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In a report for Newsday, David Lennon details a phone call made from Aaron Heilman to Omar Minaya, during which Heilman once again asked that he be a starting pitcher.
“We talked and he expressed himself,” Lennon quotes Minaya as saying. “He told me that he’d like the opportunity to start. 
But my job is to make sure I do what’s in the best interest of the team, and we still see him in the bullpen.”
Last night on SNY’s Mets Hot Stove, SI.com’s Jon Heyman again referenced Heilman’s ‘high-back elbow,’ which Mets officials believe could lead to injury if he throws more than 100 innings in a season, similar to Mark Prior.
In other words, according to Heyman, the Mets are looking out for Heilman’s health…by keeping him in the bullpen.
That said, the Rockies and D’Backs, among other teams, still believe that he can be starting pitcher, Heyman wrote in his blog for SI.com in early November.
…i still get the sense heilman will be traded for a relief pitcher, who has experience as a closer…to the Mets, it would be swapping out relievers…to the team getting heilman, they would be swapping a reliever for a starter…so, it makes sense on both sides, especially heilman’s, who would get a much-needed change of scenery and the opportunity to start, which he has earned…
By the way, to watch clips from last night’s Mets Hot Stove show, courtesy of SNY, click here.
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This obviosuly is no surprise at all…
tell me something I don’t know
I went to sleep, and woke up, but it still seems like yesterday…
“But my job is to make sure I do what’s in the best interest of the team”
…which is why I signed Luis Castillo to a 4 year contract.
It wasn’t in the best interest of the team to sign a guy clearly on the downside of his career? Who knew?!?!?!
is it groundhogs day already?
lovethe sarcasm iamatwork
love the sarca-sm i am at work btw guys u can’t write sarca-sm ne more
Pretty soon the word “crony” won’t be allowed either.
or jeff wilpon
castillo is the word that should be banned from the blog… ugh!!
kinda like te name MOTA!!
“Castillo” will be the new “Mendoza” phrase. It will be used when speaking of a horrible contract.
i thought that was argenis reyes lol
For the life of me I still cannot understand why Heilman was never given a real shot at being a starter. It almost seems like Omar is keeping him in the bullpen to spite him, not that he would have a reason to…
1) Tommy John, He’ll likely need it sometime in the next 200-500 IP.
2) $ – starters earn a lot more in arbitration, Heilman could have a decent year as a starter then spend the next two blowing out his elbow and rehabing his elbow.
I agree with Nate, especially on point number one.
Heilman’s mechanics, specifically his arm action, are extremely risky. A lot of relievers (i.e. Billy Wagner, B.J. Ryan, Joel Zumaya, Huston Street) tend to get away with arm actions that a starter never could. When said starters do have risky arm actions, they’re usually either more on the borderline (i.e. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, John Smoltz, Oliver Perez) or simply considered so talented that they can’t afford to be put in the bullpen their whole careers (Francisco Liriano, Brandon Morrow, Max Scherzer). Then there are the guys who are seemingly injured about every other year. A.J. Burnett, Anthony Reyes, Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Ian Kennedy, Chris Carpenter, etc. (although I admit the latter two have more to do with arm timing problems vs. the kind of arm action Heilman has). You’d basically be turning Heilman into one of these guys if you moved him into the rotation. Oh, and you’d be suddenly upping his workload per game and workload per year into a danger zone, considering his mechanics.
He’d likely experience problems with shoulder impingment as well as problems with his elbow. The latter would be of extreme concern to me, especially considering how much Aaron has had tendinitis in his elbow over the past three years. That’s a BIG red flag. Another thing to consider is just how much Aaron would be throwing his slider. The slider isn’t bad when you combine it with good mechanics, but it is somewhat tough on a pitcher’s UCL (i.e. the ligament that gets replaced in Tommy John surgery) and when a pitcher with injurious mechanics throws it enough, it actually becomes a potential cause of injury. That’s why you had Peterson deleting the slider from Heilman’s repertoire for so long.
