Classic card of the week

Pascual Perez, 1989 Donruss

Ahhh, the 80's. Where a guy like Pascual Perez could utilize his “Here Is What I’m Throwing –- Betcha Can’t Hit It” pitch, accompanied by a comical sneer, and still maintain a job in Major League Baseball. Nothing against the great singles hitters of 1989, but I am presently enjoying myself by imagining the result of this particular pitch meeting Albert Pujol’s bat.

That was fun. Anyhoo, let’s find out more about Pascual Perez, shall we? I am going to pick a year off the top of my head and we will examine the statistics of Pascual Perez and then compare them to the rest of Major League Baseball during that year. Ya’ know, for fun! The year that I randomly selected is 1986:




1986 OUT OF ORGANIZED BASEBALL

Bad choice on my part. Wikipedia, thoughts?

Released by the Braves on April 1, 1986, he missed the entire 1986 season.

So, he just…missed it? No injury? No minor leagues? No nothing?

Bob: So, Pascual. Looks like you’ve been missing a lot of work lately.

Pascual Perez: I wouldn’t say I’ve been missing it, Bob.

Randomly taking a year off during your athletic prime would indeed seem odd, unless of course, you are talking about Pascual Perez, whose eccentricities knew no bounds:

Also a showboater, he often drew the ire of many of his opponents. He would use an imaginary finger gun to shoot opponents

I thoroughly enjoy the use of “imaginary” there, so as to specify that Pascual Perez’s finger was not actually a gun. It should also be noted that the term “finger gun” has its own Wikipedia page. Also: really? Twenty years later people make a big deal when Joba Chamberlain shakes his fist after a strikeout. Pascual Perez would pretend to shoot you.

And that wasn’t nearly my favorite thing that Pascual Perez did on the mound:

Pascual first made his trademark peek through the legs to check the runner on first in 1979 in the Dominican League. He put his head through his legs to look at Rafael Landestoy on first base.

When you consider baseball as a whole, with its iconic and legendary players, valued traditions, and influence on American culture, you just have to rank the legacy of Pascual Perez –- the man with the courage and wherewithal to stick his head between his legs to check the runner at first –- right up there with anything the sport has accomplished throughout its long and storied history. It’s shame there was only one Pascual Perez:

Two of his brothers, Melido and Carlos, were also major league pitchers, as was a cousin, Yorkis.

Yorkis!

Did you know?
Pascual Perez once caused a three-car pile up on the New Jersey Turnpike after he attempted to check his rear view mirror by sticking his head under his armpit.