3.2.09

Like It Or Not, Omar Completes Staff With Unpredictable Perez

I suppose once they'd let the Braves shoot their wad signing Derek Lowe this day was inevitable all along.

(Bore me a river...)

Oliver Perez is coming back to the Mets for a "reasonable" 3 years and $36 million. On the excitement scale, this is like watching paint dry or a back-to-back showing of The English Patient.



On the sanity scale, it's like entrusting your young child to a day care assistant with a history of untreated schizophrenia.

Let's face it, for this kind of money, Perez, whether we like it or not, whether the Mets admit it or not, is now the de facto Number Two pitcher in the rotation. You lay out all the accolades you want about Pelf or Maine but in that pair you've got a guy who if we're lucky, will mirror the career of let's say John Lackey, (and that's assuming he can make the leap to two consecutive 200 IP seasons after more than doubling the number of games started last season) and another guy coming off of arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder. Neither can be counted on as the Number Two guy in your rotation and so now it's up to Ollie to shoulder the burden.

If there was ever an off-season move that merited a half-hearted golf clap, this is it. Lots of potential we've been hearing about for the last two and a half seasons, a lefty, a guy entering his prime, a guy who pitches the Phillies, Braves and Yankees silly. A guy with maddening inconsistency.

So the rotation, for all intents and purposes, is complete. In essence, it looks no different than the 2008 rotation if you forget about that early season dream of the Santana-Pedro one-two punch.

Is it time now, Omar, now that the rotation is finally sorted, the pitching has been taken care of, that you've signed eight thousand two hundred and twenty six washed up free agents, to revisit the option for your batting order and left field?

Reality dictates that the frequent fan fantasy of the Mets jumping into the Manny Sweepstakes is just that - baseless, hopeful speculation. Yes, the Dodgers have given Manny a one year take-it-or-leave-it offer which should bring negotiations to a head but no matter how much you wish it, it ent happening. Manny will stay somewhere on the West Coast.



Whilst the pending platoon of Fernando Tatis and Dan Murphy is not terrorising the off season of NL East pitchers, it is a subtle, effective combination, much like the signing of Perez, not the stuff of fantasies but a solid, difficult-to-argue-against choice.

Barring any last second shocks, this is in effect, your 2009 Mets. A better bullpen, equivalent starting rotation, Luis Castillo at second and an incredibly left-handed bench.

Nothing to suggest another September collapse can be avoided.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Manny didn't take the Dodgers offer. THe pressure on the Mets front office from the fans is going to make a difference. We'll see many in a Met uniform this year and when all the usual suspect Mets start trying to choke in September again, he will be there to save them.

Anonymous said...

The Mets have announced that they are through....signing big names, that is. I am announcing that they are through...as far as a pennant is concerned. Intersting that the Wilpons can only invest 143 mil in their payroll but they can hand 300 mil to a shyster like Madoff. Greed before duty, gentlemen. Now tell me why we should go to your cut rate stadium to watch your cut rate team?

katherine said...

I have a bad feeling that the Luis Castillo/fan-booing situation is going to get ugly, fast, this year. Unless he comes right out of the starting blocks hitting up a storm. Because people need someone to blame for last year, and he seems the likely culprit

Jaap said...

well Jdon, foolishly, I must disagree. Whilst I fully expect you are right, the unexpected variables will always play a factor: FMart might make the leap and become a catalyst in left and in the order, Castillo could become the Comeback Player of the Year, any number of stiffs Omar has signed in the off season could have a sudden and inexplicably profound impact for the good on the Mets. Jerry could win another Manager of the Year award. Two shite finishes in a row gives us a reasonable fear/disgust at sticking with the same chokers we've had all along but it doesn't mean the Mets are going to be inherently bad. I prefer at this time to be optimistic. After all, if not now, when? Certainly not September, ha!

Jaap said...

katherine, I couldn't agree more. Castillo is in everyone's sights and unless he hits .400 in April, he's going to be pelted and booed mercilessly. then again, maybe he's going to pull up lame again and simply disappear from everything but the payroll. Delgado will be in for it as well if he starts off like last season. He's old and everyone's ready to watch him fail.

Anonymous said...

I have actually almost forgotten Mart, probably due to the overhype and the injury history. he is rumored to have a lot of power and a beautiful swing. Maybe he can take over for Church the next time he bumps his head. I know that sounds callous, but I am afraid for Church. He sounds like he has what Al Toon and Wayne Chrebet have. Another coonflict with a wall and boom. But FMar t is still a rookie, and a frail one. and Omar is still here. I must be true to my original anti-Omar screed.

Anonymous said...

But WAIT- there's LIVAN!!! I am puking...

Luis

Adenzeno@yahoo.com