The Nationals signed Oliver Perez to a minor league deal and assigned him to minor league camp, the team announced (on Twitter). This marks the second time this week that an NL East rival has picked up a discarded Mets veteran; the Phillies signed Luis Castillo Monday.
The Nationals will be responsible for the Major League minimum salary if Perez makes the team and the Mets will assume the rest of his $12MM salary. Southpaws Sean Burnett and Doug Slaten figure to pitch at the major league level, while Perez works in the minors. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter) that Perez will begin the season at Triple-A.
The Nationals signed Perez on the recommendation of Spin Williams, a pitching coordinator who knows Perez, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter). Perez will report to minor league camp and work with Williams, according to Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com (on Twitter).
As MLBTR's Agency Database shows, the Nationals already have eight Scott Boras clients: Rick Ankiel, Alex Cora, Danny Espinosa, Alberto Gonzalez, Bryce Harper, Ivan Rodriguez, Stephen Strasburg and Jayson Werth. Boras appears to have a strong working relationship with Nationals GM Mike Rizzo.
Yahoo's Tim Brown first reported the deal.
Yuck. That is all.
I’ll say!
See what happens when GM’s forget to take their meds?
Below this comment 400 bitter and angry Met fans comments about how Mike Rizzo is retarded and/or Oliver Perez will suck.
haha here i thought the nats were getting pretty good…now they are not
You do know this is a Minor League deal, right?
yeah ik but still
You also know your team is responsible for over 12 mil of that salary right?
yeah but idc hes off the team now and thats all that matters…would i rather wait a whole year with him on the team wasting a roster spot and having to pay the money after that anyways, or would i rather pay it now and get a use full roster spot, and take 400k off his 12 mil…it makes sense
that is reasonable, but here the Nats take a low risk move. Only problem is that they are essentially throwing away 400k-. All depends on where his ceiling stands right now.
Personally, I’d say something like: Hey Perez, thought you were too good for a Minor League Deal.
I’d rather HAVE Ollie for 400k than NOT have him for $11.6 mil…but that’s just me
I’d rather pay him 11.6 mil to sabotage a division rival than 400K to pitch for my team
LOL
I’d rather pay him nothing and watch him ruin 2 Division Rivals
Actually just under 12 million
i wanna know why. why is oliver perez suddenly ok with going to the minors now that he is a national? just annoying
So do I as I posted above. Guess it was the only way, to get a deal and I am sure he wants to play.
Perhaps Spin Williams saw something fix-able in Perez’s delivery, and was able to convince him that it would be worth a try to correct it in the minors
POOPING FROM LOLLING
best. reaction. ever.
Lol you made me choke on my coffee
at least you only had to wipe your chin
now the mets can get their payback on olli
Eh, maybe if he decides to convert himself to a pitcher some good can come of this.
Well done sir, well done.
3 more wins for the Braves
very fast these nats
Maybe he can play CF.
Its official, the Nationals are Scott Boras’ new favorite mark, I mean team.
Next week, the Nationals sign Joe Crede.
Joe Crede has infinitely higher odds of being useful than Perez.
Don’t understand all the negativity about these types of signings. It’s a minor-league contract and all the Nats are responsible for is his minor-league salary. The Mets pay the rest. If he finds himself again, great. If not, what did it cost the team?
I have a feeling that someone associated with the Nationals have noticed a flaw in his delivery over the past couple of years and believe he can be “fixed” by correcting it.
He’s only 29 and remember that Livan won 10 games and had a 3.66 ERA after three very bad seasons. Who is to say that Perez can’t do the same? Do I think he will? No. But he might. You never know.
it’s not negativity. it’s laughter
opening day is still a week away. this is all we can do
Man I can’t wait any longer for opening day. Something about baseball that just makes everything right.
………………..agree
apparently you haven’t seen him the past two years…he sucks
apparently you haven’t seen him the past two years…he sucks
You can say that again
The Anti-Strass.
that’s true. Perez never had Tommy John Surgery!
Yet 5 days after TJ Surgery, a state trooper could probably still give Strasburg’s fastball a ticket.
It’s hard to throw a fastball when your arms in a sling…
You’d still probably have a more accurate throw with it in a sling over Oliver Perez
…wait, they start Perez, then the next day, start Strasburg to make him look even more dominant? MY GOD IT’S GENIUS
Anyone think this is Rizzo doing a FAVOR for Boras? I can’t believe Rizzo would be this dumb without getting something in return
If this was a favor, how much did Rizzo owe Boras before the Werth deal?
