Parnell back to the pen

Bobby Parnell is back in the bullpen for 2010, according to some notes filed by Adam Rubin from Port St. Lucie.

Rubin also noted that “Parnell in no way pulled an Aaron Heilman, but he does envision himself one day as a starting pitcher.”

I was at Parnell’s best start: Aug. 14 at home against San Francisco.  He went six innings, allowing only three hits and striking out seven.

I watched from the bridge in center field, some of the best seats in Citi Field.

Let’s hope 7/2/09 doesn’t end up like 8/11/08

Last season the Mets and Pirates were rained out on April 28, 2008.  The Pirates had to travel back to Shea Stadium on August 11 to make up the game.

This year, the Mets will have to make a pit-stop in Pittsburgh to make up last night’s rainout.  Hopefully, the opposite outcome will occur.

On August 11, 2008, the Mets carried a 5-0 lead heading into the seventh inning.  They went on to give up three in the seventh and three in the ninth and eventually lose the game.

Joe Smith issued a walk to leadoff the seventh and allowed an RBI double before being yanked.  Pedro Feliciano entered and allowed one inherited runner to score and a runner of his own.

Aaron Heilman entered in the 9th inning nursing a one-run lead.  He got the leadoff batter, Nate McLouth of all people, to strike out.  Heilman then let up a single, a walk, an RBI single and hit a batter to load the bases before being removed.  Scott Schoeneweis entered and got a groundout for the second out.  A two-out, two-RBI single by Steve Pearce put the Pirates on top for good.

Though Carlos Beltran led off the 9th with a single, Carlos Delgado struckout swinging and Fernando Tatis grounded into a game-ending double play.

Same situation, different venue and the Mets will hope for a different result.

Aaron Heilman has more wins than…

Aaron Heilman has pitched 3 2-3 innings for the Chicago Cubs in 2009.  He’s allowed three hits, three walks and no runs.  He has a 0.00 ERA, two holds and a win under his belt.

That means...

• That means Heilman has more wins than Oliver Perez and John Maine.
• That means Heilman has a lower ERA than Pedro Feliciano, J.J. Putz and Bobby Parnell.
• That means Heilman has more holds than Darren O’Day, Brian Stokes, Feliciano, Putz and Bobby Parnell.
• That means Heilman has surrendered less hits than O’Day and Parnell.
• That means Heilman has a lower WHIP than O’Day, Feliciano and Parnell.

Just sayin'...

Luis Castillo is already the scapegoat of 2009

Who knew when this happened, it would turn out the way it did? Well, maybe a few people.

Luis Castillo still has three years left on his contract. $18 million is owed to him through 2011. Today, the day he walks into spring training to start his second "full" year with the Mets, he's already the most hated player on the team.

Not by his fellow teammates, mind you, but by the fans.

Every little thing he does is scrutinized, labored over and likely criticized. I can only imagine the outcry when (not if) he gets injured this year.

Even Aaron Heilman wasn't hated like this.

I'm not claiming to be on the outside looking in. I think the Castillo signing was absurd, and as his talent and physical ability continue to decline, the albatross that is his contract just grows larger and larger.

There is no chance, either due to a trade or simply cutting him, that Castillo finishes the contract out with the Mets. The way this team is built right now, they cannot wait around for one of their starting players to magically find talent and start playing at the top of his game again.

With that said, I wish all the luck in the world to Castillo this year, but the way I see it, he's going to need a lot more than luck. Prove us all wrong.

Aaron Heilman is a stand up guy

For all the Aaron Heilman took while pitching for the Mets, he still had the kindness to do something like this.

From Steve Popper, relaying info from the BBWAA awards dinner:

On Page 39 among a few ads for David Wright winning the Joan Payson Award for charity work, Aaron took out an ad that read:

An Appreciation

Playing at Shea
before you folks
was an experience
I always will savor

Thank you for support

-- Aaron Heilman

Congratulations to all award winners this evening

Almost makes you feel bad for booing him every single day.

Also, while we're on the topic of Heilman, he's on the move again. He's the newest member of the Chicago Cubs.

Happy Mets Festivus

Today, Dec. 23, marks the celebration of Festivus. Today, we will go through the many rituals of Festivus, of course dealing with the Mets, so why don't we just call this "Metstivus."

