All-Time Indians: Chris Perez

At just 30 years old in 2016, Chris Perez is the youngest player to be featured as an All-Time Indian due to an early retirement at the age of 29, a time when most players are hitting their prime. For Perez, however, his career highs came much earlier and primarily lasted three years as for that span, he was one of the best closers in Indians history.

Perez was originally drafted by the Cardinals in the supplemental A round in 2006 and was a top 100 prospect going into both 2008 and 2009. Always a reliever, he was able to quickly navigate the minor leagues, hitting AAA in just his second professional season and the Majors in his third, saving seven games in 41 appearances for the Cardinals in 2008.

The Indians expected to be play-off contenders in 2008 after an ALCS appearance in 2007, but by 2009 were in the process of a major sell off. In addition to the major stars who were traded away, like Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez, Mark DeRosa, who was obtained from the Cubs the off-season prior, was sent to St. Louis mid-season for Perez. While this would be a tremendous deal as DeRosa was to be a free agent at the end of the season, the initial cost to get DeRosa is one that still haunts the Indians today as Chris Archer was one of three players sent to the Cubs (another was Lee Stevens who had came to Cleveland in another terrible deal, straight up for Brandon Phillips).

When he came over in late June, Perez was expected to eventually become the closer, but at the time that job belonged to Kerry Wood, who had signed as a free agent earlier in the year. The year before, the Indians didn’t really have a closer, although they gave a try out to Jensen Lewis, who pitched admirably in limited action. In 2009, Lewis was a member of the set-up crew who were lead by Tony Sipp from the left and Joe Smith from the right. Perez joined this group late in the year and, although he allowed an ERA of 4.32, he earned four holds and a save with two blown attempts in 33.1 innings across 32 appearances.

While his ERA may not have been impressive, his 10.3 K/9 and his .205 average against were the best by a right handed reliever on the team outside of Wood. It was his great potential and these positive signs that earned Perez the closer’s role to begin the 2010 season, a job he would retain through 2013. The road wouldn’t always be clear, however.

Wood was in his second year of a two year, $20.5M deal and Perez on a short leash as the Indians didn’t want to waste their money, but still wanted the top reliever in the closer role. Perez perfectly saved Indians wins in both games two and three, but after blowing two saves by giving up six runs (three were unearned), the job was given back to Wood for a short period. In this time, Perez earned nine holds, then was restored his title after Wood, who had a 6.30 ERA compared to the 2.70 of Perez, was traded to New York for two minor leaguers. From this moment on, Perez went on one of the greatest runs ever by a closer, saving 16 of 17 chances with two wins and no losses in 28.2 innings. During that time he struck out 32 and allowed an ERA of 0.62, lowering his season number to 1.71, the best in his career in 63 innings, also a career best.

At this point, Perez was considered the proven closer that the Indians had been looking for since Bob Wickman. While he would never repeat his performances from that season, he would increase his total saves in each of the next two seasons due to an increase in chances. In 2011, he saved 36 of 40 chances and in 2012, 39 of 43.

Perez began 2011 as he ended 2010, saving his first six successfully, without allowing a run and just two hits in his first 7.2 innings. After giving up three runs across his next two appearances, he wouldn’t give up more than one run in an appearance until July 19th, one of only five occurrences throughout the season. The worst of these came in September when Perez allowed six runs in 1.1 innings across two games, blowing up his ERA to 3.32 to end the season after holding a 2.65 until that point.

Perez was selected to the All-Star game for his 2011 season and appeared in the mid-summer classic, pitching a scoreless inning with a walk and a strike out. He would be invited back in 2012 although he wouldn’t play, despite having an even better season.

He began 2012 with a blown save, but would save his next 24 opportunities in a row. For the season, he blew just four of 43 with an ERA of 3.59 and 59 strike outs in 57.2 innings. As in previous seasons, he had a tendency to be perfect most of the time with rare times when he would just completely fall apart. Of those latter appearances, there were six where he gave up two or more runs, adding up to 18 runs (16 earned) in 5 innings. For the rest of the year, he allowed just seven runs in 52.2. While this disproportionately effected his end of the year numbers and ostracized him with fans, it did give the team the best chance to win each time out as unlike a closer like Wickman, who had a high likelihood of giving up a run in any appearance, Perez was almost a guaranteed save unless he was completely off his game.

The 2013 season would be Perez’s final as an Indian and as a closer as both on the field and off-the field issues quickly ended any support he had from the fans and management. Still an efficient pitcher, through August 4th he held a 2.52 ERA with 30 strike outs in 35.2 innings and 17 saves (and one hold) in 19 chances, but things were about to end quickly. Perez had legal problems after police discovered marijuana being delivered to his house on June 7th and he compounded those with comments about the lack of fan support late in the season. As is still a problem, the Indians were in the play-off hunt late in the season, but remained among the lowest drawing teams in baseball.

Looking beyond the legal problems and antagonistic relationship with the fans, the Indians were willing to continue playing Perez as long as he was looking like the greatest closer in team history. The problem was starting on August 5th, he didn’t look like that anymore. From then through the end of the year with the Indians trying to win a Wild Card (which they did), Perez posted a 7.85 ERA and .350 average against, blowing three saves compared to just eight converted. While he still had positive moments, including four of five saves converted with just one run allowed between September 4th and 19th, after allowing four runs in the final game of the season, there were questions of whether or not Perez would even be used as closer in the play-offs. Of course, these never came to head as the Indians never had a lead in their one game play-off loss to the Rays.

Heading into his final year of arbitration, Perez was released. Arbitration numbers are based on the past, not the future and are heavily biased to closers. With the closer of the future, Cody Allen, having a break out season in 2013, the Indians could afford to let Perez go and the move worked out well. John Axford was brought in to bridge the gap to Allen, who has since joined Perez as one of the top closers in Indians history. Perez, on the other hand, signed with the Dodgers where he was used rarely and almost never in close situations after his first month in LA. He was let go at the end of the season again after which he attempted a comeback with Milwaukee, but his Major League playing days were over. Barring a Kenny Powers type comeback, Perez announced his retirement after playing just six games for the AAA Colorado Springs Sky Soxx in 2015.