Comments on: Recap: Heyman on WFAN

By: gomets019

gomets019 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:54:27 +0000

Heilman can’t get it done in tight games vs. Braves, Phillies, and playoffs. He gives up the home runs that linger and ruin seasons. He can not be our set up guy period. At first glance you’d take his era from the first guy out of the pen in the 6th or 7th, until you see that his numbers are bad in that role. I agree with Matt, our starting pitching is thin enough to use him there At this point I have to believe he’d be better than Nelson Figueroa, at least if hes gonna give up the long ball he could eat some innings. He’s young and cheap, and you always hear other teams would look at him as a starter. If Omar trult belives hes not a long term solution fine, but a short round of sucess as a starter could make Heilman a nice trading chip. If we never test him I have a feeling we get burned when he leaves or we trade him for nothing. I’m not saying the guys David Cone, but are we really so sure hes not Brian Bannister? I’d be shocked if he wasn’t at least league average. Why is the front office so down on the idea? If they still feel he can be relied upon to close games against our division rivals they just aren’t watching the games

By: C Dubb

C Dubb — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:47:12 +0000

What about the people that watch him pitch AND look at his numbers? I’d say they’re doing a better job analyzing him than you, Sasser. Don’t be afraid of numbers…they are your friends. In fact, they’re better than your friends because they’ll never lie to you.

By: wrightstuff08

wrightstuff08 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:57:40 +0000

i couldnt agree more!

By: VCarver

VCarver — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:49:02 +0000

No, he’s repeatedly asked in any interview I’ve heard if he’d still like to be a starter. And he always gives the diplomatic and tactful, yet truthful answer — something like “I’ve always wanted to be a starter but I know what my job is on this team.”" I’ve heard him repeat this in the last year.

I’m all for giving Heilman a shot at starting and they should have done it a few years ago. But you can’t do it in the middle of the season unless you send him down to the minors to stretch his arm out first …, and find a suitable replacement in the bullpen. I don’t see that happening with the Mets this year or any year.

If he still wants to start when he”s eligible to be a free agent, he will leave. And I’ll wish him all the luck in the world. I’ve always liked Heilman and can’t understand some of the animosity some fans have for him.

By: VCarver

VCarver — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:33:44 +0000

mikey, I don’t even read Wallace Matthews anymore because you know what you’re going to get and it’s not good. But at least even he doesn’t engage in wild speculation and make things up. I mean most of what he writes is just opinion and jabs at the Mets and their fans. So from a journalistic standpoint, he is less offensive than Salfino, IMO.

Another problem I had with that Salfino piece is how he clearly pins the blame for Reyes’ recent struggles on Willie having pulled him from a game last year and on having chastised him and Milledge for celebrating on a HR the last week of the season. Well how can the latter be the problem when Reyes’s struggles had been going on for a long time before that? And if being pulled from a game for not hustling is what ruined Reyes, then he is too fragile to be a ML player. It’s really not clear even now what the source of Reyes’ recent struggles has been, so for Salfino to indict Willie for them shows what his motivation really is.

By: Gina

Gina — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:31:14 +0000

He brought it up again last spring. I remember reading an article.

By: MudvilleNine

MudvilleNine — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:15:16 +0000

Its called “money”. Middle relievers and setup men dont get paid big bucks, only closers and starters, and even mediocre starters get big money. So thats a reason why he might want to start.

By: mikey_FF

mikey_FF — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:09:46 +0000

“He’s being paid about $3 million a year and it’s not to be a LOOGY.”

That was my point, you said it … not me! :)

I’ll have to keep my eyes open for more of Salfino … I do know of Wallace Matthews and he’s terrible.

By: VCarver

VCarver — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:02:45 +0000

I don’t even think Willie tries to get more out of him than is necessary. The fact is, the last week Maine lasted 4 innings, Ollie 5-2/3, and Pelfrey 5. So how are you going to get the rest of the outs when 1) Wagner doesn’t like to pitch in non-save situations and 2) They were short in the bullpen because of Wise and Feliciano

They can’t afford to bring in Show, have him face 1 batter and then bring in another reliever. He’s being paid about $3 million a year and it’s not to be a LOOGY.

If almost every starter went 7-8 innings, then OK, bash Willie for using Schoeneweis as more than a LOOGY. But until that happens, then it’s just unreasonable to expect Show to be used that way. Fans who say that have no conception of reality.

Besides, even when facing lefties, Show flunks as he did in Atlanta this past weekend. He’s not even good as a LOOGY, despite what the numbers say.

This Salfino writer is just awful for writing a hatchet piece without any supporting quotes or hard facts. Marty Noble has written critical pieces on Wille, but he didn’t wildly speculate and at least he put in quotes from players like Lo Duca and Wagner. That’s the difference between a real journalist and an amateur hack like Salfino.

By: mikey_FF

mikey_FF — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:01:52 +0000

I was thinking more along the lines of giving Joboo some rum … or sacrificing a chicken in the locker room.