The irony of course is that Rick Peterson got Heilman back to pitching with the mechanics he used in Notre Dame. The starts he made throwing straight over the top vs. sidearm were with a completely different, less risky arm action and one that frankly Heilman wasn’t very good with. But once Peterson had gotten Heilman back to his old windup and by virtue of that, old arm action, he realized what an injury risk it would present. Since a relief pitcher throws a lot fewer innings and ultimately disperses his pitches more evenly over the course of a season, Aaron was converted into a reliever. And the rest is history.
Oliver Perez actually has pretty good mechanics. He seems to flap but that’s because his arm whips in a way – he isn’t throwing across his body as much as others do (like Prior). But Prior and Wood are bad examples, Dusty Baker ruined them.
like girardi ruining olsen and jobba ?
Thanks for the insightful detail that I didnt have the time (or insight) to expound earlier…
Oliver Perez’s mechanics were rescued by Petersen. The baseball think factory did a video breakdown of his resurection. His velocity has to do with an extreeme shoulder load and not over exertion of the elbow of shoulder. Think touching your elbows together behind your back.
I of the belief that Heilman was allowed to return to his poor mechanics because he couldnt figure out how to pitch with his good mechanics. Sometime after being drafted someone in the Mets player development team correctly changed his mechanics so he could develop as a healthy effective pitcher. At some point he just couldnt develop enough to get big league hitters out, so they let him go back to the poor, but more effective mechanics and started touting him as Don Drysdale 2.0… But they were really concerned about the injury potential.
Im not a medical person to know how accurate that is but if that is the case..he has got to go. Heilman cannot succeed as a relief pitcher anymore and the atmosphere in ny will be vicious regarding heilman. I think it would be best for omar to trade him if this elbow thing has weight. Let some other team experiment since it seems the mets are unwilling to. Lets just hope we get something in return that is valuable.
just like we did with Kazmir!
I would kill to get Victor Zambrano for Heilman.
Well he IS a free agent.
Maybe we can trade Heilman to free agency for Victor Zambrano?
In all seriousness, I don’t see the harm in keeping Heilman around to be a 5th starter. At least give him a shot.
If he starts and he failes, his value is nil. That’s the harm.
very true – say trade him to colorado or chicago – if he suceeds as a starter good for him – if he bombs – meh not our fault
We’ve all been held back from doing what we really want at some point in life.
At this point, I really just want to see him succeed, even if it’s for some other team. I know this is metsblog and all, and we’re supposed to be rah rah Mets all the time… but I do feel for the guy and I want him to get his shot.
Somewhere in all of this, there is a Disney movie to be made.
THE TRUE STORY OF AARON HEILMAN……
The script would be simple:
-Enter the game in the 8th inning.
-Leadoff walk.
-Single.
-3-run bomb off the scoreboard.
-Walks off the mound as the screen fades to black and the credits start rolling.
u forgot the dumb look on his face after the 3R bomb.
don’t forget the sniper missing the shot from the bok depository
*book
Animated movie right? Little beetle on the peak of his cap telling him what pitch to throw?
except luis castillio eats him
and the weak hitting princess said “Take you over to the ball? I thought you said take you over the wall.”
I see your point but he was not to impressive as a starter. Not like he pitching great as a starter and the Mets just moved him to the bullpen.
I agree they should trade him and it will be good for Heilman and for the Mets.
He was never given a real chance as a starter for anyone to honestly say he failed.
Pelfrey went through the same thing (if not worse) to start his career, but he was given ample time to right the ship, heilman was not given the same opportunity
Heilman has more time in the minors Pelf was rushed up here … Heliman had 2 seasons.
are you sure ? i remember him up with in a year and a half
For the love of all that is holy Omar just set Heilman free already! Clearly he wants to be a starter, so trade him to a team that wants him rather than keeping him (and us) miserable as a reliever.
I agree with Omar…Heilman doesnt have the talent to be a starter…and he is an injury waiting to happen…Trade him for Huston Street or to the Rays for Sonnestine and Bradford.
I would take either of those trades in a heartbeat. I think you are overvaluing Heilman however. For Street, Omar would probably have to throwin a prospect; for Sonnestine and Bradford, that would most likely be an eitehr/or proposition for Heilman rather than both.
