Epifanio Pérez

Epifanio Antonio Pérez Juarez

• Throws Right

• Born October 5, 1965 old IBAF website listed March 5, 1965 and March 5, 1966; Nicaraguan Baseball Federation gives October 5, 1965

Biographical Information

Epifanio Pérez was a star Nicaraguan pitcher of the 1980s and 1990s, winning four ERA titles and leading the league in complete games seven times.

He debuted with León in 1986, going 12-2 with a 1.78 ERA and 1.00 WHIP as a stellar rookie. He led the league in complete games and was one win behind leader Barney Baltodano. In 1987, he was even better at 14-6, 2 Sv, 1.09 with a .89 WHIP, walking only 29 in 181 IP. He completed 16 of 19 starts. He tied Baltodano for the lead in complete games, tied three others for first in shutouts (4), was again one win shy of the lead (Diego Raudez led) and captured his first ERA title. He debuted for the Nicaraguan national team in the 1987 Pan American Games, leading the team with a 1.80 ERA. He had a shutout win over the Netherlands Antilles national team and saved Félix Moya's win over Venzuela.

Pérez was 7-5 with 3 saves and a 2.88 ERA and had his only full season in which he did not lead in any department. He was 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in the 1988 Baseball World Cup. He saw limited action for León in 1989 (1-1, 2.94) but threw his first no-hitter then was 23-4 with two saves, a 1.78 ERA and .99 WHIP in 1990. He set the Nicaraguan record for wins, topping Sergio Lacayo's 13-year-old mark by one. He also led in complete games (19 in 23 starts), shutouts (7) and ERA. He threw his second no-hitter, November 10, versus Bóer, to become the second pitcher to throw two no-hitters in Nicaragua (major leaguer Tony Chévez had done so previously).

He had another stellar campaign in 1991 - 20-6, 4 Sv, 1.93 ERA, .98 WHIP, 21 CG in 25 GS. He led the league in wins and complete games and threw 48 2/3 consecutive shutout innings at one point (the 4th-longest streak in Nicaraguan annals). He became the only pitcher with two 20-win seasons in Nicaragua. He played in the 1991 Pan American Games, losing to Mexico and saving Javier Polanco's win over Puerto Rico; he finished the event with a 3.00 ERA.

He won the Intercontinental Cup MVP in 1991 after going 3-0 with a 3.34 ERA for Nicaragua. In the Medal Round, he allowed one run in 8 2/3 innings of relief to beat Taiwan in the Bronze Medal Game. He tied future big leaguer Dae-sung Koo and Leonardo Tamayo for the Cup lead in wins. It was Nicaragua's second Medal in an Intercontinental Cup (both of them Bronze). He won the Intercontinental Cup MVP, the only Nicaraguan to claim that honor.

The right-hander "slumped" to 13-12, 2.26 with five saves in 1992. He tied Radbony Sanchez for the most shutouts (4) but also tied for the lead in losses. In 1993, he was 13-15 with a save and a 3.74 ERA, the only losing season of his career. He led in complete games (19), losses and strikeouts (124). He was 1-2 with a 2.66 ERA in the 1993 Intercontinental Cup and lost the Bronze Medal game to Japan, though his ERA was better than when he was MVP in 1991. He had a 1.29 ERA in the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games and got a win over Venezuela.

Pérez was 9-6 with a save and a 2.42 ERA for León and San Fernando in 1994. He led the league with 10 complete games and tied José Quiroz for the lead with four shutouts. In the 1994 Central American Games, he took Nicaragua's lone loss, dropping a 2-1 decision to Guatemala and Estuardo Mira. In 1995, he posted a 17-11, 2.06 record for León and led the league with 22 complete games, the fifth straight time and final time he paced in that department. He also led with six shutouts and captured the ERA title. He was 3-2 with a 1.89 ERA in 1996, leading the league in ERA, his last time leading in any major department.

Moving to San Fernando for 1997, he was 1-1 with a 10.97 ERA and a WHIP over 2 in a sudden decline, presumably due to injury. In 1998, he had a 9.55 ERA for Norte to end his career at 133-71, 2.43 with 18 saves. He had a 1.12 WHIP and completed 143 of 206 starts. Through 2007 (the current Nicaraguan Baseball Federation site does not list career leaders), he was the career Nicaraguan leader in complete games (26 more than #2 Baltodano) and shutouts (39, 7 more than Lacayo, having broken two of his records). He was also 6th in wins, behind Asdrudes Flores, Julio Espinoza, Martín Bojorge, Baltodano and Joaquín Avendaño.

He later worked in a brick factory in Guatemala.

Sources

• Nicaraguan Baseball Federation
• La Prensa interview with Perez from 2003
• Old Beisnica website, archives located through Wayback Machine
• Old IBAF website
• 2011 Nicaraguan Olympic Committee report on past Pan American Games results