When Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti signed former Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez to a one-year/$2.3 million contract* last December, he took a lot of flack over the deal in the local media. After all, it was pretty well known that Perez (and his wife and dog) had a little run-in with the law that was, well, pretty ugly. But just as he seems to do every off-season, Colletti found yet another diamond in the rough in the 28-year-old hard-throwing right-hander.

Although skeptics had a field day with Perez over his ‘baggage,’ once spring training began those skeptics quickly (and of course silently) ate their words. Not only did the Bradenton, FL native have a good spring training with the Dodgers, he had a great spring training with them.

Perez appeared in eight spring training games allowing only two runs on four hits while walking two and striking out seven in his 6.2 innings of work. He ended camp with a 2.70 ERA, a .174 batting average against and an excellent WHIP of 0.90.

Perez’s excellent spring has carried over into the regular season where he has appeared in 13 games thus far – third most on the team behind only Kenley Jansen (16) and J.P. Howell (14). He is 0-1 on the young season with his only loss coming on April 18 in a 12-inning game against the Diamondbacks – a game in which the Dodgers squandered several opportunities to win long before Perez entered the game. His 1.54 ERA is second best among all Dodger relievers behind only Chris Withrow (0.73). In his 11.2 innings of work thus far Perez has allowed only two runs on five hits, walked three and struck out seven. His BAA is .143 and his WHIP an outstanding 0.69.

Although Chris Perez may be somewhat quiet in the Dodgers clubhouse, his arm speaks loud and clear.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

“I’m throwing a lot better than I did last year, that’s for sure,” Perez said during a recent interview. “I’m just going out there whenever they call my name for as long as they need me and be ready the next day.”

It’s no secret that once automatic set-up man Brian Wilson is struggling horribly this season with an atrocious and uncharacteristic 14.40 ERA, which is causing many to believe that his role in the Dodgers bullpen has changed. When asked if he will become the new set-up man, Perez said the same thing that Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has repeatedly said.

“We’ve been kind of mixing and matching all year already and they’re trying to watch our workload,” said Perez. “Kenley’s been in a lot of games and when [Brian Wilson] came back off the DL they’re making sure that his appearances weren’t back-to-back and throwing a lot of pitches and doing a day off [between appearances]. I don’t really think we have roles except Kenley being the closer … but whatever they tell me to do, I’ll do.”

In addition to seeing Perez consistently hitting 94-96 MPH on the radar gun with his four-seam fastball and 83-84 MPH with his filthy slider, Dodger fans were treated to an extremely rare sight in last Thursday night’s game against the Phillies – he had an at bat; his first since 2008 and only the second of his career (he’s now 0 for 2). Even though Perez eventually struck out, he lined a hard foul ball down the right field line that drew the attention of many. “At least I made contact,” said Perez with a chuckle.

Now there’s something you don’t see everyday.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

But what really drew attention and surprised everyone, including Perez, was Mattingly’s decision not to send him back out to pitch the top of the 9th inning after having Perez bat for himself – something that there had been no discussion about prior to the at bat.

“We didn’t talk about it,” said Perez, who still doesn’t quite understand the move. “I thought that since I was hitting I would go back out. We were a little short on the bench now that we’ve got an extra guy in the pen and we already used two pinch hitters, but I kind of figured I’d go back out. I had a quick inning and I had had a couple of days off and figured I go back out, but they decided otherwise.”

Even though Mattingly refuses to come right out and say it, Brian Wilson is not right. He is either concealing an injury from his coaches and trainers or he is suffering from the yips. But having just come off a 10-game home stand going 4-6 and falling out of first place in the NL West, Mattingly needs to come to grips with the fact that Chris Perez needs to be his set-up man until Wilson rights his ship.

…although I can assure you that you will never ever hear this from the soft-spoken Chris Perez.

(*Perez could earn as much as $8 million in performance bonuses in his one-year contract and at the rate he is going, he probably will).