Then send Heilman along with Delgado for Jackson and Bradford. Then make a play for Tex.
Tampa could use another hitter.
Tampa doesnt want that kind of contract….I would take him straight up for Sonnenstine or for Bradford…and I would be willing to include Evans to get Street
look delgado isn’t going anywhere like castillio isn’t going anywhere like heilman aint goin anywhere – u see the trend?
I am all for keeping Delgado around, but to think we will get Brardford and Sonnastine for Evans and Heilman, makes me say why don’t we trade Murphy straight up for Pujols?
Not even close.
lol yeah a-reyes al reyes and val pascucci for brandon webb or whats his name from the astros lol
if the Mets could trade Heilman, Kunz and Evans for Street that would be a great move.
Sign Lowe and K-Rod, and give an incentive laden deal to Pedro or Penny or Mulder for the 5th SP or sign Jason Marquis.
Trade castillo for anything and go get Freddie Sanchez and that is a great offseason
Yes, Oleosmirf. Freddie Sanchez would be a terrific second base solution if we were able to get him. Post the All-Star break, he batted for a .346 batting average.
not to mention he plays solid defense and doesnt strike out much, now if would learn to walk more he’d really be a fine player
Sign Marquis so he can hit us a grand slam down the strech lol
Looking out for his health? What about by health? Years have been shaved off of my life watching this guy pitch.
years have been shaved off my life watching this team play.
hahaha
Truer words have never been spoken.
yeah being a met fan is like married 2 great years of sex and 46 years of suffering lol
Johan, we only need 5 more out of you anyway :-)
Johan could play second base pretty well i bet.
I bet he could too. Think he could turn a DP?
he was brought up as a 3b wasn’t he?
he was scouted and signed as a CF as a teenager.
If the Mets cant trade Heilman for a decent closer to be an 8th inning guy then let him start.
In Buffalo.
You need to explain why Heilman has “earned the opportunity to start”…..how, by whining? his performance in 03-05 as a starter was not too good save for one game, in fact it was awful, he made Victor Zambrano look like Cy Young…so enough…he was given plenty opportunity to start and the Mets said “wow, he hasnt looked to good and he’s only got 1 pitch with 2 variations….a change-up and a faster change-up”…
If Brian Stokes starts whining too does he “earn the opportunity”
I agree with you 100%. He had his chance not like he was tearing things up as a starter and the Mets moved him.
He was not to good as a starter.
Parnell in a few years will start crying to in a few years when he is still in the bullpen lol.
not if he is the closer.
Heilman had a great spring in 2006 and should have beaten out Banister for that spot in the rotation. Banister just pitched out of his mind that spring.
yup, this is the one reason Heilman to start supporters can bring up. That he pitched well as a starter that spring, but has still not had the chance to show it.
Honestly, this guy has some nerve whining and demanding stuff.
Throw him down in AAA
Whatever dude. Go watch the Eagles :-)
I’d rather watch Arena Football
For the starting rotation, we need to sign Lowe or resign Ollie. And, we also have to either: complete a trade for Vasquez ridding us of Castillo possibly, trade Heilman in a deal for Sonnanstine, or sign Brad Penny. We have options with Heilman though, adding him with a prospect for Huston Street sounds great to me in the bullpen.
this makes me sick to my stomach. ENOUGH ALREADY WITH AFH! I gave him a chance after Game 7….but 2 years in a row, I BLAME HIM for giving up grand slams, and blowing leads, and I have only minimal sympathy for him playing hurt- he is NOT CHAD PENNINGTON ….playing hurt does NOT automatically make you soft in fan’s hearts….I’m sorry- I’m DONE WITH HIM…and I don’t don’t don’t understand WHY he is continually given an opportunity to break OUR HEARTS. Maybe he’ll be a rockstar SOMEWHERE ELSE…as an Astros fan, I had to endure Brad Lidge freaking become a rockstar again after leaving Houston- where he just was AWFUL his last season there…Is Aaron Heilman going to pitch better if he doesnt’ inherit runners in scoring position? Is he going to be able to strike people out better earlier in the game? I know one thing…in Washington in September, when everyone else was tossing the ball around…he spent 30 minutes taking pictures with fans- and then went out and STUNK UP THE PLACE IN RELIEF…..I don’t even know who these “FANS” are…just young kids who don’t know him from Santana I guess….but it doesn’t matter….HE SHOULD NEVER WEAR A METS UNIFORM AGAIN…I’m so over him. argh.
