Port St. Lucie, FLA – Three days after the New York Mets informed second baseman Luis Castillo he was being released, left-hander Oliver Perez received the same fate Monday morning. Team officials informed Perez he was being let go despite being owed $12 million in the final year of his deal. The Mets had headed into the weekend already having eaten Castillo’s $6 million as the purge of bloated contracts from Omar Minaya’s era as general manager continued. “When they told me, I almost knew what they were going to tell me,” Perez said inside the clubhouse at the team’s spring-training complex after shaking hands with teammates. “It’s one of those times you don’t feel great, but I don’t want to quit.” Perez indicated he believed he got a fair shot from the Mets’ new regime. “I think they gave me an opportunity,” he said. “They were fair with me when I came here. ‘We’re going to give you an opportunity to be a starter.’ I didn’t do anything great. They moved me to the bullpen trying to be a lefty specialist. And the last game, that was a real horrible job.” Perez, 29, is in the final season of a three-year, $36 million deal. He went 3-9 with a 6.81 ERA in 31 appearances (21 starts) during the first two seasons of that contract. The amount owed to Perez ranks No. 1 on an unofficial list of largest contracts eaten in organization history, with Castillo also high on the list.
I don't care what you say, this is like winning the World Series. A weight has been lifted off of our shoulders. I feel like a Phoenix rising out of Arizona! I mean we all knew it was coming, but nothing is official until it is official and now it's official. Oliver Perez is gone. Luis Castillo is gone. Ding Dong the Witch is dead!
We could lose 120 games this year, trade Reyes for 28 year old guys still stuck in AA, learn Johan needs an arm transplant and I'd still be happy knowing these two bums are out of the clubhouse once and for all.
This is truly a precious and momentous occasion. However we all know the low expectations for the Mets this year so soak in the glory while it lasts because this ship may come crumbling to pieces before May.
