| Newsday, Melville, N.Y. PHILADELPHIA -- Imagine how good the Mets could be without Oliver Perez in the rotation. Jerry Manuel is thinking about it. So is Omar Minaya. SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS Even Perez finally said Saturday that he would accept a demotion to the minors after another meltdown in the Mets' 6-5 loss to the Phillies in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park. "If I need it, I have to go", said Perez, who lasted only 2 1/3 innings and allowed four runs, five hits and six walks, "because right now, I'm not helping my team." Perez was not the only one to blame for the defeat. Sean Green walked Shane Victorino on a 3-and-2 pitch with the bases loaded to force in the winning run with two outs in the 10th. When the Mets led 5-4 in the sixth, Pedro Feliciano surrendered the tying home run to Raul Ibanez. Jose Reyes failed to get a bunt down before striking out in the 10th inning. And with the go-ahead run at third, Carlos Beltran hit into a 5-4-3 double play. But all of those are minor defects when compared to the frazzled state of Perez, the club's No. 3 starter, who is in the first season of a three-year, $36-million contract. Knowing his job was in jeopardy, Perez did nothing to save it against the Phillies. What made his performance more mystifying was the fact that he was 1-0 with a 0.35 ERA in four 2008 starts against Philadelphia and did not allow a run in 12 2/3 innings at Citizens Bank Park. Perez had a spectacular flameout in the third, walking four of five batters -- including 46-year-old pitcher Jamie Moyer with the bases loaded. "His confidence is shot", Manuel said. "Very seldom have I seen him in that form and fashion. It's a serious struggle. I'm really discouraged at what's going on at this point." The Mets have a few different options. Because he has more than five years' service time, Perez can refuse a trip to the minors. But now that he is open to it, he could work out his issues without being so closely scrutinized. Perez, now the proud owner of a 9.97 ERA, could be sent to the bullpen, maybe even swapping spots with Ken Takahashi, who provided 2 2/3 scoreless innings in his Mets debut. It seems pointless to let Perez face the Phillies again Thursday at Citi Field, not when he threw 77 pitches in that short period -- only 36 for strikes. The Mets refused to tip their hand, but this is no longer simply a mechanical issue for Perez, and it will take more than a few side sessions to clear his head. "We're going to sit down and talk about it over the next couple of days", Minaya said. "We know he's better than that. We'll talk about how we can get him back on track. Everything is going to be on the table." Takahashi could be a good replacement. At 40, he became the third-oldest pitcher to make his major-league debut in the post-World War II era. Satchel Paige was 42 when he first pitched for Cleveland in 1948 and Diomedes Olivo debuted at the age of 41 for Pittsburgh in 1960. Not only had Takahashi not pitched in a week, but the Mets put him in an impossible spot, taking over for Perez with the bases loaded and one out in the third. Shane Victorino drilled the first pitch directly back at Takahashi, hitting him square below the sternum. But he knocked down the line drive and made a quick flip to the plate. Ramon Castro noticed that Moyer had fallen on the basepaths and completed the double play. Daniel Murphy and Castro hit back-to-back homers in the sixth off the fading Moyer before Alex Cora, pinch hitting for Takahashi, smacked a triple into the right-centerfield gap. Scott Eyre walked Reyes before Luis Castillo poked an RBI single through the infield. Castillo pounded his chest and pumped his fist after reaching first. Lacking an edge? Other than Perez, the Mets showed plenty of fight. Removing him looks to be in the best interest of the team. "If he didn't walk all those guys", Castro said, "we win this game."
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