Chris Perez (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Ralph Perez (born July 1, 1985) is a right-handed relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...

 for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

. His pitches have been clocked at 98 mph on the radar gun. He is 6' 4", 225 lbs. In 2010, fans began referring to him by the nickname "Pure Rage."

Perez grew up on Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island, sometimes called Anna Maria Key, is a barrier island on the coast of Manatee County, Florida in the United States. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico, on the south by Longboat Pass , on the east by Anna Maria Sound, and on the north by Tampa Bay. Anna Maria Island...

 in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

. Perez pitched for the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...

 and was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round (42nd overall) of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft
2006 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 6 and 7. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.-First Round Selections:...

.

He was 1-1 with a team-leading eleven saves and a 3.20 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

 in 26 games for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...

 in . He fanned 38 batters in his 25 1/3 innings pitched, walked just 12 and allowed only 18 hits. He was added to the Cardinals 25-man active roster from Triple-A Memphis on May 16, . He made his debut that same day.

He attended the Cardinals' 2009 spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

 camp to compete for a relief pitcher spot, but had arm trouble and was returned to the minor leagues for more experience.

Perez and Jess Todd
Jess Todd
Jesse Ray Todd is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. From the University of Arkansas, he was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in second round of the 2007 amateur entry draft...

 were traded to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

 on June 27, 2009 for Mark DeRosa
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa is a Major League Baseball player. DeRosa is a utility player who has been primarily a second baseman, but can play other positions, including the outfield; he played six positions for the Chicago Cubs. He bats right-handed.DeRosa was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 7th...

. Following the trade of Kerry Wood
Kerry Wood
Kerry Lee Wood is a National Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003....

 to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 on July 31, 2010, Perez became the Indians' permanent closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...

.

He resides in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 with his wife, Melanie.

External links

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