Ollie Perez Future LOOGY?

Oh, what to do with Oliver Perez? The Mets are still on the hook for $12 million for Ollie thanks to some epic prognostic failure on the part of Omar Minaya. Perez is still likely to be released although the Mets are rooting for spontaneous combustion. But in the meantime, the Mets are giving Perez the chance to win a bullpen job as the most expensive LOOGY (Lefty One-Out GuY) in the history of baseball. And it includes dropping his arm slot...

"All my career I've been throwing to lefties sidearm," Perez said. "This year I'm going to use it more."

snip

"He threw strikes," Terry Collins said. "That's what we wanted him to do. He threw strikes, gave them a different look. I thought the 1-2 pitch, he made a real, real good pitch on the outside corner."

But before Mets fans get too excited about paying Perez roughly, according to PECOTA, $87,000 an inning, I should probably temper some expectations. That's some pretty bland praise for a seven pitch pop out of Cardinals middling prospect Daniel Descalso.

Somebody owes me $5. I told you I could write an entire post about one Spring Training at bat.

Offbase Off the Field

Offbase Off the Field is our recap of two events which have nothing to do with what happened on the field. Otherwise the segment would be called Shit That Happened on the Field.


Pitcher Delusional, Still Under Contract

Mets "pitcher" Oliver Perez said he wants to return to New York in 2011. Perez told ESPNNewYork.com "I want to be back here. I want to have a championship because I know the fans want it and I want it, too."

I didn't know the Mets and Perez were in contention for the 2011 Alpharetta (GA) Co-Ed D-League slow-pitch softball championship. Good for them.

Anyway, Perez hasn't pitched in two weeks, having maintained a permanent residence on the DNP-manager's decision list. Basically, he's the Adam Morrison of Major League Baseball. While pitching in 2010, Perez put together an eery impersonation of Dave LaPoint (43 IP, 37 BB, 2.02 WHIP, 6.70 ERA), but the Mets have very little leeway with Perez since he's set to make $12 million next season as part of a three-year, $36 million contract an armadillo dressed as GM Omar Minaya gave him two seasons ago.


Four People Set to Interview for Cubs Managerial Job; Cubs Expected to Remain Horrible

Chicago, currently under the tootelage of Jim Riggleman 2.0, Mike Quade, interviewed Eric Wedge today and is planning on interviewing current coach Ryne Sandberg, former Marlins' manager Fredi Gonzalez and former terrible infielder Pat Listach. Sandberg, who shouldn't be a Hall of Famer, but is anyway, seems to be the sentimental choice because Cubs fans want one of their own even though most of their own have been painfully dissapointing for the past 100 years.

The Offbase pick for the next Chicago manager: Stump Merrill.