Oliver Perez out of rotation, clinging to bullpen opportunity
Oliver Perez suffered a disappointing setback as his chance at a starter’s rotation with the New York Mets went up in smoke. With General Manager, Sandy Alderson and manager, Terry Collins in attendance of the club’s game against the Houston Astros in Kissimmee,
Florida, Perez shunned his chance as he allowed first four of his hitters to hit and run. Perez’s dream of starting ended as three runs came off those stars. Now his only option is to start in the bullpen.
Perez still carried an air of optimism around him as he entered the game against the Astros. He believed immensely in his ability to do better. Perez told the press that he did not have to think about the pressure as he knew what had to be done, and that
his main intent was to get better. He iterated that he felt better and stronger. The player considered his outing against Houston as a positive step for him, clinging to the idea that at least his velocity was picking up.
In his match against the Astros, Perez conceded a walk, a single, and a double. The hits against him came in line drives. These innings came off scoreless as Zach Lutz pitched in to snatch up a liner shot for an out. Lucas Duda’s catch in the third was another
feature that saved the pitcher’s reputation in the game. Perez was visited twice on the mound by his manager before he was able to get by the situation.
When the pitcher was asked about his expectations for a starter’s role this year, he was unable to answer and sought for Terry Collins’s help.
"Ask him. What do you think I'm going to answer? Yes?"
Collins gave Perez a chance at starting this season. Now with that option out of the region, the focus can be relayed to the bullpen position.
"Throwing strikes is something that you've got to do out of the bullpen," Collins said. "That's just part of that role is to come in and be able to go after the hitters and make some pitches. But I'll discuss that with Sandy and Dan in the morning."
"We have to talk first," Perez said. "Right now, I feel really good starting games, but that's not my decision. That's the manager's decision. But right now I feel real good to start games because all my career I've been a starter."
Tags: