You’ve heard of “suicide by cop?” Yesterday Indians closer Chris Perez tried to commit suicide by media.

Perez took shots at the Indians front office, chalking up the difference in the success of small market teams like Oakland to that of Cleveland to “different owners … [The Tigers] are spending money. [Mike Ilitch] wants to win. Even when the economy was down, he spent money. He’s got a team to show for it. You get what you pay for in baseball. Sometimes you don’t. But most of the time you do.”

He also criticized the Indians for not signing Josh Willingham:

“Josh Willingham would look great in this lineup. They didn’t want to [pay] for that last year. … That’s the decision they make, and this is the bed we’re laying in.”

True, but closers aren’t paid to speak such truths to the media in the middle of a disastrous season for the team. Seems to me that Perez is angling for a way out of town. And he may just get it.