HEILMAN: Change of scenery.
Aaron Heilman could have ripped the Mets, but took the high road when asked about his time in New York when questioned by The Seattle Times.
“Playing in New York is the only existence I’ve known and I think you get used to it,” Heilman said. “You learn to accept the fact that you are dealing with a very passionate, very knowledgeable fan base. … New York’s one of those markets where unless you win the World Series, it’s not a good year.”
Clearly, Heilman wanted to start, but the Mets valued him in the bullpen. It was always presumed he would have left when he became a free agent. However, the Mets beat him to the punch and included him in the J.J. Putz trade.
“I certainly didn’t look at it as I really wanted to get out of New York,” Heilman told the paper. “I was kind of looking forward to going back and showing that last season was an aberration and to get back to what I normally can do.”
When he’s on his game, and he wasn’t for much of last season, he’s capable of getting hitters out from either side of the plate.
Heilman had productive stretches both in 2007 and last season, but didn’t come close to his 2006 effectiveness. Especially, when it came to keeping the ball in the park.
More than a few times he denied he was scarred by giving up the Game 7 homer in the NLCS.
This post was written by John Delcos
Loading ...
Happy trails Heilman. I really wish him success, but not too much, watch him win 15+ for Seattle and we have Kazmir on our hands all over again. Although, Putz > Zambrano, no question. Cyah Homerun Heilman.
Aaron Heilman could have ripped the Mets for what? He’s their employee. Maybe he was right about being better in the rotation, maybe not.
He was never openly campaigning about it, but if anything, he was the one who should have stopped bringing it up when asked.
Very Classy. As my Dad taught me. Class always shows. I wish him well.
I actually think Heilman will have a pretty good season. He just needed to get out of NY…
I agree that he will be very good away from NYC. He is obviously very talented with a 95 mph fastball and great change. Now the fans can direct all their venom on Castillo this year.
SportsPicks365
If Heilman wins 15 games this year I will buy you a beer at Citi Field.
It will have to be only one because I don’t think I will be able afford more.
Fred has to find the 300 million somewhere.
(5) Ray…Castillo will get a pass if he all of a sudden develops 30 home run power. LOL
Steve (7) In that case, I hope Castillo has very thick skin.
(8) Ray..It’s another fatal flaw by Omar. He compares the Castillo situation to Delgado’s where Carlos turned the crowd back to his side. Well last I checked it’s much easier to turn around a crowd by hitting over 30 homers and carrying a team on their back. How is Castillo going to do that? What..by going 10 for 10 with each hit being a single? Nuh uh…I don’t think so.
JD: I know the Yankees probably do generate more revenue than the Mets do, but in your opinion is it enough to justify to the fan base and the media the Mets having a payroll around $70 million less than the Yankees?
Steve
Let me understand this. If Castillo hits .290 with an oba of .370 and plays good defense. This will not be good enough for you.
Also stop with the Yankee payroll comparison. The Mets spend about the same as the Red Sox. If you think the Mets will ever spend the same as the Yankees then you are not being realistic.
IMHO no team will ever pay as much as the Yankees. I just want the Mets to play as a team and also support each other.
(11) Scott: Do you really really think Castillo is going to provide that? Of course that would be satisfactory, but even if he did the booing wouldn’t stop until mid season. And I’ll continue with my Yankee payroll comparison if I want to. I could care less that the Mets spend the same as the Sox and I don’t care if they spend as much as the Yankees do. The point is that they shouldn’t have a payroll of SEVENTY MILLION DOLLARS LESS. If you want to be an apologist for the Wilpons go ahead, but please spare me of the argument that they can’t come closer to the Yankees way of spending.
(12) Stevie C! I don’t know exactly what your comment means, but can you finally admit you were wrong about Delgado???
Steve
The Mets do not need to spend 200 million to win.
Where did the Yankees finish last year.
3rd place my friend.
I want the Mets to be more like the Red Sox than the Yankees and I think that is the direction they are trying to go.
Scott: No, they don’t have to spend $200 million to win. But what about $170? What about $160? They can be lower than the Yankees, but as a fan i’m insulted by the notion that they have to be $70 million below when they both play in the same city and a new ballpark.
Steve the Original (10): They could close that gap. And, to add the pitcher they said they need, they’ll have to. But, I never see them spending like the Yankees. The Yankees are of a different nature.-JD
Scott (11): If Castillo posts the numbers you mentioned, I’d take it in a heartbeat.-JD
You do have a point. So lets see what happens
I believe the payroll will end being around 150 million when all the numbers are added up.
