Scouting Report

Scouting Report:
The NLDS was the Wild Card series. Perez (has not pitched this postseason; 3-11, 6.55 ERA regular season) is the wild-card pitcher -- more likely to walk the ballpark than perform at the level he attained in 2004, when he won 12 of 22 decisions and produced a 2.99 ERA in 30 starts and 196 innings. But you never know. The Mets cling to the five-hit, one-walk shutout Perez pitched against the Braves on Sept. 6. And for those believe in omens, there is thisL Perez will be pitching Game 4. The Mets’record in Games 4 in postseason play is 7-4. And one of the seven, Game 4 victories came in the 2000 NLDS. Bobby Jones, a far more accomplished pitcher than Perez, pitched arguably the greatest game in Mets history, a one-hit shutout of the Giants. So who can say?

The Cardinals elected to go with Reyes (Has not pitched this postseason; 5-8, 5.06 ERA regular season) for the Game 4 start over Jason Marquis, who was left off of the NLCS roster. Reyes, who will be making his postseason debut, lasted just 2/3 of an inning in his final start of the regular season when he allowed four earned runs on five hits -- including two home runs -- against the Brewers on Oct. 1. The rookie right-hander was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in four September starts, allowing two earned runs or less in three of the starts and striking out 26 over 20 innings. He has never faced the Mets.