2010 Coach Profile: Pat Perry

#27 Pat Perry
Hitting Coach - Anchorage Glacier Pilots
Coaching Experience: University of Northern Colorado assistant coach, 2010
Playing Experience: Otero Junior College, 2002-03
University of Northern Colorado, 2004
MiLB, Red Sox organization, 2004-05
Ind. Minor Leagues, Can-Am/Frontier leagues, 2006-09
BaseballReference Profile

It was early in the season, during the Pilots' exhibition series with the Mat-Su Miners. I was still out of state during this time, so I was listening to the game on streaming audio. I heard the radio commentators mention that the Pilots' hitting coach -- a guy called Pat Perry -- was playing catcher for the team because both of their regular catchers had yet to arrive in Alaska. Of course, not being able to see what this assistant coach looked like, I had images of a portly middle-aged man hobbling to the plate. How funny is that? And then, he got a hit. Hillarious, right?

And then I did some research. And I realized that the guy was THE Pat Perry. And I found out that he was THE Pat Perry who won the 2004 NCAA DI Batting title. And I learned that he also won the DI All-American and Independent Player of the Year that year. And then I learned that he was the same Pat Perry who was taken by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the draft.

And then I introduced my foot to my mouth.



It's no wonder, then, that during those early days of the season when the Pilots were still hopelessly shorthanded and fighting tooth and nail for every run they could muster, that their player/coach -- who also happened to be a former DI battling title recipient and professional player -- would prove to be their best hitter. It kinda makes sense that a guy with credentials like his, just a year removed from actual professional baseball, would be able to handle the wood bat against some college pitchers. At least in my mind, anyway. I was actually live-tweeting the game at the time on Twitter when I realized who I was talking about, and suddenly I felt a little star-struck. Oops.

Anyway, after hanging up the spikes in the independent circuit, Perry returned to UNC to wrap up his bachelor's degree in finance, and hooked up with the baseball team there for the 2010 season. With one year of coaching under his belt, he got the call to come up to the Alaska League and work with the Pilots. This year should prove to be a good experience for both the team, to get instruction from such an experienced and successful hitter, and for Perry, to have the opportunity to continue coaching through the summer and work with a talented crop of players in such a storied baseball franchise.

Not to mention getting back in the box to take a few AB's now and then.