Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Aaron's Requiem In The Key Of Ski

Aaron Heilman is starting to remind me of that guy in all of your typical 80's ski lodge movies who tries like hell to get the ski bunny to like him but she only has eyes for the obnoxious son of the lodge owner.

Of course in the movies, the protagonist always gets the girl. I can't help thinking that Heilman will get the girl in the end as well, except that his movie is taking a lot longer than 94 minutes.

I don't really know how else to feel about this past week's announcement that it will be indeed Brian Bannister and Victor Zambrano who fill out the Mets rotation, with Heilman returning to the bullpen. On the one hand, Heilman was fairly stellar out of the pen last season...and more importantly, many scouts see Heilman as a pitcher who is much better in his first time through the lineup than later in the game (Heilman, by the way, is 3-0/2.13 as a reliever in his career as opposed to 5-13/5.93 as a starter). But on the other hand, you want to see a guy who's worked hard to be the best starter he could be get his shot. Heilman has had decent success in winter ball and in spring training as a starter and let's face it: his name is not Victor Zambrano which is a plus, fairly or not.

Zambrano meanwhile, probably clinched his spot in the rotation with six innings of shutout ball against the Cardinals in Pedro's first start. My guess as to what bothers Met fans about Zambrano's inclusion in the rotation goes something like this: There seems to be certain guys like Heilman, who always seem to have to perform above and beyond repeatedly to get rewarded. While a pitcher like Zambrano, who's only crime is being the short end of a horrific trade, pretty much only has to shine once or twice and gets the benefit of the doubt. Now nobody knows what goes on behind the scenes, and I'm certainly not about to pretend that I do. But from an outsider's point of view, there still seems to be something attached to Zambrano...whether there's still an effort to keep him in a starting role to either justify the Kazmir trade, or because he's a waste out of the bullpen (I understand if it's the latter). But whatever the case, it's Heilman on the outside of the ski lodge looking in.

But like I said, Heilman will eventually get the girl. The starting rotation, from 1-5, is tenuous. And Aaron Heilman realized that eventually, one of those spots will be his. Whether it be because of Pedro's toe, Glavine's tree rings, Trachsel's back, Bannister's inexperience, or Victor's inability to hit the broadside of a Home Depot, something is bound to happen. It always does. And at that point, Aaron Heilman will get his ski bunny.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Mets starting five is plainly not good enough. Wins that are gained by a better bullpen will at least be partially offset by a weak starting five (the offset even more dramatic if Pedro can't anchor the rotation). The Mets should win a weaker NL East by squeezing out 90 wins or so. I think people get distracted by the age issue for the pitchers when the real issue is that they are not very good. It may be enough to win the division but barring a midseason pickup...not much farther beyond that. Glavine has been a bust, Wacksel is inconsistent, nobody wants Zambrano, Benson isn't around to eat up innings, Heilman and the new kid are unproven. Remember, people knew what the Achillies heel was last year and they ended up where a lot of people expected.

Anonymous said...

your right we were better last season with Ishii.

We have no shot this season.

I don't want to win the division because with this starting staff we won't go anywhere in the playoffs.

So I'd rather finish 3rd.

I think I am starting to fit in now.

Guess people tend to forget the team you break camp with is never the team you end up with.

Last opening day if you told ANYONE that Seo * Heilman were in the rotation there may have been a mutiny. This year they are Hudson & Zito to Benson's Mulder apparently.

Anonymous said...

All I know is I am stoked and Monday can not get here fast enough.

Mike said...

If you look at Trachsel in baseball-reference.com, it is hard to imagine a more consistent pitcher (other than last year with the injury). Not great, but 200 IP, 4.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP. Really, I defy you to find a more consistent pitcher. The real problem with Trachsel is the injury - the back is tough for a pitcher.

Anonymous said...

Mike, the biggest problem with Trachsel is "North of the Eyebrows" if you will. I like him, I'm glad he's on the team, and I have a good deal of confidence in him. He is, however, a far different pitcher with men on base as opposed to not, with a lead as opposed to in the hole, etc. He's a guy who can really break through as a major threat if he gets it together upstairs, IMHO.

Mike said...

Unfortunately, at 35, there's little chance of that - old dogs/new tricks

Metstradamus said...

Tommy, how dare you remind me of Ishii's existance? I had successfully expunged him from my memory. Now it's back to therapy...thanks!

Anonymous said...

George - Benson around to eat up innings? Is this the same Benson who had tired arm the last two seaons? Had 174 innings last year, has hit 200 in a season three times in 6 years (eliminating the missed 2001 season)? Has a career 4.25 ERA?
Last year, Glavine had 211 innings, Pedro 217, heck, Zambrano had 166 (and was in the pen for the last month). I fail to see how Benson is such a huge loss.

Anonymous said...

I love the "liberals guy" always good for a chuckle. Then again, I always laugh at stupid.

Anonymous said...

I come to the website to read the Metstradamus posts. I read the comments just to see if Liberal Bashing Guy has posted anything new.
LOVE IT!!
Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

Still, you have to wonder what kind of diseases and personal issues that bunny will have developed up by the time Heilman gets his shot at her.

Metstradamus said...

I just hope the ski bunny isn't Anna Benson.