Daily Archives: May 3, 2009
When asked about whether or not Manuel would go with Perez in his next scheduled start, he said, “I don’t know at this point whether or not that’s advantageous for us or for him. He’s just struggling at this point. We’re trying to find the old Ollie.”
The report also notes that Perez has supposedly been bothered by a sore right knee.
“The knee’s been bothering me for the whole season,” Perez said. “I try to pitch with that. I try to help my team and I don’t do that right now.”
…not sure what to believe with ollie anymore, but i’m very curious to see what shakes out…manuel has a few days to come to a decision, but i’m not sure how you can start him based on his performance, and his apparent knee issues…
Tagged Oliver Perez, Regis Courtemanche |
Today’s game between the Mets and Phillies has been rained out, according to an announcement in Citizen’s Bank Park.
There has been no announcement on when the game will be re-played.
By the way, according to the lineup card, Carlos Delgado would have started at first base today.
Tagged News |In the New York Post, Steve Serby sits down for a Q&A with Francisco Rodriguez, who talks about his favorite closers; how he can be so mild-mannered, yet cocky on the mound; and the importance of his grandfather, who, after he passed away, nearly made led him to quit baseball.
To watch a portion of Serby’s Q&A, click play below:
Tagged SNY |Yesterday, Oliver Perez allowed four runs, five hits and six walks in just two innings, raising his ERA to 9.97 in five starts.
According to Bart Hubbuch in the New York Post, “The Mets admitted they really don’t have much choice but to yank Perez from the rotation.”
In a report for the Bergen Record, Bob Klapisch writes, “After the game, GM Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel both hinted Perez is on his way to the minors, where he’ll be asked to find his control, if not his maturity.”
Perez must agree to be sent to the minor leagues, since he has more than five years of major league service.
“I feel embarrassed,” he told reporters following the game.
“If I need (to go to the minors), then I have to go, because right now I don’t help my team… I don’t feel I’m doing my job.”
Perez’s next scheduled start is for Thursday in New York against the Phillies.
“His confidence is shot, and very seldom have I seen him in that form or fashion,” Manuel said after the game.
“It could be a thing where we might have to find the best matchups in a short period to get success, to build confidence. You can go to the bullpen and fight your way out of there. I have to be honest with you, I haven’t made a decision; but all those things are things we’re going to discuss.”
I guess that could work, but it basically means the Mets are occupying a bullpen slot for experimental purposes, and I’m not sure that is worth the risk at this point in the season. It probably makes more sense to just send him down to Triple-A, as fans and reporters have been suggesting for weeks, get him away from the craziness and pressure of the big league club, give him some peace and quiet, and let him find what he’s missing… assuming it can be found.
“We know he’s better than that, and he knows he’s better than that,” Minaya said, while looking very disappointed.
“Eventually, the Oliver Perez that we’ve seen will show up.”
The thing is, he’ll show up, then disappear, and show up, and disappear, and so on, and so on, because that is what Perez has always done – a track record, by the way, Minaya deemed worthy of a three-year contract. What’s worse, he knew this is who Perez is, yet he and ownership would not compete with the Braves for Derek Lowe, because they did not want give in to the fourth year on a deal. In other words, I am not sure why any of this is a surprise, to us, or to Minaya.
The sad thing is, if John Smoltz did not leave the Braves to sign with the Red Sox, I am pretty positive Lowe would on the Mets right now. The Mets wanted Lowe, I believe he was their top target, Lowe wanted to play with the Mets, but he wanted four years, and, from what I can gather, when Smoltz split for Boston, the Braves pushed hard and the Mets did not feel they needed to compete because Perez could be had for less.
The Mets will likely turn to Ken Takahashi, Nelson Figueroa, Tim Redding, Jon Niese or Dillon Gee for Perez’s start, assuming he is skipped in the rotation.
If Perez goes to the bullpen, I’d think Takahashi will get the start. If, however, Perez goes to the minor leagues, the Mets can call a pitcher up.
I hope they either activate Redding, or call up one of Niese or Gee – this was, they are not forced to put Figueroa back on waivers when he inevitably gets sent back down. Niese or Gee can be sent down with options. Redding is probably not ready to throw enough pitches in a major league start, he makes a minor-league rehab start on Tuesday. However, Gee is actually on turn, and scheduled to start Thursday for Triple-A.
Tagged Oliver Perez |
Carlos Delgado was unable to start at first base yesterday, for the fifth straight day, but pinch hit in the eighth.
Before yesterday’s game, Jerry Manuel told reporters a trip to the DL would not have helped Delgado, who, according to the team’s doctors, will likely deal with the hip condition on and off all season.
“In talking with our people, we think it’s a matter of tolerance,” Manuel said, according to SNY. “It’s something that we don’t feel could get any worse, that type of thing… There will be days he’ll feel kind of cranky and days where he feels good. We’ll have to find that balance.”
Back in April 2008, based on a conversation I had with two scouts in spring training, I wrote that Delgado’s hip would be an issue for him throughout his career, likely until he had surgery.
