Source: Oliver Perez Will Not Be In Rotation

Some hopeful news from Andy Martino of the Daily News this morning.

While Oliver Perez remains officially in the rotation competition, the Mets have decided internally that he will not be a starter during the regular season, sources say, and the team remains likely to release its $36 million pitcher before Opening Day. But Perez probably pitched well enough Thursday to earn another Grapefruit League appearance.

With most of the front office watching from the stands – and sources telling the Daily News that the Mets were very close to cutting Perez and absorbing the $12 million still owed him – the pitcher threw two scoreless innings against St. Louis.

The source also told Martino that Ollie’s velocity is “permanently diminished” and that his two scoreless innings of work “prevented an immediate release.”

It looks like Oliver Perez is finally coming to the end of his inglorious Mets career. I would put his baseball betting odds at even money that he wont survive until St. Patrick’s Day.