Break out your aluminum poles, and let us begin with the Airing of Grievances:

Luis Castillo: Your albatross of a contract has weighed on the team since the day you signed. You may have been a necessity to get Johan Santana to sign long-term, but if you backed up the money you're being played with "decent" play, I think people would look the other way. Instead, you miss tons of time with your bum knees and slap your way into double plays. You are the biggest waste of money on the Mets and since Aaron Heilman is the newest resident of Seattle, you will become the fans new personal scapegoat.

Left field: Yes, I'm airing my grievances toward the entire position. It seems to be cursed. Let's start with 2008. Endy Chavez saw the most games in LF -- he's now a Seattle Mariner. Follower up by Fernando Tatis -- he missed the end of the season with a shoulder injury. Daniel Murphy seemed to escape the curse, as did his rookie counterpart Nick Evans. After them was Marlon Anderson, who struggled mightily at the plate all season long. Then Angel Pagan, who lost most of the season to a shoulder injury. Behind him was Moises Alou, who only appeared in 14 games for the Mets in '08.

Looking to 2007, Alou led the list, and again missed lots of time to injuries. Chavez was behind him, and also lost time to a hamstring injury. In third on that list was Carlos Gomez, who was traded in the off season to the Minnesota Twins.

Now to 2006 and Cliff Floyd, who suffered many injuries throughout the year, none more memorable or heartbreaking as in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Floyd held his own from 2003-2005. 2004 featured Roger Cedeno as the almost everyday left fielder, with Timo Perez a distant second. Let me just list some left fielders the Mets have had "recently" (these are the players who saw the most games in LF that year): 1995 - Joe Orsulak, 1994 - Kevin McReynolds, 1993 - Vince Coleman, 1992 - Daryl Boston.

Maybe -- hopefully -- the move to Citi Field rids LF of it's apparent curse. Only few have escaped it since the early '90s.

Ryan Church: Stop running into things.

Luis Aguayo: Good riddance!

Willie Randolph: See: above.

Aaron Heilman: See: above.

Scott Schoeneweis: See: above.

Ambiorix Burgos: Get a safe, get a chauffeur, get anger management and get a lawyer. Also, see: above.

On to the Festivus Miracles!

It's a Metstivus miracle Omar Minaya signed Francisco Rodriguez for that price. Sign of the economy or just good dealings by Omar?

It's a Metstivus miracle he also helped sure up the 8th inning when he dealt the embattled Heilman and others away to land J.J. Putz.

It's a Metstivus miracle what Carlos Delgado did in the second half of the season.

It's a Metstivus miracle the Mets got Johan Santana earlier this year. (That was this year?! Geez.)

And finally, the Feats of Strength.

The Mets newest feat of strength will be when they flex their power in the 8th and 9th innings next season. I'm truly excited to see the day when Santana pitches seven strong innings and then has no fear or regrets as Putz shuts them down in the 8th and K-Rod comes in for the 9th. "Santana to Putz to K-Rod, the first Mets perfect game!" OK, I'm dreaming a little here, but still.

Another feat of strength, which also made last year's Festivus celebration was Shea Stadium. Holding up all those years, especially after Game 6 in 1986, is truly a feat of strength. You will be miss, Shea.

And finally, the fans. After having to put up with two heartbreaking collapses in two seasons, the fans will come flocking back to the team like nothing ever happened. With a renewed attitude and vigor, anxiously awaiting the chance to wash away the past two years and watch their team play baseball again. I can tell you I am among these fans. Spring training can't start soon enough.

Happy Holidays, everyone! Let's go Mets!

Please go check out Scott Proctor's Arm for a Yankee Festivus (featuring appearances by yours truly!)

Announcing: The 2008 Met of the Year Award [Voting has begun!]

The 2008 Met of the Year Award will be

awarded to the winner of the tourney.For a printable bracket, click here.
For an large updated bracket, click here.

Here at The 'Ropolitans, I thought it would be both entertaining and interesting to see who the 2008 Met of the Year (MotY) is, as voted on by you, the readers. I have the bracket and polls lined up and over the next two weeks, you will be able to vote in a head-to-head match to determine this years MotY.