Just talking about Heilman makes me sick im getting off this blog and going to an Eagles blog because people in Philly love the Eagles more then the Phillies and since I can not make fun of the Phillies at least I can make fun of the Eagles since the Giants are better and on there way to a re-peat lol
Shhhh…don’t jinx it. It’s that kind of karma that sent the Pats home without the Lombardi trophy last year. I may join you on the Eagles blog. What’s the name of it and what’s your name on it? This should be fun :-)
Lets see, injury waiting tohappen is why kazmir got dumped, right?
At this point, give him the shot and see what happens. If you get 200 SP inning sout of him before he blows up his arm, at least he gave some value for hsi contract, and got his wish!
I know AH for the 5th Sp spot is a dead horse, so at this piont, if he can be moved for someone like street, just do it. If he has a solid year as a SP somewhere else, it will just give the omar haters something new to harp on next off season!
What do you have to lose with Heilman as a 5th starter? He will be better than at least 50% of teams’ 5th starters.
nothing. Thats my point.
Fine, trade him if you get value in return, but just dumping him for effectively nothing makes no sense.
The only guy on this team that should be dumped for nothing is Castillo. If you can’t do that, at least the guy supposedly has a new attitude.
Heilman is 6′4 – Kazmir is not.
Niese and Heilman competing for the 5th spot in the rotation with a guy like Freddy Garcia wouldnt be bad.
I’d love to have Niese and Heilman in AAA as the backup starters, so long as they only get 15 starts max between them.
I got a name that hasn’t been discussed here. How about trying to buy low on Erik Bedard through trade?
The M’s gave up allot to get him and he does not make much money I don’t think they would look to trade him unless it is mid season and he still is not pitching well.
I like Bedard, but they say he is a malcontent. He asked out of Baltimore and got his wish. He asked out of Seattle this year too. Who does he think he is….Aaron Heilman?
other guys that can be a stop-gap at 2B:
Grudzielanek, Loretta, Eckstein, all 3 are older but they bring that do anything to win mentality this team is desperately missing
Jeff Kent for 1 year wouldnt be that bad either even though he is 40
also Willie Bloomquist or Counsell would be a nice PH/utility man to replace Marlon Anderson
Jerry Hairston Jr. also had quietly a very good year in CIN, .326 6 HR 36 RBI
We don’t need a stop gap 2B. Although Jerry Hairston’s 36RBI give me wood.
We do need a stop gap when there is no full solution. And please don’t say Hudson. We will be having this same conversation in 2 years with an even worse contract.
I don’t want Orlando Hudson. I wouldn’t go there. How many straight years would you like to re-visit 2B when there is clearly no solution? If you are saying we need a stop gap, it usually implies there is someone in the minors who is an almost definite amount of time away from making it to the MLB roster. Someone like Reese Havens maybe.
But who is out there that is not a stop gap?
I would love to trade for Brian Roberts but how much would that cost?
I would trade them Murphy for him straight up.
It’ll take more than Murphy to get that done. Instead of a stop gap, the best option is to stick with Castillo. Why take a risk with someone else, when we have a guy who in all liklihood will be closer to his career norms. Which equals a littl eless rally killing.
I don’t think it will take a lot more for 1 year of Roberts. Maybe some lower level guys. The O’s could really use Murphy being they will have holes at 2B, 1B and 3B in 2010 if not this year.
Loretta can’t field at all. Eckencrappy is worse than Castillo. Hairston or Grudzy are exactly what we need. I am affraid that Hariston will find a starting gig.
where do you get Loretta can’t field?
