SBNation.com - Oliver Perez Signs On With Nationals As Low-Risk Experimenthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46737/sbn-fave.png2011-03-23T15:31:18-04:00http://www.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18273952011-03-23T15:31:18-04:002011-03-23T15:31:18-04:00Oliver Perez Signs With Nationals After Being Released By Mets
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<p>Young lefties with a history of success don't stay unemployed for long. On Monday, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">New York Mets</a> made the long-anticipated move of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/3/21/2063354/new-york-mets-release-oliver-perez">releasing southpaw Oliver Perez </a>and eating the rest of his $12 million contract. Perez then became free to negotiate with any and every other team in baseball, and he decided to stay in the same division, <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/TBrownYahoo/status/50636471035629569">signing on with the Washington Nationals</a>.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a> have signed Perez to a minor league contract, and because his salary is still the Mets' responsibility, they'll get him at the league minimum, making him a zero-risk investment. So now Washington becomes the team that tries to squeeze something out of a clearly talented but unthinkably frustrating 29-year-old body. Perez was a moderately effective pitcher as recently as 2008, but has averaged eight walks per nine innings over the past two seasons.</p>
<p>The Nationals signed Perez at the recommendation of pitching coordinator Spin Williams, who worked with Perez in Pittsburgh. The two have a good relationship.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/3/23/2068026/oliver-perez-signs-nationals-mets-releaseJeff Sullivan2011-03-21T10:25:38-04:002011-03-21T10:25:38-04:00Mets Release Oliver Perez
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<p>First Luis Castillo, and now <span>Oliver Perez</span>, as this morning the New York <a target="_blank" href="http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/mets-release-oliver-perez/">Mets released the left-hander</a> despite still owing him $12 million for the final season of his three-year, $36 million contract.</p>
<p>This move was far from a surprise, as Perez went just 3-9 with a 6.81 ERA in his two seasons with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>. This spring, he posted an 8.38 ERA and walked eight hitters in 10 innings.</p>
<p>For his part, Perez said all the right things. Via David Waldstein in the Times:</p>
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<p>"They gave me an opportunity," he said. "They were fair with me. When I came here they said we are going to give you an opportunity to be a starter and I didn't do anything great. I went to the bullpen to try to be a lefty specialist and the last game I did a horrible job and that's why they decided to release me."</p>
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<p>Perez still wants to pitch, and he'll probably get a chance somewhere, even if that's the Atlantic League. Given his recent performances, it's hard to imagine him getting a shot with a big-league club anytime soon.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, with Castillo and Perez gone, most of the previous regime's big mistakes are now out of sight (if not completely out of mind). The next step is to get <span>Jason Bay</span> back on track. And if not ... Well, what's $66 million among friends?</p>
<p>For more on Perez and the Mets, check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazinavenue.com/">Amazin' Avenue</a>.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2011/3/21/2331934/mets-release-oliver-perezRob Neyer