Perez Questions Club’s Decision

Confused about the change in plans, struggling pitcher Carlos Perez questioned the Dodgers’ decision Friday to option him to triple-A Albuquerque.

It appeared the Dodgers would option rookie reliever Matt Herges to make room for Geronimo Berroa.

Berroa’s contract was purchased and the club used Perez’s spot to add the outfielder to the 25-man roster. His base salary is $300,000.

The timing of Perez’s demotion was somewhat surprising, but the move was expected sometime soon because Perez has pitched poorly since signing a three-year, $15.6-million contract before the 1999 season.

Perez didn’t see it coming.

“I don’t understand why they don’t wait a few more starts, I don’t understand why they don’t wait to see if it [his performance] gets better,” said Perez, informed of the move about 30 minutes before the Mets’ 2-1 victory at Shea Stadium.

“To me, it’s too soon for me to go there. They could at least let me pitch one or two more games and see. I worked hard, I know I can help my team, but I have to pitch. I don’t know why they don’t let me pitch here a little more.”

Manager Davey Johnson said he planned to skip Perez’s turn in the rotation during the upcoming three-game series against the San Francisco Giants at Pacific Bell Park. The left-hander was to be moved to the bullpen, because the club doesn’t need a fifth starter until April 15.

However, the Dodgers reevaluated the situation because the Montreal Expos pounded Perez in his regular-season debut Thursday at Olympic Stadium, and Herges has performed well out of the bullpen. Herges pitched two scoreless innings Friday, and has not yielded a run in two appearances.

General Manager Kevin Malone said Perez will start twice for Albuquerque before being recalled April 21 to start against the Cincinnati Reds at Cinergy Field. Then again, the plan has already changed once.

Malone declined to address questions about Perez’s future with the Dodgers if he struggles at Albuquerque again. Perez went 3-3 with a 5.92 earned-run average for the Dukes after his first demotion last season.

The Dodgers are handling the troubling Perez situation only in the moment, Malone said.

“We were deliberating up to the last minute what was in the best interest for Carlos Perez and the team,” he said. “We just felt Carlos needed to stay in his routine.

“We really deliberated until the very end whether to keep Carlos in long relief, but we felt Herges was better for that role. We believe in him, he’s made some progress, but he’s not to the point where he can sit for nine days, or pitch in long relief, and be effective.”

Perez worked 4 2/3 innings against the Expos. He gave up seven hits--including two three-run home runs--and eight runs (five earned).

“But that [was] only one start,” said Perez, struggling because of his still-unexplained loss in velocity. “You can’t do everything in one start.”

Perez is scheduled to start for the Dukes April 11 and 16. Rookie Eric Gagne, expected to make the rotation out of spring training, is the leading candidate to start April 15 against the Reds at Dodger Stadium, and Albuquerque pitchers Mike Judd and Jeff Williams are also being considered.

Perez is guaranteed $5 million this season and $7.5 million next. He’s 25 days short of five years service time, and the right to reject being optioned.

At that point, if Perez refused to return to triple-A, the Dodgers would probably release him and pay the remainder of his contract.

“I’m going to be back,” Perez said. “I’m going to pitch my two games down there and be back.”

TODAY

DODGERS’

KEVIN BROWN

(1-0, 4.50 ERA)

vs.

METS’

PAT MAHOMES

(0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Shea Stadium, 10 a.m. PDT

TV--Channel 5

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

* Update--Brown pitched six innings in the 10-4 opening-day victory over the Expos. The right-hander gave up seven hits and three runs, striking out seven in a subpar performance for him. “I would have liked to have pitched better, but winning is the bottom line,” Brown said. “I’ve always said I’ll take 10 runs every time out and take my chances. It’s obviously a lot easier to pitch like that.” Mahomes comes out of the bullpen to start in place of left-hander Al Leiter, who suffered a strained right groin during his first start. The right-handed Mahomes pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his first relief appearance this season. He last started June 8, 1996, pitching 4 1/3 innings for the Minnesota Twins in a loss to Oakland.