The New & Improved Ollie P

"I've been working since September and I've been counting the days until spring training. Right now, I feel ready."

~ Oliver Perez ~

Mets fans, Mets beat reporters, Mets management, and Mets ownership are in a precarious position. After signing Perez to a three year $36M contract after the 2008 season, Perez imploded in 2009. He finished the year 3-4 with a 6.82 ERA in 14 starts. Many believe the Mets over paid for Perez, that he is too inconsistent, and prone to melt downs. All valid concerns. Although OP has frustrated me, I have been in his corner. He is the one Mets pitcher who can go out and pitch a gem on any given night...he can also self destruct on the drop of a dime.

After an embarrassing and humiliating 2009, Perez re-dedicated himself to his craft. He spent the off-season in Arizona at the Athletes Performance Institute , which has been termed “a boot camp under the supervision of trainer Jeff Fischer."

After taking a little time off at Christmas, Perez was chomping at the bit to get back to Arizona.

Mets pitching coach, Dan Warthen, sees the re-birth of Ollie. Having visited him during the off-season, Warthen said:

"When you talk to Ollie this year, he seems like a different person. Whether it's the maturity or whether something finally clicked, whatever. But he seems like a young man who wasn't trying to be funny with the rest of the guys, to be the jokester. He seems extremely focused and ready to take off in his career. This should be the time of his life right now."

Perez's take on himself is similar:

"I know it's going to be a different Ollie because I know myself, I know when I'm ready to compete and when I'm ready to help my team. I just have to focus to get everything together - my mechanics, my legs, my arms. I want to forget about what happened last year. We understand that it was really tough. The thing we have to focus on is 2010. We have to focus on the present."

Perez has already arrived in Port St. Lucie, a full week before pitchers and catchers report - a dedication that was missing last year. Maybe when surgeons removed the scarring of the patella tendon of his right knee, they put a little maturity into his brain.

I'll go out on a limb and predict OP will prove the naysayers wrong, and will have a solid season, amassing at least 14 victories, with an ERA in 3.70 neighborhood.

Source: David Lennon - Newsday