Starting Pitcher: The case for Perez
In a column for the New York Observer, Howard Megdal makes the case for the Mets re-signing Oliver Perez. He writes:
The most frequent attack on Perez is that he is too inconsistent to be relied upon. But leaving aside the fact that he just completed his age-26 season… the charge simply isn’t true.
From June 3 through the end of the season, Perez pitched at least six innings in 17 of 22 starts, striking out roughly a batter an inning and pitching to a 3.56 ERA… His effort from June 3 on matches almost exactly his 2007 season, when he struck out nearly a batter an inning and pitched to a 3.56 ERA.
Megdal uses historical comparisons to evaluate Perez’s case for returning against some of the other likely options, including free-agent starter Derek Lowe.
Speaking of which, I wrote a column on SNY.tv today about the frustrating rumor mill and the market for starting pitching.
I’m a bit concerned by all the Edwin Jackson talk, because I fear his perceived value might be a lot higher than his actual value:
Based on some surface-level stats, Jackson showed solid improvement in 2008, going 14-11 with a 4.42 ERA in 183 1/3 innings. That’s a fine season for a 24-year-old, but I’m concerned by Jackson’s lofty walk and home-run rates.
His youth, combined with a fortunate record in front of a great defense and strong lineup, will drive up his price. Plus Jackson still carries some of the mega-prospect cache from his teenage years in the Dodgers’ system.
For more on that, check out the column.
