21
2011
With Castillo and Perez Gone, New Mets Era Officially Begins
An article by 
GM Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins closed the door this morning on the Mets’ career of Oliver Perez, arguably one of the most scored players in franchise history when they released the frustratingly erratic pitcher known as Coin Flip.
There were no 50-50 odds on Perez when spring training began and giving up back-to-back homers in a relief outing over the weekend was the final image of him in a Mets’ uniform.
I don’t begrudge Perez the money like some. Afterall, nobody put a gun to then GM Omar Minaya and forced him to offer Perez that contract. What was Perez supposed to do, turn it down?
What annoys me most about Perez is not that he lost his fastball, or never had command. That happens. It’s part of baseball. What was most upsetting about the Perez era was how things were handled last season. Perez said frequently this spring he is trying to get better every time he pitches. It’s the proper thing to say, but rings hollow after last summer.
When it became clear he was losing it, Perez refused to take the minor league assignment that could have helped his mechanics. There was no guarantee, but he had a better chance working things out in the minors than by languishing in the bullpen by himself as the Mets played with a 24-man roster.
Just because it was Perez’s contractual right to refuse the assignment, it doesn’t make it the right thing to do. And, it certainly contradicted Perez’s statements on self-improvement.
The Perez saga paralyzed a reeling team and he became a symbol of all that was wrong and subsequently a pariah in the clubhouse. Nobody denied Perez put the effort in, but there was groaning about playing short and he deprived another player a chance to play. As the losses mounted, it was hard to find supporters in the clubhouse, especially after the bullpen coughed up another game.
Perez made Jerry Manuel’s job more difficult, and with the manager knowing he’d be fired, his parting gift to the Mets – and the fans who booed him – was to give them one last glimpse of the erratic left-hander who put himself ahead of the team. After barely pitching in the second half, there was little doubt he would give it up one more time, and it was symbolically fitting Perez would lose the final game of a lost season.
After Luis Castillo was given his release – he has since been signed by Philadelphia – Alderson said the decision in part was made by the negativity that swirled around him and his perception by Mets fans. The perception of Perez is far worse because the sum is greater and that he represents wasted potential and the disaster that has been the last three seasons.
With both gone, clearly the Mets have rid themselves of two reminders of an inglorious past and can now embark on a new season and a new era.
About the Author: John Delcos
I am an active member of the BBWAA and have covered Major League Baseball in several capacities for over 20 years, including ten in New York working the Mets' and Yankees' beat. I covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years and the Cleveland Indians before that. I currently serve as an editor and senior staff writer for Mets Merized Online. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos.
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“Alderson said the decision in part was made by the negativity that swirled around him and his perception by Mets fans.”
Next time someone tries to suggest that no one listens to what the fans have to say I will repost this quote!
What we say/do will ALWAYS influence what the team does, because we are the only folks they are really trying to please! It will also influence our competition.
If we had kept castillo on the roster for a bit longer and Sandy ignored the fans hatred, we might have gotten them to pay 1 Mil of his salary and gotten some throw away in a trade but since Amaro can read the news and the blogs he knew there was no need to make an offer. Just wait it out the Fans will FORCE Sandy to give us what we need for pennies!
Oh and the only reason I wanted to point this out was because I want you all to think about that the next time you Boo Wright or Reyes because if Sandy gets even a hint that we don’t like them he will send them off for picks in a heartbeat!
So next time you think it’s a good idea to boo or complain about a player you had better think hard if you really want that player to stay or go.
Cause this is proof that Sandy will be happy to give you what you want even if your heart really doesn’t want what your mouth has been spewing!
Alderson said it played a part not that it was the over riding factor.
The idea that if you boo Wright or Reyes long enough Alderson will say “Oh the fans don’t like this person time to get rid of them” is not one I prescribe to.
Terrible example to make your dull point. Reyes and Wright? Histopry of the Mets shows time and time again that when the fanbase wants somebody out of this town, they get a swift kick in the ass by the organization. From Hebner, to Marshall, to Samuel, to Coleman, to Rojas, to Mota, to Castillo and Perez. Stop making it sound like the fans have no voice in New York, because that’s far from the truth. We have ran players out of this town dozens of times and GMs and managers too!
