HOUSTON — Martín Pérez had been considered one of the Rangers’ top prospects pretty much since the moment he signed out of Venezuela at 16, but Nolan Ryan...
About those twin issues: One of the talking points throughout Pérez’s first tour of duty with the Rangers was his maturity. Or lack thereof. He’s talked about it himself, particularly with Hannah Huesman, the Rangers’ mental performance coordinator. The Rangers didn’t always like his body language or conviction. Too emotional. The real problem, Daniels says now, is that they pushed him too hard to make his big league debut at 21.
Texas manager Ron Washington talks to Rangers starter Martin Perez as he pulls him from the game in the first inning during the Oakland Athletics vs. the Texas Rangers major league baseball game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Wednesday, September 26, 2012. Before he got hurt, anyway. Early in ‘14, he was on his way to a breakout season, throwing back-to-back shutouts in April, when he blew out his elbow. Tommy John came next. He returned in ‘15, only to break his right elbow.