PEREZ GETS OKAY FROM METS TO PITCH FOR CULIACAN

Major league pitcher Oliver Perez has received a “thumbs up” from the New York Mets to pitch this winter for the Culiacan Tomateros. Perez had requested to be allowed to pitch for his hometown team after a rocky season with the Mets in which he was injured much of the year, ineffective when he did pitch for New York, and at one time refused a rehab assignment to AAA Buffalo (although he did later relent).

In 2011, the 29-year-old Perez will be entering the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract with the Mets signed after winning 25 games for the team between 2007 and 2008. Since then, he has gone 3-9 and pitched 112 innings (including an 0-4 record and 6.80 ERA in 2010). Speaking to LMB.com’s Gabriel Medina, Perez said, “I feel well, I have a positive mentality…my goal is to give 100 percent to Culiacan, to give the most possible and be safe so that things will be very different next year in the United States.”

Perez made his debut for the Tomateros on November 4, pitching a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in Mazatlan. He got roughed up for two runs in one frame two nights later against Los Mochis.