2009 FBS Breakout Player: Chris Perez
Team: St. Louis Cardinals
Throws: Right
Position: RP
After failing to land a proven option at closer, the St. Louis Cardinals are looking at a pair of young pitchers to fill that position for 2009. After the injury to Jason Isringhausen and the monumental failure of Ryan Franklin to close games, St. Louis was forced to give young Perez a chance to close games. He had seven saves in eleven chances in 2008, but the majority of them he made very interesting. His ERA of nearly 3.50 and WHIP of over 1.30 is far too high for a closer. However, Perez has an electric fastball, even if he doesn't always know where it is going. He struck out just over a batter an inning in 2008, but he also walked 22 guys in just 41 innings. Ever since he was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2006 draft he has been thought of as the future closer of this club, I just don't think it was supposed to be this soon. Perez is just 23 years old, so there is plenty of room for improvement yet. He will battle fellow rookie Jason Motte for the closer's role in St. Louis in Spring Training, but it is a battle he should win given his short experience closing the door in 2008. If he is able to win the closer's job, and hold on to it, Perez should be a big time sleeper for 2009 given the fact that his team is usually competitive, and he has been known to touch 100 mph on the radar gun.
Prediction: 3.14 ERA, 2-4 record, 1.28 WHIP, 70 Ks, 34 saves
Throws: Right
Position: RP
After failing to land a proven option at closer, the St. Louis Cardinals are looking at a pair of young pitchers to fill that position for 2009. After the injury to Jason Isringhausen and the monumental failure of Ryan Franklin to close games, St. Louis was forced to give young Perez a chance to close games. He had seven saves in eleven chances in 2008, but the majority of them he made very interesting. His ERA of nearly 3.50 and WHIP of over 1.30 is far too high for a closer. However, Perez has an electric fastball, even if he doesn't always know where it is going. He struck out just over a batter an inning in 2008, but he also walked 22 guys in just 41 innings. Ever since he was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2006 draft he has been thought of as the future closer of this club, I just don't think it was supposed to be this soon. Perez is just 23 years old, so there is plenty of room for improvement yet. He will battle fellow rookie Jason Motte for the closer's role in St. Louis in Spring Training, but it is a battle he should win given his short experience closing the door in 2008. If he is able to win the closer's job, and hold on to it, Perez should be a big time sleeper for 2009 given the fact that his team is usually competitive, and he has been known to touch 100 mph on the radar gun.
Prediction: 3.14 ERA, 2-4 record, 1.28 WHIP, 70 Ks, 34 saves
posted by Ryan Hallam at
Friday, January 30, 2009
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