Our old friend Oliver Perez is starting Game 7 for the Mets tonight. Yep, Oliver Perez, headcase extrordanaire...Game 7, Mets, New York, biggest market in the world. And it's weirding me out man.
Not sure why the whole situation is making me uncomfortable. Can't quite wrap my head around it.
Is it a secret fear that he might pitch really, really well? Nope. I'm rooting for him. I love Ollie, always have. He drove me nuts, but I loved him. It's not his fault he got shipped out. Well, it is his fault in the sense that he sucked this year, that's true. But it's not his fault Littlefield gave up on him. Giving up on players is a Littlefield classic.
Maybe it's a secret fear that he might really, really suck? Nope, not that either. 'Cause more than likely, he will suck. That's his style. He's a headcase. Up and down like Jenna Jameson on a see-saw.
Am I nervous he's going to suck and everyone's going to say "well that's what you get with an ex-Pirate?" Nah, not really. 'Cause it's pretty much true. Whatever.
So what the hell is it? Why am I weirded out? Please, someone tell me, 'cause I'm clueless. All I can do is sit around, watch the game, and think about what a strange little career he's had so far.
- 2004 - Ollie, out of nowhere, amazing. The next big thing. The new face of the franchise. He's a local hero in Mexico. Oliver Perez billboards everywhere. He's a God.
- 2005 - He's gonna be an All-Star. Hell, he's gonna win the Cy Young. No question, this kid's the man. Pirates fans are pumped. But...disaster. No consistency. Gets so mad at himself he kicks a laundry basket and breaks his toe. How you break your toe on a friggin' laundry basket is beyond me. Season's wasted.
- 2006, Part 1 - High hopes. He's gonna bounce back. He is. We all got faith. He's a trooper. But...no. More inconsistency. Gets so bad he gets sent to the bullpen, Charlie Sheen style. Then it's down to the minors. Yes, sent to the minors, by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Not good. Finally, he's traded as part of that Xavier Nady deal. Pirates fans are pissed.
- 2006, Part 2 - Mets, NLCS, Game 7
That's three interesting years for my boy Ollie.
What's going to happen tonight? Who knows. Logically, he should get his tits lit.
But, in my gut, I got a feeling he's going to get it done. I do. I really, really do.
Thanks to Katielady for finding the Ollie picture.
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