29
2008
What About Pedro and Perez?
An article by 
Putting away all the recent discourse regarding Carlos Delgado for just a moment, I was wondering how the Mets were going to deal with a more pressing issue at the end of this season.
What about Pedro Martinez and Oliver Perez?
Obviously their situations differ greatly from that of Delgado because the Mets have an option on their first baseman, and Perez and Pedro both walk at the end of the season.
But, how should the Mets attack the pitching situation? The problem becomes a little bit more complex when you consider that John Maine will be returning from off season shoulder surgery, and until he actually gets it over with and begins rehabbing, there’s no guarantee if he will be ready by Opening Day. Case in point, Duaner Sanchez.
Yesterday, I tuned into the Yankees game while I worked and was surprised to hear John Sterling and Susan Waldman talk about who the Yankees should go after in the off season to bolster the rotation.
Together they both blurted out Oliver Perez as if it was choreographed. Sterling said, he’s young, he comes to the team already tamed, he’s a lefty, and he’s nasty. They both agreed that Oliver Perez and C.C. Sabathia would most likely be with the Yankees next season because they will throw more money at them then anybody else.
The Mets can thwart those plans if they were to sign Perez before he becomes a free agent. I don’t want to hear how he wants to play on the West Coast or how Boras won’t let him bypass free agency. We heard all those same arguments with Mike Piazza, back in the day. Money talks, and you know what walks.
And what about Pedro?
Do we let him walk too?
If Maine is not ready on Opening day, the Mets rotation is as follows:
1. Johan Santana
2. Mike Pelfrey
3, 4, 5. Tom, Dick, and Harry
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
Went to my first Mets game, a Mayors Trophy game at Shea, in '73. We beat the Yankees 8-4 and I was hooked. I marched in two Banner Day parades, and before the Grand Slam single, there was the "Hendu Can Do" grand slam - I was there. I've collected Mets memorabilia all my life and started Mets Merized Online to feed my addiction.
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Remember that Tom had a 2.30 ERA in AAA 2 years ago, Dick is a lefty and therefore will always have a role, and Harry, well, what can you say about Harry. The next Seaver!!!
Funny shit.
I think if Pedro continues to pitch at a fairly consistent level the Mets should offer him a 1 year incentive based contract. I’m not sure what would be reasonable numbers but give him a mid base salary with extra cash for 125, 150 and 200 innings marks.
As for Perez we have to go after him hard, especially if he helps us get into the post season and beyond. We must be willing to at the very least match the next best offer in cash and years that he has available to him.
Piazza in 1998 and Perez now are two completely different issues. The only talk in 1998 about Piazza possible leaving was because of the booing. Piazza was a large market guy who thrived in NY, he grew up in Philly and lived in the large market in LA for years. He just loves being in the spot light. Since the Mets where in the middle of building a championship caliber team and Piazza already had turned the boos to cheers he realized what a great opportunity he had in NY.
As for Perez and as I have stated over and over before almost all American born and Mexican born players go home when they have an opportunity to and often do it for less. The number of players that have done this over the last 10-15 years are astronomical. The fact is Perez and Boras will have a set figure they will look for if any of the teams in southern cali, Texas or Arizona come close to or meet that figure then he is gone. Word is he will be looking in the 5-7 year range for $14-$15 million per year. If any of those teams offer him that the only way the Mets have a chance is if they completely blow that number away with a $18 to $20 million per year offer. Keep in mind to date only 3 players have made $20 or more million in a season factoring in deferred salaries and all 3 of those players are on the Yankees. Would you make Perez the first $20 million a year Met? I doubt it.
I know some of you are going to try and dispute this claim by mentioning a player that didn’t go home but again the key word is OPPORTUNITY. If a players home team has no interest in the player then he doesn’t have the OPPORTUNITY to go home. There have been only two players in the last 15 or so years that where playing for their home team and chose to leave they are Tome Glavine and Jason Giambi. Glavine of course being a union guy basically had no choice but to take the Mets offer a move we know he almost backed out of. Also remember Glavine chose to return to the Braves this year for $8 million, which was $5 million less then the $13 million he had guaranteed with the Mets this year.
I agree the mets need to persue Oliver Perez with all they can. Unless C.C. Sabathia becomes a real possibility for the mets which i doubt because of Johan’s signing this year then we need to sign him. I also have no problem with the mets giving Pedro a one year deal. The worse that will happen is he gets hurt and we are only out a couple of million dollars. What i am curious about is what is going to happen with El Duque? The guy has been collecting a paycheck for doing nothing. I think we release El Duque to free up money to throw at Prez.
El Duque will be a free agent at the end of the year so no need to release him since his contract will expire and his career is most likely over anyway.
Mets actually have a better chance of signing C.C. then resigning Perez and signing C.C. is very unlikely. I give the odds of Perez returning at 5%.
Resigning Ollie is a big question. I would re-sign him if:
1) He pitches well this last month of the season. If he steps up, kicks it up a notch and becomes a stud pitcher in the post season, it would be hard to let him go.
2) The Boras effect. Who knows how much they would ask for. I would not go for more than maybe $13-$14 per year for Perez. All things consdiered, if he wants $17-$18, I would go after Sabathia.
The dilemma facing Omar is that if we lose Perez, we MUST sign a reliable pitcher.
As for Pedro…See ya.
PEDRO, SEE YA? ARE YOU KIDDING? IF WE DON’T OFFER A 1 YR DEAL HE CAN LIVE WITH INCL INCENTIVES THAN WE DON’T BELONG WITH THE BIG BOYS. SURE, HE’S A #5; BUT CAN ANYONE NAME A BETTER #5 OUT THERE? LAST I RECOLLECT YOU NEED 5 MEANING YOU NEED A #5 IF HE ISN’T SURE FIRED BETTER, THAN WHY NOT PEDRO?
Pedro may not be an ace any more but he is still a solid #3 perhaps even a #2. We should offer him a 1 year deal with a team option. We still owe Pedro $2 million next year in deferred salaries so we might as well bring him back. Perez will be gone, mark my words, thus bringing back Pedro is a must. If Pedro is brought back you have a top 4 of Santana, Pelfrey, Pedro and Maine (assuming he comes back from surgery) then you can consider Niese as the 5th starter or bring in a free agent. Your #5 is not going to make or break your season. If you have a #5 starter with a .500 record and an era under 5 you happily take it.
I just feel that if we can resign Pedro for very cheap, sure, lets keep him. But I predict Pedro will want a 2-3 year deal, probably close to what he’s making now.
I do love him…but I just feel the money we may end up spending on an unreliable, falling star can be better suited elsewhere.
I just feel that if we can resign Pedro for very cheap, sure, lets keep him. But I predict Pedro will want a 2-3 year deal, probably close to what he’s making now.
I do love him…but I just feel the money we may end up spending on an unreliable, falling star can be better suited elsewhere.