When you have the type of crippling Faberge egg addiction that Rizzo has, you tend to owe some pretty big favors.
hah I don’t think people got this reference.
I’m glad someone did though.
Well this certainly isn’t as fun as the Yankee’s signing him.
Ehhh there’s a new phenom in town! Strasburg who??
“Oliver Perez is the next Sandy Koufax.”
– Scott Boras
As least Koufax knew when to quit.
I think this is 99.5% likely to not work out for the Nats but it is costing them nothing so why the hate?
Dontchu know?? Hataz gonna Hate mannnn
I don’t know of anyone that hates the Nationals. I just think they find this signing humorous.
If $400,000 is nothing, then uh, give it to me because I can sure use it.
Since when is 400k nothing?
It’s a typical garbage-heap signing for the Nats. If it works out, we look like geniuses and can maybe unload him at the deadline for something. If not, we lost nothing, like with Wang last year. $400k in Major League salaries is nothing, especially since our owners are the richest in baseball.
The Nationals have seen this guy pitch all spring. What makes them think he’s going to all of a sudden find 8 MPH more. Stupid scouts.
Stupid commenter thinking this deal means the scouts are in love with Perez. It’s a minor league deal. A minor league MINIMUM deal. $65k.
Yes and someone signed him to a minor league deal. I understand its a minor league deal but what is the point? He will never make the team and the Nationals have a surplus of pitching.
Relax bud. If scouts are willing to give this guy a chance than they clearly haven’t been paying attention. Perez throws 85MPH with no movement. He can’t find the plate, can’t pitch to righties (not much better against lefties either) and falls over every time he releases the ball. This guy wouldn’t go to the minors last year when the Mets asked him to. Forgive me for having absolutely zero faith in the guy. I’m sure he’s a nice guy but he doesn’t deserve a chance in major league baseball ever again.
I’m sure he’ll never pitch for the Nats but have fun watching him the rest of the spring. I’m sure you’ll be impressed.
Considering that he signed a MINOR LEAGUE DEAL I think the Nats are well aware of his shortcomings but are willing to try and see if they can salvage something out of him for some purpose, even if it’s as a loogy in july or august.
Let me ask you this — who is more likely to contribute to the Nats this year, Perez or the woman that answers the phone when you call 202-675-NATS? Because they’ll make about the same amount of money. He gets $65,000 unless the Nats decide to promote him and pay the MLB minimum.
I’m not arguing with you over Oliver Perez. Enjoy the show.
wait people go to Nationals games?
Only if Strasburg pitches, which unfortunately won’t happen this year, but if Perez ever came in relief, you’d find an empty stadium.
Yeah. Phillies fans.
wtf, she gets 65k for answering calls?! I chose the wrong profession…
There is no chance a Customer service Rep for the Nationals is making $65,000 a year. None.
Yikes. I know it’s a minor league deal but what’s the upside? If he’s on their major league roster, their season is over. They have so many other worthy candidates for 5th starter jobs unless he’s going to work in the minors and become a reliever, something I didn’t think he was very high on.
Also, the Nats seem to be stockpiling ex-Pirates, it’s really kinda weird.
Daniel Cabrera take II. Nats continue to be a horribly run team.
That is way too far of a claim.
I thought Cabrera was more of a Nook LaLoosh whereas Perez has a dead arm. The claim that they are a horribly run team is ridiculous. You can polish a turd but it’s still a turd. Signings like this just indicate that they’re investing little to maybe get something out of it. Most of the big name FAs want to go to top teams and not terrible teams like the Nats because they want to win now. If you want to claim they’re poorly run, you should look at how well they have invested in the farm system, which was just horribly decimated by Omar Minaya’s reign of terror and Jim Bowden’s stupid use of draft picks. They’re getting things done at the bottom and just have to tread water at the top until the kids are ready.
This is a waste of 400K….I don’t understand why the Nationals did this, I don’t really see any way Perez makes it to the Nationals unless Burnett and Slaten both get injured, which is highly unlikely. I just don’t really get this move.
oh noes not 400K!!!! the nats are sure 2 go broke now
IT’S NOT $400K. That’s the MLB minimum. It’s 65k, the minor league minimum.
its just a minor league deal, literally no risk involved with this signing. who cares its not even a big deal. although i agree it would be hilarious if the yankees signed him
THIS would happen the day I wear my Nats hat…
You should have done all caps on “would” not “this”
I wish I had an option for italics 🙁
You do.
