No one doubted the mysterious decline of Oliver Perez required a radical solution. But a demotion to the bullpen, most likely as a mop-up guy, hardly seemed the proper choice.

That's where Perez, who has tumbled from being ranked among the elite pitchers of the game to one who has lost eight of his past nine decisions, is headed in a move made a few hours before the Pirates lost their 12th consecutive game, 4-2, to the Chicago White Sox last night at PNC Park.

Perez was sometimes brilliant as a starter this season but too often awful, as his 2-10 record and 6.33 earned run average indicate. Prior to a horrendous start last week against Los Angeles -- seven walks in 3 2/3 innings -- he had two consecutive starts in which he allowed three earned runs in 14 2/3 innings.

"He gives you a spectacular performance then he gives you three bad ones,'' Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "Then he gives you two good ones and then he gives you two more real bad ones.''

The awful outnumbered the good and the Pirates hierarchy had enough.

Tracy was ambiguous about the exact role Perez will fill in the bullpen, which now had eight members, including four left-handers. But with the wobbly control he recently has displayed, lost causes would figure to be the only opportunities in his immediate future.

That job is open following the designation for assignment of Ryan Vogelsong, who rarely pitched in a game of importance. Vogelsong was replaced on the roster by Jonah Bayliss, who had pitched well in relief at Class AAA Indianapolis.

Whatever his responsibilities, the bullpen would figure to be the last place where Perez would regain the form that once labeled him as a coming star of the game. In 2004, his second season, Perez was 12-10 with a 2.98 ERA. He struck out 239 in 196 innings, the best ratio in baseball.

If Perez, who has walked 51 in 76 innings, can't be trusted in a starting role, where a pitcher has some leeway, how can he be used in crucial relief situations where there is no leeway?

More to the point, how is he going to improve being used irregularly, as is the case with the mop-up guy?

Which means the bullpen stint could be a brief one for Perez. The Pirates will need a starter to replace Perez in the rotation by Saturday. Barring a quicker-than-expected return to health of Victor Santos, who is on the disabled list, minor-leaguer Tom Gorzelanny, extremely effective at Indianapolis, likely will get the call. The most obvious candidates to be removed from the roster to make room for a new starter are Bayliss and Perez.

It would be a cruel blow to Bayliss if he were sent back so soon, but those things happen all the time. Still, it makes more sense that Perez will join the staff at Indianapolis as a starter.

Tracy would not rule out Perez being shipped to the minors.

By keeping Perez around for four extra days, and bypassing his scheduled start tomorrow, the Pirates have the luxury of an additional reliever, and Perez also could cram in a couple of bullpen sessions under the tutelage of pitching coach Jim Colborn.

Although no one on the Pirates would admit this, Perez might benefit by the change of scenery. He has not prospered under Colborn, just as he didn't in 2005 under Spin Williams, who was the pitching coach in 2004 when Perez was so successful. Maybe Jeff Andrews, the pitching coach at Indianapolis who is held in high regard by many of the team's young pitchers, could help Perez. The Pirates have run out of answers for his ineffectiveness. Why not give Andrews a chance to see what he can do?

Tracy made it clear no one in the Pirates organization is giving up on Perez.

"You don't strike out 239 guys in the big leagues by accident," he said. "You can't do that. That's impossible. It's too hard here."

Poor mechanics and a fall off in the velocity of his fastball have been cited as a reason for the decline of Perez, who was a disappointing 7-5 with a 5.85 ERA last season. Tracy wasn't sure either was the specific cause.

"Are there times when his mechanics are way off? Yes, they are. But when he pitches well that's not the case. You can't say it's entirely mechanics. If it's entirely mechanics, he couldn't give some of the performances we've seen."

Nor would Tracy buy the notion that the decline in velocity -- mid to high 90s to low 90s -- is a factor in the decline.

"When I look up at the scoreboard for the better part of his last couple of starts, I see 93 [mph], I see him touching 94, I see 92 on a regular basis.

"He has plenty of velocity to get people out. Plenty of it."

Once true greatness was within reach of Perez. It's possible that form might some day be regained. For now, though, the Pirates would be happy if he could elevate his game to a touch above mediocre.