Gerald Perry

A lefthanded line-drive hitter with outstanding speed for a first baseman, Perry was leading the NL in hitting for most of the summer in 1988 before finishing fifth at .300. He was a part-time player with the Braves in 1984-85, then was returned to Richmond for most of 1986, where he hit .326. In 1987, Perry finally won the Braves’ first base job and hit .270 with 42 stolen bases, a record and the most by a major-league first baseman since Rod Carew‘s 49 in 1976. After 1988, Perry was plagued by recurring shoulder problems, forcing him to develop his talents as a pinch-hitter. In 1993 he topped the NL with 24 pinch hits and retired after the 1995 season as the Cardinals’ all-time leader in that category.