Pascual Pérez (baseball)
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| Pascual Pérez | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | ||
| Born: May 17, 1957 | ||
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | ||
| May 7, 1980 for the Pittsburgh Pirates |
||
| Final game | ||
| October 2, 1991 for the New York Yankees |
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| Career statistics | ||
| Record | 67-68 | |
| ERA | 3.44 | |
| Strikeouts | 822 | |
| Teams | ||
| Career highlights and awards | ||
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Pascual Gross Perez (nicknamed "I-285") (born May 17, 1957 in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic) was a right-handed baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, and New York Yankees.
He was signed by Neftalí Cruz for the Pirates organization in 1976 and reached the major league club in 1980. Traded to the Braves on June 30, 1982, he enjoyed his two best seasons while with that organization, going 15-8 and 14-8 in 1983 and 1984 respectively.
Incredibly slender at 6 ft 2 in, 162 lb., he was probably better known for his on-field and off-field antics than his pitching talent. 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 of 1984. Also a showboater, he often drew the ire of many of his opponents. He would use an imaginary finger-gun to shoot opponents and would pound the baseball into the dirt on the mound. While it is customary for pitchers to walk back to the bench after completing an inning, he would sprint, with gold chains and Jheri-curls flapping in motion. He earned his nickname after missing a start on August 19, 1982 while circling Atlanta's Interstate 285 looking for Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
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 the big club in August and finished the 1987 season 7-0. His last winning season came the following year when he went 12-8 with the Expos.
He was granted free-agency in November 1989 and subsequently 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 ultimately ended his career. His final career record was 67-68.
Two of his brothers, Melido and Carlos, were also major league pitchers, as was a cousin, Yorkis.
One of Pascual's pitches was a slow, high-arcing changeup. Since he was the only one in the majors throwing this pitch at the time, many referred to it as the Pascual pitch, although it is historically referred to as an Eephus pitch.
Pascal 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.