Voting can be based on whatever you choose. Stats at the plate, play in the field, a game-winning hit at a game you attended, the fact that he signed your hat at the stadium, how cute he is, VORP -- whatever you choose!

The winner will be awarded a "trophy" and will be entered into The 'Ropolitans MotY Hall of Fame.

The first round of voting begins today, beginning with the Orange Bracket. The White Bracket will be tomorrow, followed by the Black and then the Blue Bracket.

There will be four polls for the first four days, after that it will go down to two polls a day for Round 2 and 3. Round 4 will be held over two days, as will the championship round. The winner will be announced Jan. 1, 2009.

Here are the results [Updated Daily]:

12/19: Orange Bracket Round 1 results.
12/20: White Bracket Round 1 results.
12/21: Black Bracket Round 1 results.
12/22: Blue Bracket Round 1 results.
12/23: VOTING IS OPEN. Polls close at midnight.

Have fun voting and good luck to whichever player you're pulling for.

Let the 2008 Met of the Year tournament...BEGIN!

Mets trade for J.J. Putz

In a deal that took only a few hours, at least that we know, the Mets have laded their set up man for 2008.

The Mets have traded a handful of players, landing J.J. Putz for the 8th inning in front of Francisco Rodriguez.

The three team deal breaks down as follows:
Seattle Mariners get: Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez, Mike Carp, Maikel Cleto, Ezequiel Carrera, Jason Vargas, and Franklin Gutierrez.
Cleveland Indians get: Luis Valbuena and Joe Smith and minor leaguers.
New York Mets get: J.J. Putz, Sean Green and Jeremy Reed.

To make it simpler:
Mets give up: Heilman, Chavez, Carp, Cleto, Carrera, Vargas and Smith.
Mets get: Putz, Green and Reed.

Omar Minaya moves at the speed or light, I must say.

Originally, I disliked the deal, but the more I look at it, the more it makes sense. The Mets are really not giving up much for this. Chavez is a fourth outfielder, and between Angel Pagan and now Reed, they seem to have the outfield more than covered.

Cleto and Carrera were minor league guys. I don't know enough about them to miss them. I've heard their names, which must mean something.

Vargas was a possibility to make a play for the rotation after starting fall and winter ball with a bang. He seems to have come back down to earth a bit, but we'll have to see how he plays when he's not with the Mets.

Heilman was on his way out the door, it was only a matter of time. Carp was billed as the first baseman of the future, but never really blossomed into what the Mets thought he could. He's still young though.

Smith is the one guy I will miss the most here. Green could step in and replace him nicely, just a little older.

The 2009 team is quickly taking shape. Quite a few days for Mets fans.

Update - 11:36pm: Minaya will address the media around 12:30am Eastern time.

Update - 12:33am: Dan Graziano on the phone with SNY.

• Green for Smith a "wash."
• Reed hits more than Chavez, doesn't know him in the field. (Chavez is better, but Reed is no scrub.)
• Likes the deal. Seems to be unanimous.
• Getting rid of Heilman was "no longer viable in New York."
• Still need starting pitching. Will fill one from within with Jon Niese or Bobby Parnell.
• Will look to bring back Oliver Perez.
• Jon Garland in Mets sights.
• Still talking to Raul Ibanez.
• Want to move Schoeneweis and Sanchez. (No surprise there.)

Live from Las Vegas:

• Minaya at the podium now, congratulating Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik.
• "Pure baseball trade," says Minaya.
• Thanking scouts and minor league system for being able to hone talent to be able to complete trade.
• "To Mets fans: We've addressed the bullpen."

I hope that last one doesn't mean the man is done, and I doubt it does. Well done everyone. So far, I'm yet to see one negative comment about this. From minor leagues up, this trade seems to please all Mets fans.

• Back to the press conference. First question to Minaya is in Spanish. I just took my Spanish 102 final today, and I have no idea what he just was asked or responded with.
• Heilman to get a chance to start in spring training with M's.
• And that's it. Shortest press conference ever.

And I think it's time for everyone to go to bed. What a day, Mets fans! K-Rod deal goes official and Putz to Queens all in one day.

