Oliver Perez is not going anywhere, he said so himself. So if the Mets want to get rid of Perez, or simple get him out of the way, they are going to have to resort to another strategy. And I’ve got it.Â
They have to ask him……..everyday.Â
That’s right, I want the Mets to ask Oliver Perez everyday to take the Assignment. Everyday he refuses makes him look more selfish than the day before. And you want comes next? Throw him in a game…a big game. Let Perez embarrass himself at Citi Field and on the Road. Let Perez cost the Mets a game or 3.  And then to put a little icing on the cake, throw him in front of all the reporters and let him answer for his performance. I know this has been done before but now we’re going to do something different, when the media have left the locker room and the players are left getting ready to go home, Jerry should  ask Ollie again, right in front of his locker.Â
Let Ollie refuse to take the Assignment in front of his team mates after he just coughed up another lead or walked in another run or failed to get an out in a mop up game.  Yea, this is embarrassing him but isn’t he doing that himself with his attitude and performance?
This might be the only way to reach him, that and of course,  the dirty stares from his own team mates and the boos from the home crowd. What else is Jerry and Omar to do? You what they can do? Ask him again. And just keep on asking until Perez gets the hint. And don’t think he doesn’t get it because he does, he just refuses to listen.
Now yesterday I read in Metsblog that some players who remain nameless are disgusted with Ollie.  I have absolutely no problem with his team mates calling him out in the media or in the locker room. I only wish I knew who it was and in honesty, why would they hide? There is not one player on this team, besides Perez, who has to be ashamed of anything.  Perez, on the other hand, is not only stealing money from the Mets, he is stealing wins from a ball club, a spot for the bull pen and a chance with this team to compete for the N.L East or Wild Card. Will he get the hint? Your guess is as good as mine but if he doesn’t, the Mets simply have to walk up to Perez tonight and ask him again to take the Assignment.
And maybe, just maybe after he is vilified by the Media, booed by the fans, let his team down once again and yelled at by the bull pen pitchers for spitting sunflower seeds all over the bench, Oliver Perez will get the hint and go to Florida to straighten himself out.
Until then though, the Mets need to keep on asking him.Â
Maybe tomorrow he’ll realize that he is hamstringing the team that is paying his 12 million dollar a year salary.
18 comments
Kingman 26
6/2/2010-9:10am at 9:10 am (UTC -4)
I like it!
I also like my ideas of DL-ing Ollie for mental reasons.
Or suspending him for conduct detrimental to the team–this is in every contract I believe, and would be a great test case.
But his refusing to go to the minors is something the players collectively bargained for and won, so his teammates really would be huge hypocrites if they criticized him on this issue.
Send him to the DL, suspend him without pay, or do what you suggest—something MUST be done to stop this idiot and his revolting agent from dictating the terms of this outrageous situation.
njstuckintx
6/2/2010-9:20am at 9:20 am (UTC -4)
You might as well break him. Let him pitch. Put him back out in the Rotation. And then let him pitch a complete game. No matter the outcome, no matter the pitch count. Let his arm fall off and let him embarrass himself into oblivion!
(the above was not a real plan of action. it was my Dr. Evil plan for ollie. Now, if we could just get some frickin lazers for ollie, the plan would be complete!)
udontmesswthejohan
6/2/2010-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
This will never happen, and quite frankly, as frustrating as tawdry episode has been, it would be incredibly unprofessional of the Mets to do something like that. I know, your response is, “well isn’t he being unprofessional”? And the answer, is undeniably yes, but the orginization has to look big picture and should hold itself to a higher standard than a player.
The Mets are in the business of winning games, and right now, the best prospect of that happening is with this guy no where near a big game. Can you imagine the reaction if they put him into a big spot knowing that he was going to fail?
As far as the players speaking anonymously, this is because they don’t want to upset the union. Plain and simple. You will never put a name to that anonymous quote, so its useless if you ask me.
They just have to wait this out and hope that eventually he will accept an assignment or they can DL him.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/2/2010-9:49am at 9:49 am (UTC -4)
Maybe one of us can spike PED into his water. And give an anonymous call to MLB.
metsfan4decades
6/2/2010-9:50am at 9:50 am (UTC -4)
Dang….I want to watch the Mets winning ballgames. Right now, that is not happening with Ollie on the mound. On the flip side though, him sitting in the BP, citing he feels good and he’ll get it back, is becoming a bigger distraction than Jerry-watch.
I don’t have the answer for all this. I just know this situation can’t go on much longer the way it is. I still think this Saturday we’ll know better how both sides really feel on this.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/2/2010-10:02am at 10:02 am (UTC -4)
WE’VE GOT HOPE!!
