About Neifi Pérez
Neifi Neftali Pérez (; Spanish: [ˈnejfi]; born June 2, 1973) is a Dominican former Major League baseball player. He was a switch hitter who threw right-handed. During his career, he played with the Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and Detroit Tigers. Pérez was originally signed by the Colorado Rockies in 1992. Frequently praised for his defensive skills, Pérez reached the major leagues in 1996 and became the Rockies' shortstop for good in 1997. Over the next three years, he scarcely missed a game and won a Gold Glove in 2000. In 2001, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals, where he also played in 2002. The trade proved to be unpopular with both teams, and Pérez joined the San Francisco Giants for 2003 and 2004. He lost his starting job during the 2004 season and was released during that year. Pérez then signed with the Chicago Cubs, whom he finished the season with and spent most of the next two years with. He was the Cubs' starting shortstop in 2005 but was used as a reserve player in 2006 before getting traded to the Detroit Tigers during the year. He finished his career in 2007 with the Tigers. As a Tiger, he turned a double play which saved Justin Verlander's no-hitter, but he also had a series of positive tests for amphetamines which effectively ended his career. Pérez exhibited strong defensive skills, executing the first unassisted triple play in the history of the California League in a game against the Bakersfield Blaze. Although invited to 1997 spring training Pérez did not make the 25-man roster and once again returned to the Sky Sox for the first half of the season, where he batted.363 with a.975 fielding percentage. His fielding percentage never dropped below.975 and he won a Gold Glove for the 2000 season.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.