Quilvio Veras chose baseball over accounting, made bigs
Coming out of the Dominican Republic in 1990, Quilvio Veras later recalled his father didn't want him to go. His father wanted him to go into accounting.
But his dad eventually came around, he told The Miami Herald ahead of his major league debut in 1995.
"My dad thought I had bought a lottery ticket, had traded away everything for nothing," Veras told The Herald then. "Now, though, he tells me how proud he is, and I can see it even when he doesn't say it."
Veras eventually would see the majors over seven campaigns, with three organizations, the Marlins, Padres and Braves.
Veras' career began in 1990, signed by the Mets as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic.
Veras started with the Mets in the rookie Gulf Coast League and at rookie Kingsport. He hit .339 in 54 games between them.
He made single-A Columbia in 1992, AA Binghamton in 1993 and AAA Norfolk in 1994. For 1995, the Mets traded Veras to the Marlins for Carl Everett.
Veras made the Marlins for 1995 and saw 124 games. He hit .261, hit five home runs and stole 56 bases. He returned for another 73 games there in 1996.
For 1997, the Marlins traded Veras to the Padres. He saw 145 games that year and hit .265. He also stole 33 bases. He saw another 138 games in 1998 and hit .267. That June, he had an RBI single and a rare home run in a 3-2 Padres win.
"I see the ball and swing the bat. And this happens," Veras told The Associated Press after that game. "I don't worry about (homers). If I'm not on base for one game or two games, I worry about that. That's my job, to get on and score."
Veras continued his job with the Padres through 1999. He then moved to the Braves. He saw 84 games with the Braves in 2000 and hit .309.
In May 2000, Veras homered again and later singled and scored what proved to be the winning run, The AP wrote.
"I don't expect to hit home runs," Veras told The AP after that game. "I just try to make something happen."
Veras saw 71 more games with the Braves in 2001 and hit .252 to end his career.
.jpg)
- Miami Herald, April 15, 1995: Trading Everett looks good so far
- Eugene Register-Guard, Associated Press, June 15, 1998: Veras takes turn as hero for Padres
- Rom Daily Sentinel, Associated Press, May 2, 2000: Rocker sees a full moon at Dodger Stadium
Made the Majors:1,471-31.7%-X
Never Made Majors:3,163-68.3%