NEWSLETTER
As many of you have noted in the comments, today the Chicago Cubs released AAA outfielder Fernando Perez. Better known for his humor off the field than his play on it, Perez was a part of the trade that brought Matt Garza to the Cubs. Undoubtedly, the Cubs hoped Perez could finally put it together enough to serve as the team’s 4th/5th outfielder with speed, a role that now belongs to Tony Campana.
Unfortunately, Perez didn’t show much in his time with the Cubs, and, despite injuries that decimated the team’s outfield, he still wasn’t a preferred option to be called up. And, with that, the Cubs let him go. He leaves Iowa with a .238/.312/.337 line.
The move is important from an organizational perspective in that it opens up a 40-man roster spot, which could come in handy as the trade deadline approaches. More likely, the trade season will see the Cubs open up additional spots, and they will be used to protect youngsters from the Rule 5 Draft in the offseason.
And, yes, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge my kerfuffle with Perez earlier this year. It was simultaneously not my finest moment, and one of which I’m oddly proud. Not because a professional baseball player acknowledged my existence, mind you; but I was glad to have been able to handle the situation with whatever dignity I could muster. It’s easy to sling mud. But the more mud you sling, the harder it is to clean yourself up. Now that I stand fully on the other side of the incident, I can look back and say I feel pretty clean.
Best of luck, Fernando. I hope you catch on elsewhere, and capture the minds and attentions of some other team’s bloggers.
