Odd Man Out

By Taryn Cooper
Posted Tuesday, February 12, 2008

By Taryn “The Coop” Cooper

The trade and subsequent contract extension by the Mets for Johan Santana has brought up a lot of fodder in the Mets blogging community. Santana, for example, is known to go very deep into games and therefore, would be a welcome relief for the bullpen which as we all know was taxed pretty much by mid-season in 2007. Plus, the dynamic of the ‘pen may be changed and for the better with the re-addition of Duaner Sanchez.

Another common theme is that with Johan as the “Number one starter” on the team, where does leave the rest? Will Pedro pitch second in the rotation? Or will Johan, out of respect for Martinez, pitch fifth day behind the Dominican stalwart? What about John Maine? Is he truly a fourth starter? Will El Duque move to the ‘pen in a long relief role? And why is the sky blue? (Sorry, wrong forum for that)

Like many Mets fans, I have thought long and hard about this very topic. Ideally, the best rotation on paper (thank you, Jimmy Rollins) would be:
1.) Johan Santana
2.) Pedro Martinez
3.) John Maine
4.) Oliver Perez
5.) El Duque

But with Duque in the fifth spot, where does that leave Mike Pelfrey? You know, the stud pitching prospect who was famously kept OUT of the Santana deal to Minnesota. Pelfrey, who got some decent work out of the ‘pen last fall and who showed some signs of life on the pitching mound as the Mets were floundering in September.

It would make too much sense to move El Duque to the bullpen and have Pelfrey start every fifth day. But we all know, with Willie Randolph being Willie Randolph, that scenario will never happen. Duque will have to go down for a stretch for Pelfrey to spill into the starting rotation that way.

But what about the rumors surrounding Omar signing a fifth-starter “junk-baller” like Kyle Lohse, to take the pressure off Pelfrey and to fill in if something were to happen to Duque (which we know does usually happen, around May sometime and one other time in the summer).

But the scenario being, we sign that journeyman fifth starter, Pelfrey starts, Duque can come out of the ‘pen, for once, the Mets are in a strange situation.

Who is the odd man out?

I am here to argue that of all pitchers – the shock and horror of my suggestion – Oliver Perez should be touted as “trade bait.”

Now, while I allow my audience to collectively get themselves off the floor, since you have all fallen off your chairs with this revelation (Note to newcomers: I have an unusual obsession with Oliver “Oh Pea” Perez), let me explain why I happen to side with this notion.

For one, Ollie is arbitration eligible and has yet come to contract terms with the Mets. Perez is looking for $6.5 million for 2008; Mets have offered $4.725 million.

But what really grinds The Coop’s gears is this: Perez has no interest in signing beyond 2008. At least, that what his agent, “The Great Satan” Scott Boras (credit to Metsgrrl) has been quoted saying.

On the flip side, Omar Minaya has been rumored to have tried to negotiate a contract extension for Pea, to no avail.

Translation: Boras is coaching Oh Pea to give his career year in 2008.

Translation: Oh Pea will pitch the only perfect game in Mets history this year.

Translation: Pay up, suckas.

But there is another theory here. There have been many rumors surrounding Perez’s desire to play in the south (think: Astros or Rangers) or out west (like his originating club, San Diego Padres). The reason for this is simple: he is from Mexico and wants to be closer. Fair enough.

What really grinds my gears though is this: Oliver Perez would not even HAVE a career to think about had it not been for the belief in him by Omar & Co. Oliver Perez was known as a talented lefty who could erratic at times. Translation: Erratic all the time. In his breakout season in 2004, he was 12-10 with 239 Ks and a 2.98 ERA. Translation: Wow. What should have been an upward curve turned inward horrible, showing a 3-13 record just two years later with many stints in the minors between.

With the help of a little Fairy Dust called Rick Peterson, Ollie became our Senor Sabor, the flashy eccentric pitcher who became a cult favorite at Shea. Translation: my favorite at Shea. He posted a 15-10 record, with a 3.56 ERA and 174 Ks. Peterson managed to harness his wildness and turned made Perez back into a salsa pitcher, rather than the waltz pitcher Peterson accused Perez’s old pitching coaches into trying to mold him into.

So here’s my question: where’s the love, Pea? You have grown by leaps and bounds with the Mets, regained your confidence, are comfortable with the pitching staff and coaches, you are supported by a fan base that admires your cajones.

And you listen to your agent about talking contract extensions when the best player in baseball (translation: Alex Rodriguez) told him to go scratch?

Look, I know as well as anyone, pitching is at a premium in major league baseball. We live in a world where Livan Hernandez gets a one-year $5 million contract, and where Gil Meche gets $11 million per five years for being the king of mediocrity.

But can’t Ollie give credit where it is due?

With Boras as his agent, probably not.

So here’s my idea. We go with the five-man rotation I have noted at the top. Pelfrey works out of the ‘pen for a few months. Omar takes some phone calls. We trade Oliver Perez for a middle of the rotation guy and a young first baseman or 1B prospect somewhere.

One of the reasons why the Santana signing was so critical was that Tom Glavine left a gaping hole in the rotation. Not that the team would have been better off with that wolf-in-Braves clothing in 2008.

But if Oliver Perez finishes the season with the Mets and becomes a free agent for 2009, guess what? We are back at square one. And back with the Livan to the Mets rumors.I think Oliver Perez is the odd-man out and should be treated as such. He won’t give respect to the team that remolded him…I say send him packing. There’s more than one way to skin a Boras.