Terrific, intelligent piece. I love it when you concentrate.

I think "head" is the apropos word in this case. Does the Rangers organization have a sports psychologist that can work with Perez? If so, are they already doing so?

Also, with young non-native-born Latino prospects, I wonder if there's more of a reluctance to want to consult with a sports psychologist, compared to young Anglo or Hispanic-American prospects.

Finally, Professor, another talent of yours emerges: conducting interviews in Spanish! Seriously, good job, Jason.

Maybe a comp to another Perez is more apt: Oliver

This is genius: "Finding success at such a young age at such advanced levels only added to the hype, and a very large percentage of national prognosticators and evaluators suggested Perez could have “top of the rotation potential,” which is like being at a party when “Common People” by Pulp appears on the playlist. You just start to dance, you think you can score with anything that walks, and the future appears paved with gold in your moment of celebration. Happiness."

I hope you don't mind, but I will be copying and pasting a large excerpt of this article, and sending it to friends who love Britpop and baseball. Perhaps they'll sign up.

wasn't the early knock on Jered Weaver that things could spiral out of control at the drop of a hat, and his mound demeanor was often questioned when things started to fall apart?

We can always hope he blooms late like Pulp did. Though, most don't, of course, which is the well-taken point if this new series of articles. Nice work, and keep up the pop culture references.

I feel like Perez could have an Edwin Jackson-type career. Obviously, he was pushed quickly to the upper minors much like Jackson and has kind of floundered since being put on that big stage. Looking at pitchers with that kind of path, it seems that many eventually get it together, but take a lot of time to do so. Perez strikes me as a strong possibility to do the same--he could eventually be the 2/3, but he might go through three organizations before it happens. The pitching version of Cameron Maybin, if you will.

Great start to the new series. And of equal importance, thanks for introducing me to Pulp

I will push the Travis Snider meatwagon a second time.

Really liked this. Looking forward to more.

That photo of Martin Perez doesn't look in any way like a 21-year-old person. If is stuff is down, maybe it's just the miles.

Have you heard William Shatner's version of "Common People"? Not as good as the original but still worth hearing if just for the contributions of Joe Jackson (the musician, not the left fielder).

"and starring alongside Jennifer Aniston in a clever yet playful RomCom by the time he was 25."

Sure. She's right about the age to play his mom.

Astute observation about "Common People."

It's just one game, but man, Perez looked awful in Tacoma. I mean, you can't say anything after one game, but I'm having a hard time believing this: "The stuff isn’t gone, and that should be the most encouraging thing."

Given his splits both this year and last, do you think the Rangers move him to the pen?

Do teams give players --- pitchers in particular --- IQ tests of any kind? A baseball Wonderlic?

Because, the more baseball I watch, the more I suspect that what separates pitchers of same-shelf ability is their smarts --- analytical skills, risk-reward thinking, the capacity for in-game insight.

I rarely hear of "smarts" on the scouting checklist. Yet, clearly, much of what separated Maddux, Palmer, Seaver, Sutton, Schilling and Hershiser from comparably able arms was intelligence.

The Bell Curve being what it is, isn't it therefore true that what impedes some --- not all, some --- very gifted throwers is their inability to outsmart, well, anyone?

Better decision-making can be learned. My question, Jason, is, how often is this addressed by teams. And how often is it addressed effectively?

He looked good last night in Des Moines. Maybe not as an ace (only struck out for and his defense helped him out) but he certainly looked like a major league starter.

Perez is an interesting case to me. He had advanced secondary pitches at an early age that tends to make young pitchers dominant in the low minors but he had the velocity of a top prospect. For it to all fall apart is perplexing. Its not like he went through a huge growth spurt that threw off his mechanics. Skipping A+ ball was a disconcerting developmental decision but I think any ill effects of that decision should have wore off by now. As a Rangers fan, I hope he figures it out.