JD
Might as well take the glass half full approach with Castillo. We all know he is not going anywhere.
Scott (20): Yes. His value is in the hope he suddenly finds it again. It’s like he has two strikes against him before he comes to the plate.-JD
JD: Two interesting names might be FA’s at the end of the year…John Lackey and Placido Polanco. Do you think it’s possible that Omar is waiting on next year to make a strong move for a guy like Lackey? And maybe with Castillo into the second year of the contract, would the Mets be willing to cut ties with Castillo at that point and sign Polanco as a FA? What are your thoughts?
* Heilman – glad to see someone has class.
* Someone will always compare the Mets to the Bronx team. No one will ever spend as much as they do – unless there is another owner out there as wacky as they, like Mark Cuban. I agree with the poster above, a fair comparison would be the BoSox.
* Castillo – Omar is on drugs. It was a bad signing. It is one thing to get him for the stretch run. It is another to bid against yourself on a long term deal to get a player past his prime coming off injuries. He may well be better than last year, but who cares? He will never be worth $6million a year. The sooner management gets comfortable with that the better.
If anybody wants to see a good smackdown with a bankee fan, go to newsday and read Arthur Staples article about Torres book. Ive been going at it all day with this guy in the comments section. Chiti, I know you will enjoy it.
(14) Steve, Unless you were born before 64 you are not the original.
Secondly what isn’t to understand? I stated that they will not dole out the bucks as the yankees do.
And if you are so original pal you will remember my Mea culpa when delgado finally broke out. there are a ton of witnesses on this board. Stop trying to get a rise out of people.
(25)Steve C…Listen up junior, I was the only Steve on the board until YOU came along. I AM THE ORIGINAL!!!! You can only hope to duplicate me.
And if you recall my fine Steve wannabe…it’s been a long running joke about Delgado
And I didn’t say that the Mets needed to spend the exact dollar amount that the Yankees do, but a 70 million dollar a year discrepancy is just plain riddiculous. What I didn’t understand about your comment is: ” I just want the Mets to play as a team and also support each other.” What the heck does that mean? Who are you? Rodney King? lol
It’s frustrating watching the Yankees spend what they do compared to what the Mets spend, but the fact is NY’s payroll is the second-highest in baseball.
However, what does bother me is that they are basically holding the line with last year’s payroll and for a team that has its own network, a $400-$500mm deal with Citi and a brand new stadium that will sell out for 81 games, there really is no legitimate reason to not increase the payroll by an appreciable number.
Steve (26)
I don’t want to come in between the fun you are having with the other steve, but he was here way before you were.
Mr. Met don’t worry about the yankees. they have always been a bought team of individuals. Worry about the Mets. thats all i do. I rarely could care less about other teams until they play the mets. afterwards its on to the next team that plays them.
Since I have to explain myself about playing as a team. for a very long time this particular group of players didn’t talk much to each other on or off the field. They started doing some of it last season. I want to see more of it. It’s a Team sport and when everyone wants to play and win ,as a team, they tend to persevere.
(30) SteveC- I agree. The team seemed to be very fractured by the time Randolph was fired, and whether it was directly his fault or not, that was the biggest issue: he lost the team.
Manuel seemed to bring them back together.
The TEAM wasn’t fractured at the end of 07. They certainly weren’t fractured at the end of O8 either. The getting along together stuff is nonsense. It’s for high school and college.
Dave, I have no idea really when he started, but i’ve been on the blog since it was over at the newspaper. It’s all in fun anyway.
(32) Steve- That team had clubhouse issues and honestly, I’m not so sure they still don’t.
(34)Mr. Met: But I don’t think those clubhouse issues caused the team to lose the past two years either. I guess that is the point i’m trying to make.
clubhouse issues most definitely effect the outcome of the game. so does a language barrier or the lack to strive to bridge and communicate.
BTW- I was one of the first posters on the ny mets blog under lohud before John took over. I razzed him about originally being a yankee commentator. but he hung in there and well deserves being a mets commentator.
Ok steve C…YOU are the original Steve then. lol. I can’t even admit to being there before Delcos. lol
If I hadn’t made a solemn oath to remain the late not so great Harry Chiti I would definitely want to be one of the Steve’s.
Let’s see; Steve the 3rd? Nope, doesn’t work….