Mets put Putz in Citi bullpen [Updated]

UPDATE - 11:17pm: MLB.com is reporting the deal is done.

The Seattle Mariners sent right-handed reliever J.J. Putz to the New York Mets on Wednesday night as part of a three-team, nine-player trade with the Cleveland Indians.

The Mariners receive right-handed pitcher Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez and first baseman Mike Carp from the Mets, along with outfielder Franklin Gutierrez from the Indians.

Smith will also go to Cleveland in the deal.

Omar, you never cease to impress.

---

As if one All Star closer wasn't good enough, the Mets are apparently working on a deal for J.J. Putz.

Ken Rosenthal reports:

The Mets are working to acquire a setup man for new closer Francisco Rodriguez — and that setup man would be another closer from the American League West.

J.J. Putz could be headed to the Mets in a three-team trade with the Mariners and Indians, according to major-league sources.

Mets right-hander Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez and first-base prospect Mike Carp would be in the deal, as would Indians outfielder Franklin Gutierrez.

The deal also would include one or more prospects, but it is not yet clear which players are headed where.

But Anthony Castrovince has a different story:

MLB.com has learned the Mariners would likely receive Indians outfielder Franklin Gutierrez and the Indians would receive Mets right-handed reliever Joe Smith and Mariners infielder Luis Valbuena.

Mets right-hander Aaron Heilman and Mariners outfielder Jeremy Reed are also believed to be involved, though it is unclear who is headed where.

I don't know how I feel about it. We already have K-Rod, but we do need someone to set up for him. The Mets really wouldn't be giving up a lot for this as Heilman is on his way out the door no matter what, Chavez is the fourth outfielder (remember Angel Pagan?) and Carp just never realized his full potential. At least not yet.

Smith is someone I would not want to part with, though.

I guess I could live with this, if it does go down.

Update - 10:08 pm: Jon Heyman believes the Mets could give up six (6!) players in this proposed trade.

The trade would involve 12 players in all.

He also notes that Putz struggled in 2008 and only registered 15 saves with a 3.88 ERA. For what the Mets will be giving up, this seems a little much. Six for one? Someone better sweeten this deal.

Update - 10:25pm: Putz is no spring chicken. He's 31-years-old, and strangely, was drafted three separate times.

Through Aug. 22 of the 2008 season, 34 games, Putz had a 9.78 ERA.

Update - 10:27 pm: Ken Rosenthal has more news:

Under terms of the deal, the Mets would get Putz, outfielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green from Seattle. The Mariners would receive reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez and first baseman Mike Carp from the Mets. They'd also get Franklin Gutierrez from the Indians and minor leaguers. The Indians would get reliever Joe Smith from the Mets and infielder Luis Valbuena from Seattle.

OK. That makes a ton more sense for the Mets. The Indians look like they're getting screwed here.

Update - 10:31pm: David Lennon thinks the announcement could be coming soon.

The three teams are currently going over the medical records and a deal could be announced shortly.

Woah. Stay here for all the info.

Update - 10:34pm: Here are stats for Jeremy Reed and Sean Green.

The more I think about it, the more I like it. Heilman and Carp for Putz. Chavez for Reed. Smith for Green. I can live with it, as long as Putz is healthy.

Update - 11:08pm: Heyman is on WFAN with Steve Somers.

• Notes that the Mariners would look to use Heilman as a starter.
  
• Deal likely not done by 11pm Las Vegas time.
• Gives it 50/50 chance, but says all trades fall in there.
• Heilman, Chavez and Carp are all the players Heyman's heard about.
• No Smith, according to Heyman. Shmooze knows otherwise.
• Shmooze asks about Putz's elbow. Smart man. Knows his stuff.
  

They've moved on to CC Sabathia news. Nothing new from Heyman, really.

What's next for the Mets?

With Francisco Rodriguez in the fold, Omar Minaya has cleared the first hurdle this off-season. The next question is, what does he do next?

I would hope that his next signing or transaction would be for a starting pitcher. I'm more worried about the two gaping holes at the back of the Mets rotation as opposed to who is manning left field when we already have people that can do a semi-decent job out there.

