It hasn't been the best of springs thus far for the New York Mets.
After being one of the most disappointing teams in baseball in 2009, the Mets and their fans hoped to ring in 2010 with a fast and furious start to the Grapefruit League. It hasn't happened, however, as the Mets have had to deal with many of the same issues this year that plagued the team last season.
Injuries, a problem that many believe was the main culprit behind New York's miserable 2009 campaign, have begun to rear their ugly heads again this spring. While injuries are indeed a part of the game, once again some of the Mets' biggest stars are missing time, a sight that has to scare any Mets fan.
It gets worse, however, as the human train wreck that was Oliver Perez in 2009 has seemingly picked up this spring exactly where he left off before injuries and ineffectiveness ended his season early.
Perez was arguably the worst starting pitcher in baseball last year. He struggled with his control and his confidence, and actually allowed almost two baserunners per inning that he pitched (131 baserunners allowed in 66 innings pitched in 2009).
So perhaps no Mets player needed to get off to a fast start during spring training more than Perez, but after his first start against the Nationals on Mar. 7, in which Perez allowed five runs on seven hits in three innings pitched, it was proof that this may be what Mets fans should expect from the southpaw hurler.
If this is indeed a glimpse of things to come for Oliver Perez in 2010, the Mets' season is in big trouble...and so may be Omar Minaya's job.
Perez was given a three-year, $36 million contract prior to last season with the hopes that he would be the No. 2 starter, or at worst the No. 3, not the worst pitcher on the Amazin's staff.
With John Maine a constant injury concern, Mike Pelfrey taking a step back last year, and the Mets front office unable to bring in any pitching help during the offseason, the Mets need to count on Perez more than ever if they have even the slightest chance of being successful in the tough NL East. Simply put, if Perez doesn't bounce back, the Mets will try to contend with one reliable starting pitcher in Johan Santana, and oh yeah, he's coming off of season-ending elbow surgery.
Whatever Perez does in 2010 will undoubtebly directly affect the Mets' on-field performance, but if Perez falters once again, it may have a far greater reach throughout the entire New York Mets organization.
In other words, if Perez puts up another stinker this season, it will probably be the final nail in the coffin of GM Omar Minaya's Mets career.
Prior to 2009, the Mets had a choice between re-signing the enigmatic yet talented Perez for approximately $12 million per season and signing the aging yet reliable Derek Lowe for roughly $2 million more per year. By most accounts, there was a divide within the Mets' front office on which pitcher to bring to Queens, with Minaya being one of the bigger Perez supporters. Minaya got his way, ultimately signing Perez while letting Lowe sign with division rival Atlanta.
Perez went 3-4 with a 6.82 ERA, while Lowe won 15 games and pitched 194 innings (almost 130 more than Perez). After only one season, the move to pick Perez over Lowe was beginning to look like not only one of the worst moves in Minaya's GM career, but one that ranked up there with the trading of Tom Seaver and the acquisition of Victor Zambrano in exchange for Scott Kazmir.
Sure, it's only one season, but another bad year by Perez could force the Mets to pull the plug on this experiment, especially if by some miracle, the Mets are in contention. The Wilpons will not be happy if they are forced to eat the remainder of Perez's contract, or if they have to pay him while he under-performs at Triple-A Buffalo.
So, on the eve of Oliver Perez's second spring start, Mets fans eagerly await to see if the lefty will give them any positive signs that whatever plagued him a season ago is nothing but history.
No pressure Ollie, it's not like your team's season or your GM's job is resting on your arm.
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