PORT ST. LUCIE — Oliver Perez refused a demotion to the minors a year ago, but with his Mets’ days all but certain to be coming to an end, the left-hander said he is all right with his move to the bullpen.
Manager Terry Collins told Perez over the phone on Wednesday that he was being shifted and Perez, who had been trying to win an unlikely spot in the Mets starting rotation, didn’t put up a fight.
“He’s the manager,” Perez said. “He’s the guy who has to make the decision. Sometimes you get mad, sometimes you understand. I understand. It’s about the team. It’s not about me. The best opportunity to help the team is to be in the bullpen.”
Collins said Perez will get his first shot at his new job as a situational lefty tomorrow, when the Mets travel to Lake Buena Vista to face the Braves.
Though Perez said after his last start that he deserved another one, he didn’t put up a fight.
“I’m thankful he gave me the opportunity to be a starter,” Perez said of Collins, who met with general manager Sandy Alderson and pitching coach Dan Warthen about Perez on Wednesday, a day after his final spring-training start. “He said other guys pitched better than me and I agree.”
Now he has to figure out how to be a relief pitcher in a matter of weeks, at best.
“I’ll go to the bullpen and try to find a job there,” Perez said. “I have to throw strikes.”
That has been an issue for Perez and doesn’t bode well for his future with the Mets, which is still expected to end before Opening Day.
“I feel more comfortable [against] lefties, and this could be a really good job for me, for now,” said Perez, adding that he still wants to start at some point. “All my career I’ve been a starter.”
Not anymore.
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Ronny Paulino
‘s visa problems delayed the catcher again.
“I’m concerned,” Collins said of Pau lino’s absence, which is because of his drug sus pension from last season. “I don’t think [his arrival] is gonna be until this weekend. We’re gonna have to do some fast work with him, get him in some games.”
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David Wright
had his first hit of the spring in a 6-5 loss to the Nationals in Viera, Fla.
But Mike Pelfrey
struggled, allowing four runs and three hits in four innings. He also walked tow and struck out one.
“One thing I was really, really upset with was the walks,” Pelfrey said. “That’s the one thing that absolutely drives me nuts, is walking people in spring training. I walked two guys today, so obviously I’m pretty upset about that.”
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In the other split-squad game, Josh Thole
had two more hits, and Dillon Gee
threw three scoreless in the 9-4 win over the Marlins. It was Gee’s first start of the spring.
— with AP