Everyone keeps talking about Jon Garland being a fallback plan for the Mets. Why? He's not going to be the ace of your staff, so you can live with his ERA over 4.00 every year. Plus, he eats innings, logging 190 IP or more every year since 2002. The Mets may need to pay him a little more than they wish, but they can. Garland is actually near the top of my wish list for starting pitchers for the team to acquire.

Minaya seems infatuated with Raul Ibanez, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being the next New York Met. I don't necesarily hate Ibanez, but in no way would I get excited about him playing in left next year. Yes, that would move Fernando Tatis back to the bench, but that would also force Daniel Murphy either to the bench as well, or back to the minors where he can at least get regular playing time.

The Mets continue to pursue Huston Street, though it seems that Aaron Heilman may not be included in a possible deal for the ex-A's closer. The team wants a set-up man who can also fill in at closer if need be. Street would be an excellent addition to the team, but it's unknown what the Mets would have to give up.

They had offered Heilman and Pedro Feliciano, but when the Rockies called back, Minaya had changed his mind. The Rox just signed lefty Alan Embree, so their need for Feliciano is probably diminished.

Back to the starting pitching market, I keep hearing conflicting reports about Derek Lowe. First the team is courting him, then he's too expensive and then back to "the Mets are considering Lowe." I think he's too expensive for the type of pitcher he is, and looking at what the Mets need, he may not be the best option.

Ken Davidoff believes the Mets should sign Oliver Perez. I wouldn't mind that. We know what he's capable of, but Scott Boras is going to demand the bank and more for his client and I think the Mets are unwilling to pay that much for the inconsistency of Perez.

Pedro Martinez's name continues to be brought up, but as I wrote last night, I believe the team is attempting to drum up buzz about it as an act of good faith.

Oh, and don't count on Manny Ramirez coming to the Mets, as I hinted at in Minaya's notebook. I give it about a 2 percent chance of happening.

Olney: What the Mets will offer

The Mets look like they're going to break the bank for a closer, according to Buster Olney.

Olney takes some educated guesses on his blog, and proposes what he believes the Mets will offer to the top three closers on the market: Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes and Kerry Wood.

Francisco Rodriguez, three years and $36 million; Brian Fuentes, three years and $30 million; Kerry Wood, two years and $16 million to $18 million. The Mets are really sitting in a strong position, as perhaps the only big-market team intent on spending good money on a reliever, and their intention is to present the offers with this marching order: The first reliever who accepts our offer is going to be our closer.

I am going to go out on the veritable limb here and say the Mets are going to sign K-Rod. I also think they're going to deal Aaron Heilman and someone else in a package for a good 8th inning guy either before or very soon after they land their closer.

On my Christmas list: A "Rodriguez" Mets jersey.

Leave it to Graziano for the doom and gloom -- Too bad he's right

Dan Graziano has a very sobering article up. In it he details how "painfully slow" the off-season has gone for the Mets, and the outlook on 2009, as of now. Let's take a look at the more important pieces.

Earlier this off-season, the Mets had the opportunity to trade Aaron Heilman for a 30-year-old pitcher who's averaged 32 starts and 13 wins for the past five years while his teams won four division titles and a World Series. As part of the deal, the Chicago Cubs were willing to pay part of the pitcher's $9.875 million salary in 2009, the year before he became a free agent.

That pitcher in question was Jason Marquis. If this deal was straight up Marquis-for-Heilman, and the Mets didn't pull the trigger, than they're downright silly. Marquis would have been a nice back of the rotation pick up, and would have rid the team of Heilman, a win-win situation if I've ever seen one.

He then begins to break down the Mets rotation behind Johan Santana. All of which he labels as big question marks.

-John Maine. He's coming off of shoulder surgery, has never had any sustained health or success without Rick Peterson as his pitching coach and probably can't be counted on for anything reliable until we start seeing it.

-Mike Pelfrey. Big, strong kid who had a breakout year in 2008 and could be headed for big things. But his innings total jumped by 50 from 2007 to 2008, which makes him a potential breakdown candidate and, at the very least, a candidate to not be as good next year as he was last year.

-Jonathon Niese. Yes, it's true. The Mets have made an internal decision to bring Niese to camp as a projected member of their starting rotation. They believe he's got the talent to succeed in the majors right now. That belief is fortified by the success Pelfrey had last year, and their hope is that Niese can follow in his footsteps.

