Heilman wants to start -- or get traded

Here we go again.

Aaron Heilman wants out of the Mets bullpen at all costs. According to his agent, Mark Rodgers, he wants to start or he wants out of New York.

I've harped on this in the past, but that was mostly in the middle of the season, when transitioning a pitcher used to relief work into a starter would take up lots of valuable time. According to Adam Rubin, there is a split in the organization about what to do about Heilman. Some would give him the chance to start, others want him in the bullpen.

Obviously, he's not working too well in the bullpen. He had a great 2006 season (until that fateful home run) and has gone downhill since. He shows flashes of greatness, but also long stretches of awfulness.

Right now, I'd have him conditioning to get a chance to start in spring training. The Mets only have three definite starters coming in for '09, how much can it hurt to give him a few reps at starting, evaluate what you have, and see if he can help. If not, a spring training trade is not out of the question, or he can begrudgingly go back to the Mets bullpen.

Jerry Manuel even mentioned he might use Heilman as a started at the end of July. This could have been a ploy to try and increase his trade value during the season, but Manuel did say Heilman could start.

Now that it's the off-season, and there is time to work on pitches and conditioning, why not give Heilman a start or two. He's under your control, could only help if he prospers, and if not, you at least show other teams that he's versatile.