I have a running debate with Mike Silva about Oliver Perez. He believes the Mets should re-sign him because the Mets do not have anyone else to fill that rotation spot. I think that anyone who signs Perez for 2009 and beyond is absolutely nuts, whether it is for a big money contract or for peanuts.

Granted, his agent Scott Boras will force feed some team Oliver Perez who “is young, lefthanded and has a very live arm.” While he is all that, Perez is also aloof, prone to wildness and a loser.

How can you explain last night? While many pundits have made David Wright and Ryan Church, the bullpen and almost 3rd base coach Luis Aguayo possible culprit’s to last night’s debacle, THE BIGGEST LOSER WAS OLIVER PEREZ.

He had a 4 run lead in the middle of an important September stretch run game and he lost it via his usual wildness! He couldn’t even get out of the 5th inning! He characteristically walked two guys before giving up a big hit, and then was pulled early. That has been his M.O. this entire season - his final, walk, big money contract season!

Is this the type of pitcher you want on your team, Met fans?

His stats this September include 5 starts, a 1-0 record and an ERA of 6.26. He is 10-7 this season with no more than 2 wins in any month - tremendously consistent in his mediocrity!

These are Perez’ career numbers: a 55-60 Won-Loss record (.478), 994 innings, 525 walks (4.75 per 9), with a 4.39 ERA. He does strike out a lot of batters (more than 1 per inning), but should one redeeming pitching quality earn a player a long term, multi-million dollar contract?

Plus, reports have Perez similar in intelligence as a brick wall, and who can forget his blooper pitch he threw during a game a few starts ago? Pitching coach Dan Warthen turned his back from the cameras to mouth what was likely a few choice obscenities.

I have said all season that Perez should not (and will not) be a Met next season, and because of the putrid Mets bullpen, that the Mets should use Perez similar to how the Milwaukee Brewers are using CC Sabathia. That is as a rental player who should be pitched very deep into games with very high pitch counts to avoid the bullpen at all costs. But, Perez’ lack of command, his wildness and general ineffectiveness late in the season has pushed Manuel to get the bullpen into games much sooner than he wanted.

Is this the type of pitcher you want to give $50 million over 3-4 years?

If re-signed to a big money contract by Omar Minaya, Perez would be the Luis Castillo of the rotation, a player making a lot of money with no production. The only reason Perez is not ripped like the Met fans rip Castillo is because the Met fans know Castillo is on the books for three more seasons. And if you think 10 wins a year in 33 starts is good production, then you don’t know baseball.

Perez is too up and down, too flaky and does not have any track record of production. If you take away the name and the fact that the Mets have a couple of rotation spots open next season, there is no way you would give big money to a sub .500 career pitcher with control problems.

He will get his money, but it should be for some other team - not the New York Mets. The Mets would be crazy to do so. And so would the Yankees.