Dario Pérez

Ruben Dario Pérez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.

• Born June 27, 1970 in Nigua D.R.
• Died July 6, 2006 in Bajos de Haina, San Cristobal? D.R.

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Dario Pérez pitched for three seasons in AAA and appeared for the Dominican national team. He is the brother of Pascual Pérez, Melido Pérez, Carlos Pérez, Vladimir Pérez and Valerio Pérez, three of whom played in the majors and three of whom played in Taiwan (as did Dario).

Dario spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He debuted in the US in 1990 with the GCL Royals, going 2-4 despite a 1.95 ERA. He was 10th in the Gulf Coast League in ERA. In '91, the right-hander pitched for the Appleton Foxes (7-5, 3.24) and Memphis Chicks (0-1, 8.53 in 3 G). He went 8-4 with a 3.05 ERA for the 1992 Baseball City Royals. He spent his last two seasons in the Kansas City Royals chain with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, where he was not too sharp: 3-8, 4.06 in 1993 and 3-3, 5.31 in 1994, with one save the first year and two the second.

Perez spent the next two seasons with Taiwan's Wei Chuan Dragons. In 1995, he went 13-9 with a 3.26 ERA, as Urbano Lugo edged him out for 10th in the 1995 CPBL in ERA. He was third in wins behind Chin-Hsing Kuo and José Nuñez and was 4th with 120 strikeouts (behind Nuñez, Carlos Rivera and Kuo). In 1996, he was 6-7 with a 3.95 ERA.

Dario did not pitch in 1997. In 1998, he played in Mexico for the Oaxaca Warriors at 13-5, 5.57. He was three wins shy of Mexican League co-leaders Narciso Elvira and Jesus Rios. He was 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the 1999 Caribbean Series, helping pitch the Licey Tigers to the title. He was named the event's All-Star RHP. Pérez got enough attention to return to the US after a five-year absence, signing with the Florida Marlins. He spent all of 1999 with the Calgary Cannons, posting a 7-13, 5.73 record (an ERA slightly better than the team average). He was second in the 1999 Pacific Coast League in losses, two behind Bob Scanlan. He went 1-1 with a 0.75 ERA for the Dominican Republic in the 1999 Pan American Games, finishing third in the event in ERA behind Steve Green and Tavo Alvarez.

Moving to the Boston Red Sox chain, he did well in relief in 2000, appearing 29 times for the Trenton Thunder (4-3, Sv, 3.74) and 14 times for the Pawtucket Red Sox (5-1, 3.27). He returned to Oaxaca in 2001 and ended his pro career with a 5-8, 4.06 campaign. He pitched for the Dominican Republic in the 2003 Pan American Games. Dario tragically died just three years later, of a heart attack.

Sources

• ESPN Spanish article on Perez's death
• CPBL
• Taiwan Baseball Wiki
• 1991-2002 Baseball Almanacs
• Mexican League stats