I do think Maine will bounce back. He's matured as a pitcher and should be able to hold his own. I've noted Pelfrey's coming troubles in the past, but hopefully he can pitch close to the level of last season.

Niese, I am worried about. I don't understand how the Mets think he will easily transition into the rotation. He's going to have growing pains, just like Pelfrey did. If they expect him to hold his own in this league, they're in trouble. They need to sign some low-risk / high-reward veteran to challenge him in spring training.

He then wonders why the Mets are holding back and fearing to spend to too much. He lays out the idea that with a blossoming TV network, brand new ballpark and $20 million a year from Citigroup, they still choose to not spend a lot of money.

I have to agree with him here, again. The Mets need to spend spend spend because they have so many holes to fill. I understand they don't want to be the ones to set the market standard, but there comes a time when you have to break the bank. This is one of those times. After two awful collapses of just missing the playoffs, they need to do something to make the fans trust them again. The new ballpark is nice, but if the teams stinks, it won't matter.

Graziano's theme is that the Mets are overvaluing their 2009 team.

You can't expect similar numbers out of Fernando Tatis, the second-half Carlos Delgado or even the first 120-AB's of Daniel Murphy's career. The core is nice, but they have two gaping holes in their rotation, with no solid outlook on who will fill those holes. They are so focused on picking the right closer, which won't matter if you don't pick the right rest of the bullpen to get the leads to that closer.

Omar Minaya has A LOT of work to do, and it should just be getting started. Hopefully Jeff Wilpon is ready to sign some checks.

Brian Fuentes to visit Mets

According to the Denver Post, free agent Brian Fuentes will visit New York as the free agent process rolls on.

The article notes that the Rockies will offer arbitration to Fuentes, but he will turn it down and look elsewhere for work. It also brings up Colorado's Huston Street and the discussions they've had with the Mets regarding him and Aaron Heilman.

Nothing new there to note, but the lone comment on this article really hits home. From Warren G.:

Aaron Heilman is another scrub who will come in and blow games. And starting? He wants to start? He would be just another over-paid #5 of the rotation starter whom loses his job to some AAA prospect by August.

Seems like Mets fans aren't the only ones who hold this sentiment about Heilman.

Mets could have had Street from Colorado for Heilman and Feliciano

According to Joel Sherman, the Mets contacted the Colorado Rockies after they acquired Huston Street. The Mets offered Aaron Heilman, but the Rockies wanted Pedro Feliciano included as well, and the Mets walked away.

Going by this, the Rockies need a left handed pitcher. Why not offer Heilman and Scott Schoeneweis? He's under contract and a lefty that they need. They'll dump Street, and keep Manny Corpas as their closer, and everyone is happy.

If somehow, they can include Luis Castillo in this deal, and get a bag of balls in return, that would be a miracle.

The Rockies are likely still listening to offers on Street, so hopefully Omar Minaya is racking up the phone bill with calls to Denver. If he can land Street and rid the team of Heilman and maybe Schoeneweis or Castillo (or both!) then I, and many other Mets fans, will be very happy. Street might not be the best option for closer, but he's damn well better than anything the team currently has.

If the No. 1 scapegoat for the last two seasons is off the team in the process of bringing in a young closer, then Minaya will have earned his extension in my eyes. At least until the next deal.

Mets might miss out on free agent market -- move on to trading

It seems the Mets might have to raise their bids for some of their free agent pitching targets -- namely Derek Lowe -- or will have to turn to trades to fill their needs.

John Harper has a column in today's Daily News highlighting the Mets mistaken gauging of the free agent market. With the Yankees and Red Sox both bidding for Lowe, who wants five-years, $15 million per, and the Mets don't see themselves outbidding.

Whew. Five years for a 35-year-old is silly. He's good, but not that good. But again, this is a Scott Boras client, so the demands will be high but will eventually come down.

Harper also notes the possibility of a trade with the Rays. They're looking to move Edwin Jackson, and sort of fancy Aaron Heilman. Still, that wouldn't be enough to get the trade done, and Ryan Church might have to get involved. Which would mean the Mets would likely sign Raul Ibanez.

