August 27, 2006



You can see it when he pitches himself out of a jam.

You can even see it when he swings the bat.

And you can especially see it when he feels he's been wronged by an umpire's
call.

The competitive fire that drives Harrisburg Senators pitcher Beltran Perez
doesn't hide during baseball games.

In fact, the fire burns front and center, and it's a major reason the
right-handed Dominican might soon realize his dream of playing in the big
leagues.

The 24-year-old from San Francisco de Macoris, signed in the offseason as a
free agent by the Washington Nationals, has undergone a transformation in his
stint with the Senators.

One of 10 children in his family, Perez signed a free-agent contract with the
Arizona Diamondbacks as a 17-year-old. He spent five years mostly as a
starter in the D-Backs' system, then was traded to the Dodgers before the
2005 season in the Shawn Green deal.

He began this campaign in the bullpen, where he spent most of 2004 and 2005.

For starting pitchers trying to make it to the big time, a move to the
bullpen often serves as a warning: Find the groove or find a new job.

Perez quickly found the groove this season, compiling a 2-0 record and
allowing just eight earned runs in 12 relief appearances.

Perez and closer Roy Corcoran formed a devastating one-two punch at the end
of games.

Come late May, right-handed prospect Shawn Hill earned a promotion to Class
AAA New Orleans, opening a spot in the starting rotation.

His quality work out of the 'pen forced the coaching staff to give Perez a
chance, and he hasn't looked back since.

With an improved slider -- what catcher Salomon Manriquez calls his best
pitch -- Perez not only nabbed the starting role, he became one of the
Eastern League's most consistent starters.

In 16 starts and two follow-ups behind major league rehab starters, he's
allowed five or fewer runs every time. In 12 of those games he's surrendered
two or fewer runs.

Following his shortest start of the season Friday night, when he was ejected
for arguing with the home plate umpire after the third inning, his record
stands at 8-6 with a team-best 3.17 ERA.

The Nationals almost promoted him to the big leagues this weekend to help
their injury-depleted staff, but it ended up being nothing more than a tease.

Still, his major league dream is close enough he can smell it.

"With the Nationals I know I have a chance to pitch in the big leagues,"
Perez said. "I work hard in life to make it to the big leagues. The pitching
coach [Rick Tomlin] works hard with me every day."

Perez said if -- and more likely when -- he receives that anticipated call to
the majors, his first phone call will be to Anamercedes Perez back in the
Dominican Republic.

"I would call my momma," he said. "She's always told me I could be a
professional baseball player."

Off the field Perez is all smiles, a joy to be around.

But on the field he's a burning firecracker. Like when he stared down umpire
Al Porter after Friday's third inning, prompting a heated discussion that
eventually led to the ejections of Perez, Tomlin and interim manager Bob
Henley.

It's just the way he is, Perez said. He felt slighted by one of Porter's
calls, and you don't cross this right-hander when he's playing the game he
loves.

"He's on fire out there," Manriquez said. "I like it. He's not boring on the
mound. He wants the ball, he goes right at people, and he wants to win.

"The positive is it shows you he really cares about pitching. The negative is
you've got to learn to control your emotions. Sometimes when you show up an
umpire, borderline pitches will be called balls."

Don't expect Perez to change anytime soon. Not when he's so close. Not when
he's enjoying such success.

Take yesterday, for example. There was Perez the Anomaly, dressed in street
clothes before the game, smiling with fans while at the same time receiving
the Senators' team award for Most Competitive Player.

TEAM AWARDS:

In addition to Perez nabbing the Most Competitive Player award, more hardware
was handed out yesterday.

The Eastern League's Rookie of the Year, third baseman Kory Casto, was also
selected the team's Most Valuable Player by his teammates.

Infielder Melvin Dorta was named the Fan Favorite; second baseman Dan DeMent
was selected for the Carl J. Dordaro Leadership Award; and reliever Devin
Perrin received the Mort Rosen Community Service Award.

Dorta and DeMent have since been promoted to Class AAA New Orleans.