You’re surprised Oliver Perez sucks? Really?

Bob Klapisch thinks the Mets deserve a refund.

Bob, I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that your editor wrote that headline. Because it’s a pretty stupid sentiment.

Still, it’s in print. And it’s stupid. So we’re gonna rip you a little. Just a little.

The Mets knew what they were getting when they signed Perez. You thought Saturday’s implosion in Philly was bad? Well, it was. But it wasn’t the first time!

Remember April 11, 2007? That was the day Perez walked 7 batters in a game against the Phils at Shea. In the top of the third inning he gave up a single to Chase Utley, then he walked Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell. Then he walked Wes Helms (the $1 man) to score Utley. Then he walked Aaron Rowand to score Howard. Then he hit Rod Barajas with a pitch to score Burrell. And then the Mets finally got the hook.

Rob Neyer went to the trouble of creating a table with numbers detailing some of the worst piching stretches of Perez’s Mets tenure. There have been numerous. Long. Stretches.

Umpbump’s Paul Moro (a Mets fan) has written about Perez on several occasions, and he would have written this post except that he’s up on a ledge right now, where internet access is spotty.

In October, before the Mets signed Perez, Paul said the pitcher would never return to his 2004 self:

Sure, wherever Ollie ends up, he’ll probably still rack up the strikeouts. But he’ll also keep walking 4+ guys per game. And while he’s been able to keep his actual ERA well below the FIP and xFIP over the past two seasons, it’s a decent bet that this can’t continue. Yes, he’s still young as he won’t turn 27 until June. But we’ve seen him for almost 1000 innings now and he hasn’t changed.

Of course, Paul was right. And Neyer was right.

This is who Perez is. Stop acting surprised.