I don't like the sound of this. I really think Church could be a main-stay in right field for a while for the Mets, as long as he doesn't run into anyone else. I'd love to ship Heilman elsewhere, especially for a starting pitcher, a young one at that.

I doubt the Mets make a big splash this off-season. I'd rather see them build with great situational and under the radar type players. Build from the ground up.

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.

Hoffman or Street could help the Mets

Two closers can be had, both are at very different point in their career, and both could help the Mets.

On one hand, we have a 41-year-old who has notched 554 saves in his career, all but two coming for one team. He's a six time All Star, with a career 2.78 ERA.

On the other hand, there's a 25-year-old former Rookie of the Year. He's notched 94 saves in four years, but is coming off of two sub-par years in which he's lost his closing duties. He sports a 2.88 career ERA.

Player one is Trevor Hoffman. The San Diego Padres and Hoffman have been negotiating on a contract for their old closer, but Buster Olney is reporting the Pads have pulled their offer and will not bring Hoffman back.

San Diego was offering Hoffman $4 million, plus incentives for the 2009 season. If the Mets match that, just for one year, I'd be willing to see how much he has left in the tank. I know he's not going to blow people away, but he has the mental mettle to pitch in the 9th inning. He's definitely worth at least a look.

Player two is Huston Street. As part of the Matt Holliday to Oakland trade, Huston is now the property of the Colorado Rockies. A hefty trade would be in order, but I've heard the Rockies linked to Aaron Heilman before, and maybe throwing in Nick Evans (since he had some great games against them) and another player would be enough to get it done.

He's much younger than Hoffman, but has struggled lately, with 16 and 18 saves the last two seasons. We know he can handle the pressure of closing, but something may be wrong with his mechanics. I haven't seen him throw enough to gauge what may be wrong, but with the coaching staff the Mets have in place, especially with Dan Warthen being used to teaching young players, I think the Mets should take a shot at bringing him over and locking him up for a few years.

Of all the holes the Mets need to fill in the bullpen, closer is their No. 1 priority. These are two very different players, as Hoffman would be more of a one-year stopgap, while Street, if traded for, could be a Met for years to come.

Rumor Rundown: All the names the Mets are linked to

As the GM Meetings come to a close in Dana Point, Calif., the market and buzz will likely slow down until early December, when the winter meetings kick off in Las Vegas.

Here are some of the latest rumors involving the Mets...

Adam Rubin has an article in the Daily News where he explains that even though Omar Minaya came away empty handed (as did every other GM), "Minaya believes he has laid the groundwork for future deals."

From Rubin we got the usual two closing names with Francisco Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes. He also mentions Kerry Wood, who started all of last year for the Chicago Cubs and Chad Cordero, who we first hear rumors for yesterday. Cordero is still recovering from shoulder surgery, and a Met official told Rubin that he probably won't be ready for opening day and should expect a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training if the team decides to pursue.

** * **

As always, the Mets bullpen needs an overhaul, and the team is currently shopping Aaron Heilman, Scott Schoeneweis, and Pedro Feliciano.

According to Ken Davidoff:

There definitely will be takers for Heilman and Feliciano; among the teams that like Heilman at some level, are Oakland, Tampa Bay and Texas, and Feliciano has value to any club looking for a left-hander.

The Mets would be willing to pay some of the $3.6 million owed to Schoeneweis in 2009. They feel that Schoeneweis could have appeal to other clubs because of his strong numbers against lefty hitters (.520 OPS in 2008).

I think it's going to be pretty easy to unload these guys, if the Mets contact the right team. Heilman, who we all know has struggled, still garners interest due to his age and foreseeable talent.

Feliciano will be a target of a lot of teams due to which arm he uses to deliver pitches. Being a lefty never looked so good. And Schoeneweis caught some attention before the Aug. 31 trade deadling during the season, so if those teams (Tigers were the more interested) are still looking, I'd ship him out as soon as possible.

** * **

Davidoff also breaks down what the Mets Plan A, Plan B and Plan C look like for this off-season.

