Changing My Stubborn Ways

By Metstradamus
Posted Friday, November 16, 2007

Maybe it's because I'm getting old.

Or maybe it's because what happened to the Mets in September of 2007 has forced me to think outside my cramped yet comfy cardboard box. You know what they say about old guys and their stubbornness, right? And I suppose if I had any fire left in me, I'd continue my on-going assault against Aaron Heilman and his dour demeanor. People have cropped up left and right saying that Aaron Heilman should be a starter, and I've held strong. Heilman as a good reliever (thought one that drives me crazy), is of more use to the Mets than he is as a mediocre starter ... and yes, I still believe Aaron Heilman will be nothing more than mediocre as a starting pitcher.

Except for the fact that mediocre starting pitchers are going to get contracts worth ten million bucks a year.

No, I'm not warming up to the idea of Aaron Heilman as a starting pitcher to help his bank account. I am a blogger, not a paid financial advisor (or his agent). But let's try to look at this from a Mets point of view: First off, the Mets have already missed a chance to maximize Heilman's value as a reliever in a trade. That boat sailed when the 2007 season started, and Heilman embarked on a slightly more normal year than the one he had in 2006, when he started to thrive under more important roles. Honestly, when I sat down at this computer, and pulled up this website to start to write, the words that I was going to write were more along the lines of "this is the last chance to trade Aaron Heilman before Monty Hall ends up offering all sorts of boxes and curtains until the only thing behind any of them is a year's supply of canned squid."

But, seriously, what would you rather do? Give Carlos Silva or Kyle Lohse a small mint, or let Aaron Heilman into the starting rotation? Could you really see Aaron Heilman do much worse than either of these guys?

Now, if you're telling me the Mets have a shot at trading for Johan Santana, with Aaron Heilman either a part of the trade or of more use for the Mets in the bullpen as a result of that trade, that's one thing. But guess what, Aaron Heilman is no longer a major chip to get Johan Santana, Carlos Santana, or Johan Holmqvist. And the Mets don't have the pitching chips that it would probably take to get Santana or any other bonafide ace back in a deal. I hope I'm wrong, and you know I hate being right. Unfortunately, I think I am.

So how about Aaron Heilman as the Mets' fourth starter? Think about that for a second, we're talking about the fourth starter. Do you see Carlos Silva or Kyle Lohse coming to Queens, getting paid ten million a season, and passing John Maine, Pedro Martinez, or Oliver Perez on the depth chart? I sure as heck don't. Do you want a fourth starter making $10 million a season, or do you want a fourth starter with a salary under one million, not arbitration eligible until 2011, and with a rejuvenated attitude because finally ... FINALLY ... he's a starter?

And look at it this way, as long as Aaron Heilman doesn't fall completely on his face, the Mets can put Heilman into trade talks as a starting pitcher in the current starting pitchers market, and it would be like throwing chum in a shark tank. His value would obviously be much higher than it is now, even if Heilman just puts up ... Carlos Silva numbers. Heilman's value, on the other hand, couldn't get much lower if he bombs completely.

So ladies and gentlemen, it's time. It's time to put aside past differences and current angst, and relent. It's time to make Aaron Heilman a happy man and a starting pitcher. And it's time for all of us to rethink our attitudes on Heilman, and succumb to the wisdom of age.

Or just admit you're old, like me.

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Join me on my blog where I will continue to wonder where the heck all the good starting pitching has gone (along with my youth).