All-Time Top 100 Marlins: #50 Quilvio Veras

Throughout the 2016-17 offseason, Fish Stripes is counting down the top 100 Marlins of all-time. For comparison’s sake, we are using the Wins Above Replacement (WAR) metric as a measuring device. The top 100 WAR ratings are being featured. Today’s Marlin, Quilvio Alberto Perez Veras, earned 3.8 while with the Marlins.

Veras was born on April 3rd, 1971 in Santo Domingo, a township in the Dominican Republic. He grew into a 5’9”, 166 lb. base stealing speed demon and glove wizard at second base, and was eventually signed to a minor league contract as an amateur free agent by the New York Mets in 1989.

From his signing through the end of the 1994 campaign, Veras toiled in New York’s minor league feeder system, and eventually played in 491 games at assorted levels of the Mets’ heirarchy, never quite cracking the majors. He hit .319 for the Columbia Mets in 1992, for the Mets’ single-A South Atlantic League team, then .306 in the next season with the Binghampton Mets, in the double-A Eastern League. He totaled 223 stolen bases during his time in their system, including a circuit leading 66 for Columbia in ‘92. After 1994, the Mets traded Veras to the Marlins for Carl Everett.

The Marlins played in 143 games due to the work stoppage in 1995, and Veras ranked fourth on the team with 124 appearances. He led the NL with 56 stolen bases (and with 21 times caught stealing), while placing sixth in the league with seven triples and third with 80 walks. Defensively, had ranked fifth in the league with 297 putouts at second base, earning a .986 overall fielding percentage in 621 total chances. Overall, he slashed .261/.384/.373/.757, with 86 runs scored, 20 doubles, five homers, and 32 RBI, and even finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year vote, behind Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Hideo Nomo and Atlanta Brave third baseman Chipper Jones. He ended the season with a WAR rating of 2.8, accounting for most of his output while with the Marlins.

On August 22nd, Veras doubled, stole third, and scored in the first, drew first by getting hit in the second, singled and scored in the fourth, and hit another single in the seventh in an 8-6 Marlins win over the Chicago Cubs. On the 9th of September, Veras scored four of Miami’s five runs in a 9-5 loss to the Braves, collecting three walks, a double, a triple, and an RBI, accounting for the other Miami run.

On September 12th, Veras hit a single, a double, a triple, scored a run, collected two RBI and stole two bases, earning the lion’s share of a 5-4 victory over the CIncinnati Reds (Charles Johnson also went three-for-three that day).

He was on base five times in a row. You can’t ask for more - Marlins manager Rene Lachemann

In 1996, Veras played in 73 games for the Marlins, but was only successful in stealing eight-of-16 bases. He still drew 51 walks and only struck out 42 times, slashing .253/.381/.340/.721, with 40 runs, eight doubles, four homers, and 14 RBI. In his more limited sample size, he earned a WAR figure of 1.0 for the season. On April 25th, Veras walked, stole third, and scored in the first, hit a three-run homer in the fifth, drew an intentional walk in the seventh, and walked and stole second base in the ninth inning of a 4-1 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

After the campaign, Veras was traded to the San Diego Padres for Dustin Hermanson. He spent three successful seasons with the Padres (415 games, .270/.366/.353/.719, 248 runs, 72 doubles, 15 homers, 131 RBI, 221 walks, 250 strikeouts, 87 stolen bases), then joined the Atlanta Braves for two more seasons (155 games, .282/.376/.385/.761, 95 runs, 29 doubles, eight homers, 62 RBI, 75 walks, 102 strikeouts, 32 stolen bases.).