Talk:Perry Hill

The Mexican League encyclopedia does not list Hill as playing in Mexico, nor does the Baseball Guide nor the Doyle database. What was your source? - --Mischa 15:38, 9 Apr 2006 (EDT)

His bio on MLB.com says he spent five years in Mexico. [1] -Chisoxfan 15:43, 9 Apr 2006 (EDT)

I checked another Guide from the period and can't find him there either. Could this be a Tim Johnson-type fib or did he play under a pseudonym? Does someone want to check with MLB.com about this? - --Mischa 15:50, 9 Apr 2006 (EDT)

His biography in the Expos' 2001 media guide list him as playing for Reynosa in 1977 (128 G .253 1 45), and Saltillo 1978-1981 (at least 119 games each season). Full statistics are included if anyone's interested.--Philippe 10:39, 10 Apr 2006 (EDT)

Is it possible Senor Hill went native and played under his mother's name in Mexico? --Ron 10:45, 10 Apr 2006 (EDT)

Tonight I can check into players with those lines when I get home. - --Mischa 11:01, 10 Apr 2006 (EDT)

I checked Doyle's database as I don't have a 1978 Guide and no player shows up with a .253 average and one homer (John Jeter is the only .253 hitter listed and he cracked 13 homers and drove in 75). The only player listed with 45 RBI is Celerino Sanchez (0 HR, .273). Worse, Reynosa didn't even have a team in 1977. I'd like to see the '78-'81 stats to see if they match any name in Doyle's DB or in the Guides. I'm strongly leaning right now to the view that this is a Tim Johnson deal. - --Mischa 19:42, 10 Apr 2006 (EDT)

Here are Hill's stats for Saltillo (source: 2001 Expos Media Guide):

• 1978 127 G 488 AB .264 2 HR 48 RBI
• 1979 122 G 481 AB .262 3 HR 51 RBI
• 1980 126 G 469 AB .254 1 HR 40 RBI
• 1981 119 G 439 AB .248 1 HR 44 RBI

There's a strange lack of variation from year to year. The more things you turn up, the more these stat lines look made up. --Philippe 09:19, 11 Apr 2006 (EDT)

kinda looks like they were made to not stand out --Just me 10:14, 11 Apr 2006 (EDT)

The 1979 Saltillo team was named to the MILB Top 100 list; and under batting stats there is no one with numbers that resemble the given stats. By the way, what is a Tim Johnson-type fib? --MichaelEng 15:34, 11 Apr 2006 (EDT)

I checked a 1981 Guide also and can't find anyone in Mexico with 1 HR and 40 RBI for the 1980 campaign. I agree that this looks VERY phony. So, do we now email MLB.com or the White Sox media guide people to check if they got it from Hill himself or some other source that might be verifiable? - --Mischa 22:06, 11 Apr 2006 (EDT)

As for Tim Johnson, when he managed the Blue Jays, he motivated his team by telling stories about his time in Vietnam...but he never served in Vietnam. The team fired him over the dishonesty and he later managed in (where else to bring this full circle?) Mexico. - --Mischa 22:11, 11 Apr 2006 (EDT)

Did anyone ever check with the White Sox or MLB.com about this? - --Mischa 21:45, 16 Apr 2006 (EDT)

Hill is now with the Florida Marlins. The only e-mail that I could find was the fan feedback link. Below is a first draft email. --MichaelEng 07:55, 17 Apr 2006 (EDT)

E-mail to Florida Marlins

Greetings.

We at the Baseball-Reference Bullpen have discovered a discrepancy in the playing career of infield coach Perry Hill.

According to his biography on your site, Mr. Hill played six pro seasons, including each of his final five years in the Mexican League with Reynose and Saltillo and spent 1977-1981 in the Mexican League before retiring as a player... played in 622 games in Mexico, batting .257 with eight home runs and 228 RBI.

However, several of us have researched this claim and have determined it to likely be false.

The 2001 Montréal Expos media guide lists his stats as being:

*1977 128 G        .253 1 HR  45 RBI for Reynosa
*1978 127 G 488 AB .264 2 HR  48 RBI for Saltillo
*1979 122 G 481 AB .262 3 HR  51 RBI for Saltillo
*1980 126 G 469 AB .254 1 HR  40 RBI for Saltillo
*1981 119 G 439 AB .248 1 HR  44 RBI for Saltillo

However neither the Mexican League encyclopedia by Pedro Treto Cisneros, the Baseball Guides of the era nor Pat Doyle's Professional Baseball Player Database list any players with the name of Hill nor do they list any players with those stats. Also, Reynosa did not have a team in 1977.

Would you be able to provide the source of these stats?

Thank you.

Users of the Baseball-Reference Bullpen

-- I made some edits to the above entry. - --Mischa 07:46, 18 Apr 2006 (EDT)

I emailed the Marlins the above draft about a month ago but they still have not responded. --MichaelEng 08:15, 27 May 2006 (EDT)

Maybe checking with a sportswriter willing to investigate/expose it? - --Mischa 22:09, 27 May 2006 (EDT)

The 2009 Pirated Media Guide lists his time from 1977-1981 as being in the Mexican Sonora League. So perhaps he was in a minor Mexican league? - --Mischa 08:32, 16 March 2009 (EDT)

That's not refering to the Mexican Pacific League is it? --Jeff 09:43, 16 March 2009 (EDT)

I don't think so. Agustín Murillo's page also mentions a minor Mexican Sonora League. - --Mischa 09:57, 16 March 2009 (EDT)

The numbers still look made up, and the evidence of the so-called league is also flimsy. I'm not ready to give him exoneration yet. --Philippe (talk) 05:07, 9 December 2014 (EST)

Email from Perry Hill to BR: I noticed there is a question about my bio in your records. I do not write the Media Guides for any clubs. I did NOT play in the Mexican League, but the Mexican Sonora League--Cananea and Caborca-- it is not a sanctioned league, but nonetheless I was paid and Developed a lot of my teaching Philosophies while there. I have a Decent reputation in the game , but because somewhere down the line someone omitted "Sonora" my bio looks tainted. It was a professional league connected to other Mexican League clubs but I spent ALL my time while in Mexico in the "Sonora" league. Thank You sirs for making this correction and removing the Unflattering comment.