Pat Perry improved his motion, saw six majors seasons
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He was entering his eighth pro season, spending his first six seasons in the Astros system.
"The main thing I'm doing differently is short-arming the ball," Perry told The Herald and Review then. "I was overthrowing, they told me, and also throwing across my body. This put extra strain on my breaking stuff breaks a little more and it's not as tough on my arm."
Perry did make St. Louis that year, though for just six outings. But he found a home there in 1986 and in the majors regularly over three seasons. Overall, he'd see the bigs in six seasons and get into a total of 182 games, all in relief.
Perry's career began in 1978, taken by the Astros in the second round of the draft out of Lincoln Land Community College in Illinois.
Perry started with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He made single-A Daytona Beach for 1979 and AA Columbus for 1982. He arrived in the Cardinals system for 1983 and made AA Arkansas and AAA Louisville in 1984.
With St. Louis in 1985, Perry saw six relief outings. He went 12.1 innings without giving up a run. Going into 1986, Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog praised Perry to The Herald and Review.
"I give everybody the same answer," Herzog told The Herald and Review. "Perry has a great chance to make the club. I said that a long time ago. He has a great changeup."
Perry made the club that year and saw 46 relief outings, went 2-3, with a 3.80 ERA and two saves.
Perry moved to the Reds mid-1987, seeing 45 relief outings total, then to the Cubs mid-1988 and saw another 47 relief outings in all that year. He went 4-4, with a 4.14 ERA in 1988.
Perry then returned to Chicago for 19 relief outings in 1989, turning in a 1.77 ERA. He arrived with the Dodgers in 1990. He saw seven relief outings in Los Angeles, along with three starts at high-A Bakersfield.
He rounded out his career with 36 outings ta AAA Scranton with the Phillies in 1991, 16 outings at AAA Las Vegas in 1992 and five final outings with the Royals at AAA Omaha in 1995.
Perry is later credited as coaching at Northern Colorado. In 2021, he was back in Illinois, running a youth clinic.
"We're trying to reach kids in a strong way," Perry told News Channel 20 then. "I've ran clinics, lessons in St. Louis or the Central Illinois for probably going on 30 years. So much to it, try to get good information out. Try to make them smarter."
- Decatur Herald and Review, March 21, 1985: Perry finds a revelation
- Decatur Herald and Review, March 18, 1988: Perry must prove himself
- News Channel 20, June 13, 2021: Former Cardinals Pro Pat Perry holds Summer baseball camp in Springfield
Made the Majors:1,449-31.7%-X
Never Made Majors:3,128-68.3%