1 E in 46 game at 2B in 08, 0 E in 49 G at 2B in 07 and 4 E in 138 G in 06.
Looking at those numbers he’s a fine 2B
It’s all over the media. Errors don’t tell the entire story. Castillo does not make many errors.
unless he has no range. Plenty of guys will field balls hit right at them!
Castillo made 5 errors in 135 games in 2007. I guess he is a great fielder too.
Look at their other defense ratings. They are almost identical.
Loretta is more than capable of playing 2B
plus besides Wright and Santana noone else on this team really has any heart. signing a player like Eckstein who hustles 100% of the time rubs off on the other players.
I’ll take the below average talent (still better than Castillo) for the intangibles in a second
Loretta is actually a pretty good defender at 2nd base.
yes he is but we couldn’t pry him away from the stro’s
He has the same stats as Castillo in the field. I guess Castillo is a good defender.
He has the same stats as Castillo? What stats are you looking at?
yeah he makes ruben gotay look like bob bailor lol
if heilman wants to leave, good riddence. he can’t get out of town fast enough. he can also take luis castiio with him.
If Heilman and a prospect can’t bring us Street then I would trade him to Cleveland for Betancourt. He is their version of Heilman. He had a bad 2008 but look at his career numbers. Maybe they would take Show’s contract as well and send us Barfield as a throw in.
I would take Barfield. Still think he is going to be good. Nice pop for a little guy.
He was traded for Kevin Kouzmanoff – that should say something.
Kevin Kouzmanoff and Sean Burroughs? Haha
i’d do that, Cleveland wont though
don’t know until you ask! Not a bad idea though. Even if barfield is on the bench to start, at least it is a young guy that still might amount to something.
thats how we got hernandez – keith that is – except for the fact they called us – but we only gave away neil allen and rick ownby
Why wouldn’t Cleveland do it? It’s a pretty even deal. If anything I would think it’s a slightly worse deal for us since Heilman is under team control for 2 more years and is younger.
Why would they not? Betancourt’s contract is a burden for them and they need a starter more than they need an overpriced reliever. Barfield was in AAA all season so that’s not a big deal either.
heilman making demands is like the jim duquette asking for a promotion to team president after trading kazmir.
lmfao – best post ever !!!
By the way…..as with Heilman and Heath Bell…..if we trade away Castillo and he is GREAT or even just good (like Heath Bell) for another team….will fans cry that “he wasnt given a fair shot on the mets”…..Heilman was given his shot as a starter, he was bad….Bell was given his shot (well 5 actually) in the mets pen, and he was awful every time, made jorge sosa look good….
Hindisight is one thing, but to just claim everyone wasnt given a fair shot when they SU-CK on the Mets and move on and are good elsewhere is ridiculous, guys have come to NY and played better than on their previous teams (Nady, Endy, etc) were they not given a fair shot on their former teams? what about Burgos?
disagree entirely with u bell was a unproven commodity slappy is a once was allstar turned has-been
heath bell is another example of guys who arent meant for NY
playing in NY is not easy and most players can’t do it. that is why Omar has to be very careful when he signs players b/c just b/c a player does well in Milwaukee or San Diego doesnt mean he’ll play well in NY
that is why proven guys like K-Rod and Lowe are much more attractive then Fuentes or Burnett b/c you know they can produce on the big stage
bell wasnt from minaya’s regime he was from the steve phillips/ dookieette era
Exactly, rusty.
btw, jorge sosa is doing really good in the dominican league, don’t be surprise if omar gives him a shot again!! this is my worst fear, omar is talking as if “pov the season would start today” but then he won’t get nobody a second base, nobody at left, a scrapp shoot pitcher, maybe k-rod late then say we improve the team, i hope i am wrong, but i would tell you if i see castillo in citi field next year i will post a fire omar poster in a good year air baloon!!!!!!!
isn’t he with seatle or astros?
maybe we can cut a deal with seattle and be like, “look, we hooked you up with sosa. come on. give us a break. castillo for putz and bedard. it’s a fair deal. you have sosa and castillo now”.
don wakamatsu has his work cut out for him.
domo arigato mr wakamatsu domo? – sorry doent have a good hook to it – needs more cowbell maybe lol
Since we saw (read) the Heilman movie, here is the Jorge Sosa one:
-Hanging slider (double)
-Hanging slider (homer)
-Hanging slider (swing and a miss for strike 1)
-Hanging slider (homer)
-Hanging slider (fly ball to the fence)
-Hanging slider…you get the point.
