://www.elgolfo.info/web/deporte/36500-timoniel-perez-nuevo-refuerzo-de-los-rojos-del-aguila.html^{[permanent dead link]}

[8] "Home Page | New Jersey Jackals". Archived from the original on September 26, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2009.

[9] rleaguebaseball.com

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v t e Chicago White Sox 2005 World Series champions
1 Willie Harris 5 Juan Uribe 7 Timo Pérez 8 Carl Everett 12 A. J. Pierzynski 14 Paul Konerko (ALCS MVP) 15 Tadahito Iguchi 18 Cliff Politte 20 Jon Garland 22 Scott Podsednik 23 Jermaine Dye (World Series MVP) 24 Joe Crede 26 Orlando Hernández 27 Geoff Blum 32 Dustin Hermanson 33 Aaron Rowand 34 Freddy García 36 Chris Widger 38 Pablo Ozuna 43 Dámaso Marte 45 Bobby Jenks 46 Neal Cotts 51 Luis Vizcaíno 52 José Contreras 56 Mark Buehrle
Manager 13 Ozzie Guillén Bench Coach 3 Harold Baines Pitching Coach 21 Don Cooper Third Base Coach 28 Joey Cora Hitting Coach 29 Greg Walker First Base Coach 30 Tim Raines Bullpen Coach 53 Art Kusnyer Bullpen Catcher 59 Man-soo Lee General Manager Kenny Williams
Regular season American League Division Series American League Championship Series