Infield: First baseman Carlos Pena (2001- ) is a slugger with a decent glove. He hit 46 home runs for Tampa in 2007 and led the AL with 39 two years later. Through 2011, he has 258 career home runs, but he may be running out of steam, having hit below .230 for three straight years. He strikes out a whole lot, but he draws a ton of walks, too, so he still has value. We’ll see how much of it he holds onto as he hits his mid-30s. Third baseman Craig Paquette (1993-2003) hit for a low average, didn’t draw any walks, struck out too much and had no speed. His mid-range power – he could hit 15-20 home runs per year and had 99 for his career – wasn’t enough to really offset hit shortcomings. He hung around for a long time and had a few years when he was actually alright. Second baseman Charlie Pick (1914-20) played 13 years in the minors (batting over .300) and spent six years in the majors (as a contact hitter who would bat . 260-.270). He batted .389 for the Cubs in the 1918 World Series. Shortstop Cliff Pennington (2008- ) is in mid-career with Oakland, a rather nondescript player who isn’t terrible at anything but isn’t all that good at anything either.
Outfield: Center fielder Corey Patterson (2000- ) has got good wheels, a decent glove and a little pop. He doesn’t get on base enough to bat at the top of the order and doesn’t have enough power to bat in the middle, but given regular playing time he’ll steal a lot of bases, hit a few home runs and track down the flies in center. A team could do worse. Left fielder Curtis Pride (1993-2006) has been the only deaf player in the majors in the past half-century. An outstanding athlete, he played elite soccer at the international level as a teen and started at point guard for the basketball team at College of William and Mary. He had a long career in the minors, in which he hit 150 home runs and stole 300 bases; in the majors, he was a journeyman but managed to play in more than 400 games. He won MLB’s Tony Conigliaro Award for overcoming adversity, and he and his wife run a charitable organization that benfits hearing-impaired athletes. Currently coaches the baseball team at Gallaudet University. Right fielder Charlie Pabor (1871-75) played in the era immediately after the Civil War, and he sported a wicked set of mutton-chop sideburns. He was a decent hitter, as far as we can tell from the stats of his era, and he also pitched enough to set a rather obscure record – most career innings pitched (51 1/3) without recording a strikeout.
Catcher: Cy Perkins (1915-34) had a six-year run as a starter for Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s, stuck in the middle of a long career as a platoon player and backup. He’ll have to be durable here, as there is no backup available. Perkins appears to be the only person with the initials C.P. ever to catch in the majors. Perkins was the A’s starter when a young kid named Mickey Cochrane arrived, and he was enough of a team player to recognize the future when he saw it. Perkins helped Cochrane develop his defensive skills and then accepted a backup role as Cochrane took over the starting job and went on to a Hall of Fame career.
Rotation: Camilo Pascual (1954-71) was a Cuban workhorse who spent most of his career with the Senators/Twins and put up a 174-170 record despite playing for generally bad teams. He led the AL three times in complete games, three times in shutouts and three times in strikeouts, finishing his career with more than 2,100 strikeouts. During the winters he would return to his native Cuba and pitch there, winning two league MVP awards. Claude Passeau (1935-47) was another durable righty, and he won 162 games for the Cubs and Phillies. He was a solid pitcher who helped himself in many ways – he had good control, didn’t allow the long ball and even hit 15 career home runs. His career highlight was a 1-hit shutout in the 1945 World Series. Chan Ho Park (1994-2010) was the first South Korean to play in the majors, and he won 124 games in his career. He had a knack for giving up noteworthy home runs. In 1999, he gave up two grand slams in the same inning to Fernando Tatis (which suggests that maybe the manager stuck with him just a little too long), and in 2001 he gave up Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 71st home run. Also in 2001, Park gave up a home run to Cal Ripken in Ripken’s last all-star game. There was much attention focused on Ripken at that game, and many people suspected that Park grooved a pitch in order to let Ripken have one last hurrah on the big stage. There was a nasty on-field incident in 1999 when Park bunted the ball and then got into a fight with Tim Belcher after the tag – Park elbowed Belcher in the face and delivered a flying, spinning karate kick, later accusing Belcher of using some sort of racial slur. He was a pretty decent pitcher until he signed a big free agent contract with the Rangers and began getting lit up in the hitter-friendly ballpark in Arlington. Carl Pavano (1998- ) finished the 2011 season with a career record of 106-102. He’s never really been anything more than a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy. He gave up McGwire’s 70th home run in 1998 (so he can talk with Chan Ho Park about that one), and he pitched very well for the Marlins during their run to the 2003 World Series title. He started out as a hot pitching prospect in the Red Sox organization, and Boston traded him to Montreal in the deal that brought Pedro Martinez to the Sox. He has had a decent career, but he tends to be more known for his injury history and his penchant for dating actresses and models. Casey Patten (1901-08) won 106 games despite pitching for some really, really miserable Washington Senators teams. This gives the CP team, rather surprisingly, an entire rotation of pitchers with more than 100 victories.