DON’T FORGET THE DOUBLE PLAY TO END THE INNING FROM FELICIANO LOL
lol, is funny becoz he throws a fastball second pitch!! but yeah, he’s horrible..
we could bring back DUM DUM DUM – jose lima – DUM DUM DUM!!!
don’t forget : “ENTER LIGHTS OUT LAWRENCE”
or jason “im not dead yet ” vargas – sorry don’t mean to make fun of the dead
How about Matt Ginter? That guy was horrific.
STOP! Lima Time!!!
and i think castillo saying: i wanna be back in ny to prove myself is nothing but a plan made by omar so he says when castillo comes back: “he’s committed and wants to play here” so he can justify the contract he gaev him.. NO OMAR. he’s a bad contract get him out of here or next year it will be you..
yeah kinda like mo vaughn’s diet eh?
* instead of super sizing it he got a large fries with his salad :P
ugh, i see the way this off season is going like that 2000-2001 after we didn’t get a-rod and hampton and went for mo and alomar..
scary ain’t it
YES IT IS.. we should stop with this non sense, didn’t he signed that bum castillo in november? yet a superstar like K-ROD he’s wiggling his way through.. shocker…
scarier is i was for the signing
Really? YOU WANTED CASTILLO BACK LAST YEAR?
i figured it was the best way of getting johan (bows head in shame)
WOW.. i didn’t care to be honest.. get him out of here..
well hindsight is 50/50 and i wish i had a fith of wild turkey lol
lol, i hear you rusty.. but man, i’m sure you lost some hair watching him last year..
ohh yeah i was hoping he’s get hurt and we would call uo valentin lol
This was a terrible move by Heilman. It seems that he has significantly reduced his value in trading market. Some teams might’ve seen him as a decent reliever who can also start if needed. But now that he has come out and said that he does not want to be in bullpen, some teams may not be interested in him any more.
Makes it a lot harder for Omar to trade him.
maybe he is trying to force omars hand
Yeah, I think that was the purpose, but he made it harder for Omar to trade him. And Heilman is not going to start for the Mets next year for sure.
quotes from general jerry and lt dan – we think aaron could be a starter
lol, pretty funny, i’ve been saying it as well he should be given the opportunity, let ollie go, sign sheets, then we have niese and vargas to back either of them 2.. we can sign guys like penny, arcia to 1 year deal, omar do something already!1
neise is still too raw
maybe we can see him if anything around june or july if it doesn’t work witth heilman
Heilman is approaching the level of Benitez in terms of his popularity if he’s not there already. So he’ll be very closely watched by the fans and will be booed everytime he gives up a run. I really don’t think either the Mets or Heilman would want to see that.
he’s surpas-sed mel rojas and doug sisk thats fer sure
Off Topic, Do you guys think Hoffman would make a good setup guy? He is experienced and may come cheaper than some of other options out there.
NO..
Hoffman is good at setting up….the other team with the bases loaded and nobody out. yuck, yuck, yuck.
lmao, if he didn’t succeed in san diego, imagine here in NY with a microscope under every pitch, no no no…
CAN YOU SAY ED WITSON ?
brit burns?
i don’t think mr hoffman will even consider being a set up man
Interesting article on ESPN by Jayson Stark. He basically says that supply is much greater than the demand for closers this year. This is a great news for the Mets. I think KRod will come to the Mets at 4 years around 12-13M per year. But I would not be surprised if they only sign him for 3 years.
Teams will be reluctant to sign Hoffman as a closer in this buyers market. I see him retiring or become a setup man.
jayson stark is a %^&&*…. phillie c-u-^-*
HEY ALEX,
WHY DON’T YOU TELL US HOW YOU REALLY FEEL.
LOL
u just figured this out?
his head yes the rest of his body is bantha poodoo