Renowned Cuban pitching coach “Pedrito” Pérez dies

The recent death of the outstanding Cuban pitching coach Pedro Pérez comes to be another powerful blow to the jaw of a baseball that, little by little, is becoming orphaned of lucid people.

“Pedrito”, as he was known in the world of national baseball, died this Wednesday in Villa Clara at the age of 86, after having been convalescing from an ischemic stroke that was complicated by pneumonia.

In their file they have three Olympic titles (1992, 1996 and 2004) and two runners-up at the same level (2000 and 2008), In addition to working as a coach or methodologist in 30 National Series, 14 Selective Series, one World Classic, 13 World Championships, nine Intercontinental Cups, seven Pan American Games, and six Central American Games.

“His extensive and fruitful work assures him an eternal place in the history of Cuban baseball, which thanks him and has the challenge of following the teachings he brought to pitching,” the Cuban Baseball Federation said on Twitter.

As a young man, Pérez made a career in North America pitching for the Milwaukee Braves and Boston Red Sox organizations. Wearing the jerseys of the Wellsville, Sanford, Waterloo and Johnstown ninths, the Baseball-Reference site reports that he won 32 challenges and lost 30. In addition, he had a contract with Almendares of the Cuban Professional League.

What follows are excerpts from an interview he gave me seven years ago for the Cubadebate website.

How do you see the current Cuban pitching?

-At the moment it is in decline, like baseball in general. Development has stalled because there are many difficulties of all kinds. Although I do not think there is a crisis. I haven’t worked here for a while because I spent six years in an academy in Mexico, but I know that there are young people who are talented.

And what do you think this drop is due to?

-There have been many problems: numerous desertions, lack of means to work, etc. I think that the Cuban coaches are very good, but it seems to me that they are not very stimulated by the job.

What are the main shortcomings of the current Cuban pitcher?

-The pitching is quite complex. The launch mechanics are, as is the technical-tactical development. In Cuba you work a lot from the physical point of view, but little with the mind of the boys. The biggest problem is not trying to hone the pitcher’s technique and mentally prepare him in equal measure. That’s where I see the greatest deficiency, and not just in Cuban pitching. In Mexico, that’s a disaster because the pitcher’s mind is rarely discussed. When throwing the ball, the pitcher fulfills three functions: a mental one, a physical one, and one that controls emotions. And of the three, two have to do with the mind.

In my opinion, we systematically fail in the talent recruitment process…

-Of course the uptake has to do with it. If you catch well, you’re going to develop good shooters. When you go looking for a talent, you look at the biotype first, and then you develop it. That is part of the complex actions that must be taken.

At the turn of time, the National Series became a championship of 86 miles per hour…

-There are some guys who shoot hard. They are not many, but there are.

If we compare with the time when you were in charge of the Cuba team, there are almost none…

-Of course. I already told you that the ball has taken a downturn.

What is more important, control or speed?

-The control. You can throw 100 miles, but if you don’t control the ball, you’re not a good pitcher. You can shoot 85 and if you control the ball and tactically you are good, you will have more results.

Of the pitchers you managed in those years, which ones impressed you the most?

They’ve been through a lot. One of the ones with the most international results was Vinent. And others, like those from Pinar del Río: Rogelio García, Julio Romero, Jesús Guerra… Changa Mederos was also there, Jabao Valdés further back, José Antonio Huelga… They were tremendous pitchers. Not all of them come to mind now, but there were many good ones.

How many pitches does it take in modern baseball to be dominant?

-When you start working with someone you have to develop two pitches: the fastball and the changeup. When the boy is around 15 or 16 years old, he begins to introduce the curveball, which is another important pitch. Then you work with the slider and others like the sinker, which moves to the opposite side of the slider. There are also those that rotate, such as the screwball or the knuckleball. The more types of pitches pitchers possess, the more chances they have. But they have to be controlled. You do nothing with knowing many pitches and not being able to master them.

And isn’t it enough to have a few perfectly mastered?

-Yes. Three pitches is enough. Most pitchers in the big game throw you three mastered pitches. There are those who have four or five, but with control of the straight, the curve and the change, they have.

Are you a fan of special releases?

-These affectations occur when you don’t know how to use the launch well. But if you are taught the correct mechanics, there need not be any problems. Any throw can hurt your arm, although there are some that hurt more than others. For example, the slider hurts more than the curveball. And the fastball also does more damage than the curveball, which is the most natural pitch if thrown well. The change of speed does not injure the arm either.

Is there still enough talent in Cuban baseball?

-There will always be talent in Cuba. We have more than the Dominicans, than the Venezuelans… When I was playing there were hundreds of baseball players playing in the Major Leagues, and there weren’t any Mexicans; Dominicans, four or five; Venezuelans, three or four. The Cuban is the one with the most talent to play baseball in the world.