They’re signing him…to do what, exactly? I guess their advance scouts are impressed by his 86-mph gopherball.
or i believe williams it is? sees a flaw and thinks he can adjust it. then who knows. low risk high reward.
Someone can fix Oliver Perez? The world is rhombus shaped?
Hey, look Perez is gonna help the Mets after all. Hes gonna pitch for the Nats against the Mets!(yes I know its only a minor league contract)
First Castillo helps out the Mets by signing with the Phils to continue to drop flyballs for the Mets.
Now Perez is gonna help the Mets by pitching for the Nats.
I guess they do know how run an organization in New York.
Hahaha, good point. Maybe he felt he still had to earn the 12mil somehow.
Knowing the Mets luck, Perez will dominate the Mets
The Nats are now poised to make a World Series run!
Just kidding, of course. All kidding aside, this deal isn’t all that bad. The Mets are eating most of his contracts and if he doesn’t pay off (and he won’t most likely) then not much was spent on him. Low risk, so why not? I highly doubt he will actually pitch for them but hey maybe he goes in the minors, spends a lot of time there, and actually beomces somewhat useful. I know his velocity is down but there surely he feels relieved to finally be somewhere else. Maybe the change of scenery can help. I don’t think this is a great move, but it’s an understandable one.
god whoever compared the Daniel Cabrera deal to this deal needs to get off the drugs
Daniel Cabrera was a major league deal and gave him somwhere between 2-3 million gurrenteed not to mention perez atleast has had some major league success back in the day
even the penny pinching royals would would die of laughter at some of the comments posted here
If this is true…then I should get a minor league deal.
More likely to happen- Castillo has a 4 HR game against the Mets, or Ollie throws a perfect game against the Mets
Would be great to see both
The reason this is a bad deal is that Perez brings with him an air of selfishness and entitlement, along with a lazy training regimen and a lack of perspective on himself that crosses the line into stupidity. (I don’t say that lightly or with intent to insult. I think it’s the unfortunate fact.) Were I the Nats I would not want him anywhere near young players.
The Nats are developing a horrible reputation for employing clubhouse pariahs — from the now-departed Elijah Dukes, to the suddenly punkish Nyjer Morgan, now to the self-serving and obtuse Perez. That’s not a good reputation for the club to have.
Beyond that, low-cost aside, is the blowback — both with the fanbase and their professional peers — a signing like this gives an organization straining to improve its credibility. It makes the organization seem foolish and clueless — not shrewd. Wang could be viewed as a gamble. This can only be viewed as a gaffe.
The good part about the Rizzo regime is that they have shown no unwillingness to cut the negativity. They got rid of Milledge and Dukes, and if I understood DC media at all, they tried to get rid of Morgan but since he sucked last year, I guess there were no takers. Michael Burgess as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if they canned him if he starts whining.
Apparently the Nationals forgot that they are not supposed to suck anymore.
Not even Leo Mazzone could help Oliver Perez pitch better.
Am I the only one who actually kind of likes this deal? Low risk, potentially (some) reward.
You should be the only one…
I wish something like this happened everyday so I can read all the funny comments. Too bad there is only one Oliver Perez.
Not a bad move actually. If somehow he turns his career around and returns to 80% of what he once was it will look like a great move. If he continues to suck then oh well, the Nats don’t get burned bad at all.
He refused to go to the minors for the Mets last year, and now he signs a minor league deal with another team. This guy’s IQ must be in the low double digits.
He refused to go to the minors for the Mets last year, and now he signs a minor league deal with another team. This guy’s IQ must be in the low double digits.
you mis-spelled ERA
you misspelled misspell
Hmm. Maybe he can teach Strasburg a thing or two about pitching…
Everyone…they signed him to pitch BP. Have any of you watched a batting practice? Mid 80mph fastballs are the norm, plus he’s going to help plate discipline because the Nats BP batters are going to see a lot more pitches off the plate/too far inside. Good move Nats’ hiring on intangibles.
I am waiting for the “Nationals no longer interested in Oliver Perez” article, even after signing him…
hahahahahhah hes gonna get lit up even in the minors