Plan A entails signing K-Rod or Fuentes, Derek Lowe, and a "low-cost, high-ceiling pitcher (Freddy Garcia, for instance) to compete for the fifth starter's job with Jonathon Niese." Then, trade Heilman and Schoeneweis for some decent bullpen arms, pick up Raul Ibanez, trade Luis Castillo and sign Orlando Hudson.

Well, that'd be nice. That's definitely my Plan A as well, but I just don't think they have the payroll to add all those guys.

Check out the article for Plan B and C. (I like Plan B a lot as well.)

** * **

Seems that looking in-house for a closer is the last resort for the Mets.

Davidoff (yes, again!) quotes Minaya in another article:

Asked yesterday if the Mets could turn within the organization for their closer - a youngster such as Eddie Kunz or Bobby Parnell, for instance - Minaya said, "That is not Plan One."

Smart man, I just hope he doesn't disregard them altogether.

Rumor Rundown: More pitching

The Mets may have found a taker for Aaron Heilman, and they might be able to land a young starter in return. Hold on, let me check my pulse. I may have died and gone to heaven.

Joel Sherman is reporting that the Mets and Tampa Bay Rays have had preliminary discussions about Andy Sonnanstine or Edwin Jackson. The Rays seem to fancy Heilman (but would need more than just him to complete the trade).

Sherman:

But Tampa is blessed with depth in Sonnanstine (13-9, 4.38) and Jackson (14-11, 4.42), plus Jason Hammel, Jeff Niemann and Mitch Talbot. They have let the Mets know there might be a potential for a deal among that group.

Tampa continues to have interest in Aaron Heilman Aaron Heilman , but not to the extent it had in the past, in part because the Rays' belief that Heilman can be transitioned to the rotation has dwindled. Thus, the Mets would have to surrender more to complete a deal.

Have any use for Luis Castillo?

** * **

The Mets are not on the list of teams that Jake Peavy and his agent are dealing with. Too bad.

** * **

Seems the youth movement may be a forced hand in 2009.

VP Tony Bernazard has stated that if the team cannot land a closer via free agency or a trade, they are willing to go with youth.

From the Daily News:

Bernazard said if the Mets strike out through free agency or trade, they're prepared to potentially use Bobby Parnell or Eddie Kunz in the closing role.

"Why not? What's wrong with that?" Bernazard asked. "You can't sign one of those guys, what are you going to do - not play?"

It must be noted that in 10 2-3 innings pitched in the Arizona Fall League, Kunz has posted a 8.44 ERA. He has picked up two saves, while allowing 15 hits and 10 earned runs to score. He's walked seven and struck out eight.

Parnell, on the other hand, has thrown 9 1-3 innings, allowed three earned runs on seven hits, for a 2.89 ERA. He's walked seven and struck out 11 batters for Peoria Saguaros.

** * **

Scott Boras wants a lot of money. No surprise here.

Ken Rosenthal notes that the Mets are willing to pay up to $12 million for Oliver Perez, but Boras will likely want more, thanks to Carlos Silva's ridiculous contract.

Platoon

No, not the movie.

According to Marty Noble, the Mets current plan is to use Fernando Tatis and Daniel Murphy as a platoon in left field in 2009.

That is, unless they can sign a regular left fielder, but I doubt that will happen. If the Mets are already planning to use Tatis and Murphy in left, neither have another true spot on the team.

Tatis and Endy Chavez would compete for the fourth outfielder, and there's no need for that. Murphy, who is seeing time at second base in the Arizona Fall League, would probably not serve as a backup. No way the Mets want young talent just sitting on the bench.

The Mets have been linked to Raul Ibanez already, but he's going to be pricey and I don't think they want to be on the hook for that much money for a player of that caliber.

Using Tatis and Murphy is just fine with me. Both players served the team at the plate, but lacked in the fielding category. They can also be a plus-bat off the bench on days they are not starting. Their pinch-hitting was a key down the stretch, even if they fell short.

The question now is, where does that leave Nick Evans? Evans, who split time with Murphy and Tatis in left, is pretty much left without a position. This moves him right up to the top trading chip.

If the Mets can swap a package of Evans and Aaron Heilman for a starter or bullpen arm, that would be a plus.

Murphy and Tatis in left, Evans and Heilman somewhere else, and a few key arms on the staff. I like how I think.