Batting Around with Oliver Perez

12/12/2005
MLB.com: Who was your favorite player when you were a kid?
Oliver Perez: Randy Johnson. He pitches aggressively. I like his demeanor in a game. He has the game in control and he's not scared of anybody.
MLB.com: Who has been your biggest influence?
Perez: My family. They gave me an opportunity to leave home when I was 16 years old. I am playing baseball because they gave me the opportunity. I just want to thank them for that.
MLB.com: What's your favorite movie?
Perez: I have always liked "Gladiator" and "Men of Honor."
MLB.com: What are your nicknames?
Perez: In the U.S.A., they call me "Ollie." In Mexico, I am called "Flaco," which means skinny in Spanish. In my family, my sisters call me "Pollo," which means chicken in Spanish, but in Mexico you also call a little boy "Pollo."
MLB.com: What's your favorite ballpark?
Perez: I like PNC Park. It is the best. Every seat is a good spot. The fans are not too high and they can see the game from up close. The city looks nice in the background. It looks really good when we play at night.
MLB.com: What has been your most embarrassing moment?
Perez: When I had to get dressed up for rookie day in San Diego. I had to wear a diaper. That was embarrassing.
MLB.com: What would you be doing if you weren't a baseball player?
Perez: I like all sports, so maybe I would work in schools to coach kids in baseball or basketball.
MLB.com: What is the one question no reporter has ever asked you but you wish that they would?
Perez: "How hard was it to get to the big leagues?" It was hard. I left my family when I was 16 years old and I went to another city where I didn't know anybody. That's not easy. They didn't pay good money. You had to wake up early, work hard and wait until somebody gave you an opportunity.
MLB.com: Who would you most like to meet, past or present?
Perez: That's a good question. I think it would be my father's family, like my grandpa. Everybody tells me that I am tall and look like him. I want to see how they looked.

Source: http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/