OK if that is your opinion that is fine. I am not sure you read what I was replying to but my response was to the following comment where Metsie brings up Wright or Reyes where Metsie said.
“Oh and the only reason I wanted to point this out was because I want you all to think about that the next time you Boo Wright or Reyes because if Sandy gets even a hint that we don’t like them he will send them off for picks in a heartbeat!”
To which I replied by saying,
“The idea that if you boo Wright or Reyes long enough Alderson will say “Oh the fans don’t like this person time to get rid of them” is not one I prescribe to.”
Your reply saying “Stop making it sound like the fans have no voice in New York” if you notice is not what i said.
Clearly Alderson said what the fans said played a part which is what I said as well. It is just that again,
“The idea that if you boo Wright or Reyes long enough Alderson will say “Oh the fans don’t like this person time to get rid of them” is not one I prescribe to.”
If you Maniac prescribe to that idea I respect that but I just don’t agree with it.
“In explaining Castillo’s release, Alderson mentioned anticipated negative crowd reaction played at least some factor. Alderson said in Perez’s case, the southpaw’s production relative to the competition of other pitchers in camp was so inferior that there was little need to incorporate into the decision how Perez would be received by fans at Citi Field.”
http://proxy.espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/17329/alderson-explains-eating-18-million
Fine with Perez as he played far inferior to all competition but can you really say that about castillo?
Just saying that if all things are equal and the fans like one equal player over another the decision is going to be based on who the fans like most.
Lets say Wright has a bad year. The fans call for Murphy to play 3B.
They both hit about the same but Wright gets sent packing because he has that extra nudge from the fan hatred.
Not saying it is going to or likely to happen but what we say does affect not only OUR GM but what other GM’s might offer or not offer as the case may be (see Castillo to Phils) due to the fact they know there will be fan revolts if our GM waits out for the best offer.
It’s not good to listen to the fans when making business decision and yes Sandy should get the blame for doing so in cases where he let them influence him in a decision.
But we fans shouldn’t handcuff him by letting the opposition know we won’t tolerate a player and have to give him up for nothing.
I heard that there was such a creature as a Met fan who would complain about the Mets someday cutting Castillo or Perez, but I thought it was just myth and folklore. I never thought such a creature really existed until this comment.
I’m not complaining that they were cut…What gave you that idea?
What I complained about is we have yet another GM who lets dumb unknowing fans influence decision he should be making based on his baseball information not some phone call to WFAN or some blog that doesn’t require any journalistic integrity or fact checking before a post was made!
metsie, dont sweat it. he is just saying that to appease the bayonnes of the world
Metsie, coming from you that last sentence is just hysterical.
alderson is lying about the fan influence. he is just saying that to please the fans. fans dont really influence his decisions.
What influenced you to say Alderson is lying, martin? Omniscience is now part of your bag too?
because alderson is smart and he wants the fans to think they have a say. obviously winning is all that matters and is what the fans will like. but alderson realizes he can make friends by pretending to listen to the fans. yunno, like a politician pretending to be religious.
baseball decisions are baseball decisions. if alderson says they are for the fans, he is just saying that to shut them up.
well, if he publicly lied to please the fans, wouldn’t that intrinsically mean he is influenced by the fans, either way?
in terms of public relations, yes, but not baseball decisions. see the diff there, junior?
yes, and double thanks for being a douchebag about it!
Your comments are among the most useless on this site. Always have, always will.
I just hope the era is over where a team plays with a 24 man roster because a hi priced player is so bad that they will only use him in a worst case scenario and they are unable to send him down cause he refuses to.
I hope I never have to see that again.
ollie was dogging it, hoping to get released. now that he’s gone, he’s going blow all your minds.
check it !
wagwaan !
‘Ear-me-now, rudeboy.
G’wan wit dat nonsense, me nah wan call Babylon…
SHABBA!
nuff respeck
Will you guys at least pass the spliff so the rest of us can follow along?
The reason Ollie never took the minor league assignment was because he didn’t want to get shelled by minor league players, which would had resulted in him never seeing a big league clubhouse again. At least now for the guy there may be some team desperate enough to sign him thinking their pitching coach is what Ollie is missing. I hope Ollie invests that 12 million well because he’s not going to get above the minimum again.