Neifi Pérez
A slick-fielding shortstop with a quick bat, his glove work provided daily highlights for multiple Major League teams over a dozen seasons.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Dominican baseball player·Birthday: June 2·Generation X
Biography
Neifi Pérez emerged from the Dominican Republic with a reputation for defensive wizardry, making his mark with the Colorado Rockies in the mid-1990s. His ability to make difficult plays look routine at shortstop earned him a Gold Glove and made him a fan favorite. While never a consistent offensive force, Pérez had a knack for timely hitting and was a versatile switch-hitter who could play all over the infield. This utility kept him in the majors for years, with stints in Kansas City, San Francisco, Chicago, and Detroit. His career, however, was ultimately overshadowed by a suspension for violating MLB's substance abuse policy, a disappointing end for a player whose early promise was built on flashy leather and infectious energy.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Neifi was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Neifi Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Neifi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the National League Gold Glove Award for shortstops in 2000.
- Led all National League shortstops in fielding percentage in 1998.
- Recorded over 1,400 hits during his 12-season Major League career.
- Hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to win the 1998 season opener for the Colorado Rockies.
Did You Know?
He was signed by the Colorado Rockies as an amateur free agent in 1992.
Pérez hit two home runs in one game from each side of the plate as a switch-hitter in 1999.
His first name, Neifi, is derived from his father's name, Neftalí.
He played for both the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox's crosstown rivals.
“I took pride in my glove; making the tough play look easy was my contribution.”