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/06/marlins-seek-lefthanded-relievers.html
metsfan4decades
6/2/2010-10:05am at 10:05 am (UTC -4)
I saw that…
Only way Marlins are taking Ollie is if we pay damn near his whole salary.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/2/2010-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
well… Mets are doing that right now anyways..
Mr North Jersey
6/2/2010-10:07am at 10:07 am (UTC -4)
So you just ask him then ask him again then ask him again then ask him again etc etc etc…..
ceetar
6/2/2010-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
I’d rather they tireless work with him on mechanics and what not, rather than give up games. They do that enough with Manuel.
stickguy
6/2/2010-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
Um, I don’t think the Mets have a big enough lead at the moment to throw qaway games. So what you see is what you get.
The only plausible (to me) near term outcomes are 1) team Ollie finally decides that 3 weeks (no more) in FLA to try and adjust his mechanics is OK, and they will do a PR campaign to present him as a big man for doing it when not even needed
2)The Mets find someone to trade for him (similar to the GM deal I would think, a small amount of salary releif and some spare part)
3)They stay with what they are doing, and try to “fix” him on the side in the pen.
Obviously, if they activate Neise, what they do to make room might give a window into thier thoughts. Although if there is anyone with an injury on the staff that needs a DL it makes it easier.
But, to me, the big issue is, what do the “experts” (mets and other teams) think the problem is? Assuming he is healthy, the only logical conclusion is that it is mechanical. And if it is mechanical, it should be fixable.
So the Mets aren’t cutting him if they think he is fixable, but it just might entince another team to take him on the cheap so they can have a shot at it.
ceetar
6/2/2010-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
and as I’ve been saying, sure Ollie gets a ton of blame, but if you’re a coach on this team and can’t fix a pitcher when it’s your job (and not the only failure, see Maine), your boss needs to take a closer look at your job.
Kingman 26
6/2/2010-11:07am at 11:07 am (UTC -4)
Ollie and Maine have been pampered for YEARS.
They both are clearly headcases, and very possibly the reason they used to throw 95 and now cannot top 91 might be PEDs.
Or injuries.
In all likelihood, no one can fix these guys.
ceetar
6/2/2010-11:15am at 11:15 am (UTC -4)
False. plenty of people can fix these guys, and they’ve all had success very recently.
Kingman 26
6/2/2010-12:41pm at 12:41 pm (UTC -4)
You really are on an impressive roll lately.
Ollie has had success “recently”? Some success in August of 2008 is recently?
Who can “fix” these guys? Rick Peterson? When he is finally done fixing Zambrano?
There aren’t “plenty of people” who can fix two mediocre headcase pitchers with poor control, terrible habits, and serious injury histories, especially when those pitchers can no longer throw 95, which in retrospect was the only reason for their success anyway.
Ah, the gently swaying waves of the Orange and Blue Sea of Denial……
And as for before, you were right—YOUR opinion on Ollie’s intelligence is CLEARLY more valid and accurate than that of someone who was his teammate for several years.
GravediggerHebner
6/2/2010-11:12am at 11:12 am (UTC -4)
I really don’t care about Ollie anymore. Unless/until the roster situation with him on it becomes problematic, as in directly leading to the Mets losing games, I just don’t care anymore.
Ollie is being used perfectly by the Mets right now, he is being given zero opportunities to lose games for them. Once the organization (apparently) concluded that they weren’t interested in paying him while risking the (however remote) possibility that he might find himself with another organization on their dime, they made the absolute 100% correct choice in my mind – limit/eliminate his opportunities to do damage to the bottom line, the won-loss record.
I commend the Mets for their brilliant action under trying circumstances. Ollie who?
Kingman 26
6/2/2010-12:43pm at 12:43 pm (UTC -4)
Nicely said.
Forward my son, we must look forward.
Ollie? Dead! Maine? Dead! Beltran…..
It wasn’t over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor, and it ain’t over now.
GravediggerHebner
6/2/2010-2:32pm at 2:32 pm (UTC -4)
I do want to look back for one moment though.
Perez’ last start was 5/14, after which he was removed from the rotation.
Maine’s last start was 5/20, after which he was removed from the rotation. With BOTH players NOT in the rotation the Mets record (including their win in the game that Maine was removed from) is 8-4.
Mets with Maine & Perez, 19-22.
Mets without Maine & Perez, 8-4.
Just sayin’. And thank you for the Animal House quote, they always bring a smile.