The Oliver Perez Saga

Oliver Perez has been buried in the bullpen. Since his demotion, he’s appeared in just three games and has been asked to leave twice. So far he has rejected the team’s request for him to go to the minor leagues.

It was a controversial move to reject the minor league assignment, but it is his right as a veteran player to refuse to be sent to the minors. Although that hasn’t stopped a couple of Perez’s teammates from blasting him, accusing him hurting the team .

His agent, Scott Boras, reportedly asked the team a couple weeks ago to put Perez on the DL and to send him to Florida so he could see a sports psychologist. Now Mike Puma of the NY Post has reported that a source said no offer was ever presented to the team.

This entire situation has many calling for the Mets to just bite the bullet, release Perez, and swallow the remaining $20 million they owe him this year and next. However, Andy Martino of the NY Daily News is reporting that a “high-ranking team official” has said that the Mets are not considering releasing Perez.

Instead, they are hoping that he will eventually accept a demotion to the minors where he will supposedly regain either stuff or confidence. There is always the possibility that once he’s in the minors he’ll never make his way back to Flushing and he would be buried in Triple-A Buffalo like he is buried in the bullpen now.

It’s unfortunate that Perez’s teammates have turned on him. The Mets had their chance to part with Perez before last season. He was a type-A free agent who declined arbitration. That wasn’t even close to a good idea to re-sign him, especially at the well above market price they ended up paying him.

Not only have they been stuck with paying $36 million over three years, but they lost out on a pair of top draft picks as well. So if there is anybody to be mad at it, is the Mets.

Still, it is crazy how a pitcher who has had such good seasons and is capable of so much has pitched so poorly for two seasons now. Which is probably why the Mets are deciding against releasing him. At this point, it is probably in their best interest for him to stay within the organization and pitch in Buffalo.

Unfortunately for them, Perez doesn’t know if that’s what is in his best interest. Until he does, he’ll just be burning a hole on the bottom of that roster.

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