Oliver Perez, Enough Said

Matthew Cerrone at Mets Blog, writes about Oliver Perez:

During yesterday’s win, LHP Oliver Perez allowed just one run and three hits, while striking out 10 and walking just three, in 5.2 innings pitched.

This year, he’s 3–2 with a 3.41 ERA, and is averaging roughly nine strikeouts per start during his last three outings.

By removing the only two rocky innings he has had this season, against the Phillies, in which he walked seven and allowed three runs to score, Perez would have a 2.66 ERA while sporting 34 strikeouts in 27 innings and just three walks.

…obviously, we can’t apply magic to reality, but the point here is that short of two rough innings, out of 29, perez has been outstanding this season…i feel like something clicked for him following that spring-training start against the Red Sox, during which he k’d Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz two times each…my guess is that Rick Peterson must have grabbed opie and said, ‘see, there you go, that’s what you can be, just do it,’ and, you know what, he’s doing it…