Bullpen: Closer Chris Perez (2008- ) is just hitting what should be the prime of his career with Cleveland. He’s been up and down, but he’s got good stuff and he’s had some success in the closer role. The bullpen is not as deep as the rotation, so he’ll be needed. Righty Cliff Politte (1998-2006) was a St. Louis boy who came up with his hometown Cardinals and then drifted around to three other teams in a solid career that saw him win 22 games and save 15. Chris Peters (1996-2001) was a lefty swingman who won 19 games for the Pirates. Lefty Carolos Perez (1995-2000) was a starter who will function as a long man out of this pen, and he’ll get some starts when Carl Pavano is laid up. He was talented enough to pitch in the all-star game as a rookie, but a great and stable career simply wasn’t in the cards for him. One of the mercurial Perez brothers, along with Pascual and Melido, he was always making headlines for something – getting arrested or injured, dropping some crazy quote on reporters or being accused of laziness. At bat, he would swing for the fences no matter what the count or the situation, so he hit a few home runs and struck out a boatload. He was never dull. Chad Paronto (2001-09) was a big dude, listed at 6-5 and 255, and he generally pitched alright for several years. Charlie Puleo (1981-89) was a swingman who won 29 games in his career. Clay Parker (1987-92) knocked around the American League for a few years.
Bench: Outfielder Carlos Paula (1954-56) was a Cuban who batted .312 in the minors and .271 in the majors but never showed a lot of power, speed or defense. He’ll be a useful bench player here. Utility infielder Chris Pittaro (1985-87) didn’t hit much. Outfielder Cap Peterson (1962-69) apparently got his nickname because his initials are C-A-P. (He wasn’t a team captain, and everyone else wore the same type of hat, so the initials make the most sense.) First baseman Calvin Pickering (1998-2005) was a big, slow slugger who never got a foothold in the majors. First baseman Chris Parmelee (2011- ) played in the second half of 2011 for the Twins and hit the snot out of the ball. He’s young, and we don’t know yet if this was a quick hot streak or the start of a fine career. It’s enough to land him a spot on this bench – for now. Likewise, two rookies – Cleveland infielder Cord Phelps and Seattle outfielder Carlos Peguero – are young and very talented, and it feels like just a matter of time before they push Calvin Pickering and Cap Peterson aside. Meanwhile, someone is going to have to learn to catch so that Cy Perkins can get the occasional breather.
Manager: Cum Posey made it to the Hall of Fame on the basis of a Negro League career that saw him win nine straight league pennants and two black World Series titles. An exceptional basketball player in his younger years, he switched to baseball and had a decent playing career but is best known as the manager/owner/promoter who turned Pittsburgh’s Homestead Grays into a powerhouse.
Outfield: Center fielder Corey Patterson (2000- ) has got good wheels, a decent glove and a little pop. He doesn’t get on base enough to bat at the top of the order and doesn’t have enough power to bat in the middle, but given regular playing time he’ll steal a lot of bases, hit a few home runs and track down the flies in center. A team could do worse. Left fielder Curtis Pride (1993-2006) has been the only deaf player in the majors in the past half-century. An outstanding athlete, he played elite soccer at the international level as a teen and started at point guard for the basketball team at College of William and Mary. He had a long career in the minors, in which he hit 150 home runs and stole 300 bases; in the majors, he was a journeyman but managed to play in more than 400 games. He won MLB’s Tony Conigliaro Award for overcoming adversity, and he and his wife run a charitable organization that benfits hearing-impaired athletes. Currently coaches the baseball team at Gallaudet University. Right fielder Charlie Pabor (1871-75) played in the era immediately after the Civil War, and he sported a wicked set of mutton-chop sideburns. He was a decent hitter, as far as we can tell from the stats of his era, and he also pitched enough to set a rather obscure record – most career innings pitched (51 1/3) without recording a strikeout.
Catcher: Cy Perkins (1915-34) had a six-year run as a starter for Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s, stuck in the middle of a long career as a platoon player and backup. He’ll have to be durable here, as there is no backup available. Perkins appears to be the only person with the initials C.P. ever to catch in the majors. Perkins was the A’s starter when a young kid named Mickey Cochrane arrived, and he was enough of a team player to recognize the future when he saw it. Perkins helped Cochrane develop his defensive skills and then accepted a backup role as Cochrane took over the starting job and went on to a Hall of Fame career.
