Hello, my name is: Oliver Perez

How this works

Every other day, from now through to Christmas, we'll open up discussion on a particular player who made a meaningful contribution to the 2014 Diamondbacks. [I've drawn the line at 125 PA or 20 innings] There will be two sections. Firstly, a poll where you rate them from 5 ("Highly satisfied") down to 1 ("Very dissatisfied"): it's entirely up to you what criteria you use for the number. Secondly, the comments below, where you can talk about the reasons for your vote, etc. Things to discuss include, but are not limited to:

• Pre-season expectations
  
• 2014 performance: strengths and weaknesses, etc.
  
• Health and other mitigating factors
  
• How they'll help the team in 2015, their role, etc.

Three days down the line, we'll collate the votes, calculate a final average score, and write up the consensus of SnakePit thought into an appraisal. Here is a quick overview of today's candidate for your consideration.

Additional bonus! Going forward. we'll also have a "Comment of the Thread" for the appraisal, so please rec the comments you find insightful, funny, or whatever.

Oliver Perez - LHP

• DOB: 08/15/1981
  
• 2014 salary: $1.75 million
  
• 2014 performance: 68 G, 58.2 IP, 76:24 K:BB, 2.91 ERA, 3-4 record
  
• 2014 value: 0.4 bWAR, 0.6 fWAR

Perez started the season as our #2 left-handed reliever, behind Joe Thatcher, but became the go-to guy after Thatcher was dealt to Anaheim on July 5. Despite a .377 BABIP thereafter, Perez restrained things well, with a 3.86 ERA, thanks to a torrid strikeout rate, fanning 42 in 25.2 post-Thatcher innings. Curiously, his splits were much better against right-handed bats, holding them to a .184 average and .602 OPS, compared to .281 and .780 against left-handed hitters. However, his K:BB against the latter was impressive, at 31:6. It's likely this was mostly the result of luck, lefties enjoying a .387 BABIP, while righties were down at .267. Perez is under contract for 2015 at $2.5m.