(Oliver) Pérez Shows His Good Side, Which Is Bad for the Yanks (RR)

Pérez was also implementing the advice of Warthen and the bullpen coach Guy Conti. In spring training, when Warthen was the Class AAA New Orleans pitching coach, he watched Pérez and made mental notes of adjustments he would recommend. Warthen suggested he move to the middle of the rubber from the far right side, a change that would improve his ability to pitch inside to right-handed hitters and away to left-handers.

He also mentioned the Cardinals great Bob Gibson, whose arm angle was similar to Pérez’s, and advocated adding a slight rock to Pérez’s motion that would give him momentum as he strode toward the plate. Before, he fell off to the side.

“These are not things necessarily that Santana will do, but people with his delivery need to do,” said Warthen, distinguishing Pérez from the Mets’ other left-handed starter, Johan Santana. “He had better life on the fastball all the way through, and I think that’s the biggest difference. Ollie likes to throw the baseball with velocity. Before, he would stand up and fall toward home plate, and that just leaves you to throw all arm, 88 miles an hour, straight fastballs. That ain’t cutting it.”

One start is one start, and that’s especially true for a guy who is consistently inconsistent as Perez but he was certainly throwing harder against the Yankees than he has all season.