Mets' Perez Brushes Off Not-So-Amazin' Outing
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- Mets fans got a glimpse of Oliver Perez in his spring debut Sunday.
Unfortunately for Perez, his performance was less than stellar. The Braves jumped out to a 4-0 lead, knocking around the lefty for four runs in two innings. He also walked three.
"Right now, I just put it away and try to learn off what happened today," Perez said after the Mets' 5-4 win. "That's not easy when you walk three guys in a row, but that's part of the game."
Perez is competing for the fifth starting spot in New York's rotation with Chris Capuano, fully recovered from his second Tommy John surgery, Dillon Gee, Jenrry Mejia and D.J. Carrasco.
"In the past week I've been working too hard and I think everybody is kind of tired a little bit because it was very sunny, but that's why it's spring training," said the erratic lefty. "You try to get ready and try to be confident in all your pitches for the season."
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Mets manager Terry Collins wasn't concerned with Perez's start, saying, "We told him he would get a chance. I don't necessarily know if one outing is a chance."
"He showed you the first inning what he's got to do, and that's get ahead," Collins said. "The second inning he all of a sudden got away from going after the strike zone. He had a decent first inning and a tough second inning."
Perez attributed his not-so-Amazin' outing to being "excited and nervous at the same time."
"This wasn't the one I wanted, but you just have to take it easy and try to get ready for the next game," he said.
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