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Friday, July 8, 2022

David Perez took good with bad over eight pro seasons; Made AAA, missed bigs


David Perez had a tough start to the 1991 campaign for AA Tulsa, record-wise, starting the year 1-8, The Shreveport Times wrote.

But, in late-June, he went out and spun a three-hit shutout, The Times wrote.

"You've got to take the bad, so I'm going to take the good," Perez told The Times afterward. "I'm going to milk this game."

Perez ultimately ended that year 5-14, with a 4.22 ERA. He eventually did make it higher, to AAA Oklahoma City, three seasons later for all of 1994. But, in eight pro seasons, Perez never made the bigs.

Perez' career began in 1989, taken by the Rangers in the 27th round of the draft out of St. Mary's University in Texas.

Perez started with the Rangers at rookie Butte. He went 3-2, with a 2.50 ERA over 17 outings, four starts. That July, Perez went 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, including setting down 11 straight, The Montana Standard wrote.

"A great job of pitching by Perez," Butte manager Bump Wills told The Standard after that game.

Perez made high-A Port Charlotte for 1990, then AA Tulsa for 1991. He split 1992 between Tulsa and Port Charlotte. He went 9-5 overall, with a 3.40 ERA. 

For 1993, he made Oklahoma City for the first time, two outings, and played the rest of the year at Tulsa. He then played all of 1994 at AAA, going 11-14, with a 4.07 ERA. 

That July in 1994, Perez threw a five-hit shutout against Iowa, The Des Moines Register wrote.

"The key was staying ahead in the count and hitting my spots," Perez told The Register afterward. "I was able to pitch inside tonight and force them to hit the ball off the handle of their bats."

Perez played one more season with the Rangers, between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. He's then credited as returning for one final game with the Twins at AA New Britain in 1997 to end his career.

1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:3,955
Made the Majors:1,320-33.4%
Never Made Majors:2,635-66.6%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:539
10+ Seasons in the Minors:329

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