Doin' the limbo with Ollie Perez

May 14

Perez lasted only 31/3 innings for the second straight start, this time giving up seven runs and nine hits, including four home runs, in a 7-2 loss to the Marlins in Florida. Of the seven starts Perez made this season, the Mets lost six of them. "Right now, I don't see Ollie's arm strength," pitching coach Dan Warthen said.

May 9

Perez threw 98 pitches - only 44 for strikes - and walked seven in just 31/3 innings against the Giants at Citi Field. Jerry Manuel suggested for the first time that he'll think about making a change in the rotation. "I have to be better than that," Perez said. "There's no excuse. I know what I have to do. It's not going to happen again."

March 30

In his final outing of spring training, Perez allowed seven runs (including three home runs) in 21/3 innings against the Cardinals to increase his Grapefruit League ERA to 8.66. "Obviously, you'd like to see better going into the season," Manuel said that day. "He's just a guy we've got to watch carefully."