Rotation: Camilo Pascual (1954-71) was a Cuban workhorse who spent most of his career with the Senators/Twins and put up a 174-170 record despite playing for generally bad teams. He led the AL three times in complete games, three times in shutouts and three times in strikeouts, finishing his career with more than 2,100 strikeouts. During the winters he would return to his native Cuba and pitch there, winning two league MVP awards. Claude Passeau (1935-47) was another durable righty, and he won 162 games for the Cubs and Phillies. He was a solid pitcher who helped himself in many ways – he had good control, didn’t allow the long ball and even hit 15 career home runs. His career highlight was a 1-hit shutout in the 1945 World Series. Chan Ho Park (1994-2010) was the first South Korean to play in the majors, and he won 124 games in his career. He had a knack for giving up noteworthy home runs. In 1999, he gave up two grand slams in the same inning to Fernando Tatis (which suggests that maybe the manager stuck with him just a little too long), and in 2001 he gave up Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 71st home run. Also in 2001, Park gave up a home run to Cal Ripken in Ripken’s last all-star game. There was much attention focused on Ripken at that game, and many people suspected that Park grooved a pitch in order to let Ripken have one last hurrah on the big stage. There was a nasty on-field incident in 1999 when Park bunted the ball and then got into a fight with Tim Belcher after the tag – Park elbowed Belcher in the face and delivered a flying, spinning karate kick, later accusing Belcher of using some sort of racial slur. He was a pretty decent pitcher until he signed a big free agent contract with the Rangers and began getting lit up in the hitter-friendly ballpark in Arlington. Carl Pavano (1998- ) finished the 2011 season with a career record of 106-102. He’s never really been anything more than a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy. He gave up McGwire’s 70th home run in 1998 (so he can talk with Chan Ho Park about that one), and he pitched very well for the Marlins during their run to the 2003 World Series title. He started out as a hot pitching prospect in the Red Sox organization, and Boston traded him to Montreal in the deal that brought Pedro Martinez to the Sox. He has had a decent career, but he tends to be more known for his injury history and his penchant for dating actresses and models. Casey Patten (1901-08) won 106 games despite pitching for some really, really miserable Washington Senators teams. This gives the CP team, rather surprisingly, an entire rotation of pitchers with more than 100 victories.
Bullpen: Closer Chris Perez (2008- ) is just hitting what should be the prime of his career with Cleveland. He’s been up and down, but he’s got good stuff and he’s had some success in the closer role. The bullpen is not as deep as the rotation, so he’ll be needed. Righty Cliff Politte (1998-2006) was a St. Louis boy who came up with his hometown Cardinals and then drifted around to three other teams in a solid career that saw him win 22 games and save 15. Chris Peters (1996-2001) was a lefty swingman who won 19 games for the Pirates. Lefty Carolos Perez (1995-2000) was a starter who will function as a long man out of this pen, and he’ll get some starts when Carl Pavano is laid up. He was talented enough to pitch in the all-star game as a rookie, but a great and stable career simply wasn’t in the cards for him. One of the mercurial Perez brothers, along with Pascual and Melido, he was always making headlines for something – getting arrested or injured, dropping some crazy quote on reporters or being accused of laziness. At bat, he would swing for the fences no matter what the count or the situation, so he hit a few home runs and struck out a boatload. He was never dull. Chad Paronto (2001-09) was a big dude, listed at 6-5 and 255, and he generally pitched alright for several years. Charlie Puleo (1981-89) was a swingman who won 29 games in his career. Clay Parker (1987-92) knocked around the American League for a few years.
Bench: Outfielder Carlos Paula (1954-56) was a Cuban who batted .312 in the minors and .271 in the majors but never showed a lot of power, speed or defense. He’ll be a useful bench player here. Utility infielder Chris Pittaro (1985-87) didn’t hit much. Outfielder Cap Peterson (1962-69) apparently got his nickname because his initials are C-A-P. (He wasn’t a team captain, and everyone else wore the same type of hat, so the initials make the most sense.) First baseman Calvin Pickering (1998-2005) was a big, slow slugger who never got a foothold in the majors. First baseman Chris Parmelee (2011- ) played in the second half of 2011 for the Twins and hit the snot out of the ball. He’s young, and we don’t know yet if this was a quick hot streak or the start of a fine career. It’s enough to land him a spot on this bench – for now. Likewise, two rookies – Cleveland infielder Cord Phelps and Seattle outfielder Carlos Peguero – are young and very talented, and it feels like just a matter of time before they push Calvin Pickering and Cap Peterson aside. Meanwhile, someone is going to have to learn to catch so that Cy Perkins can get the occasional breather.
Manager: Cum Posey made it to the Hall of Fame on the basis of a Negro League career that saw him win nine straight league pennants and two black World Series titles. An exceptional basketball player in his younger years, he switched to baseball and had a decent playing career but is best known as the manager/owner/promoter who turned Pittsburgh’s Homestead Grays into a powerhouse.
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