Look on the bright side

[Vic Sage]

so the Mets won 4 of his 7 starts, and his line was 42 IP / 38h / 13bb /35k / 22er over those starts, which is roughly about a 4.71 era and a 1.21 whip, with a K:BB ratio of 2.7:1. I would take that over Perez, Williams and even Trax.

Of course, he's been in the pen all year and hasn't been stretched out to go 5+ innings, so its a moot point. But i don't agree that he's necessarily more valuable to the Mets as a guy throwing 80 IP than he would throwing 180 IP, especially now that Willie is going with Mota as a setup guy, and with Sanchez likely coming back next season.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Rotblatt wrote: True enough, but I think it's plausible that over the rest of the season, he became a better pitcher--not just a better reliever. And he also rocked the winter leagues as a starter.

It's more than plausible. But as his relief ERA was 46% of his starter ERA, I don't think the Mets position has shown itself to be all that crazy. And I wanted him starting also.

Next year, they'll have al lot of options for the eighth. We'll see where it goes.

But, even during the brief Lima era, the Mets were never as starter desperate as we (and I include myself here) were.

I think the nature of establising a pitcher is that they try you here where there's a need, they try you there where there's another need, and the first place you flourish, they try and move you as little as possible from that spot. It's superstitious, in a way, I guess.

[Willets Point]

Edgy DC wrote: He had some great starts last year, and some blowups. http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Lheila0010032005.htm People seem more inclined to recall the former.

Really? I remember this one:

04/15/05 vs. Marlins W 9.0 1 0 0 3 7

[Guest Edgy DC]

My point.

[Willets Point]

Dumbass. I confused former for latter.

[Theoldmole]

I don't think last year's starting numbers are all that important.

Here's another theory -- Peterson and Randolph have seen something in Heliman's mechanics, delivery, mind set, biorhythm, astrological sign, that has convinced them his strongest role is in the bullpen. Conceivably, they may even be right.

Here's the best way to test this. We set up two parallel universes. In one of them, Heilman stays with the Mets with a nice fat contract extension, remains a setup man for a couple more years, then replaces Wagner as closer, makes New Yorkers forget Mariano Rivera, and goes to the Hall of Fame as a Met.

In the other, he gets traded to another team that installs him as a starter, and we see what happens.

Now, in one of these parallel universes, I win the Nobel Prize for literature. I just have to figure out which one.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I've been looking for the parallel universe where I discover the secret to how to create parallel universes.

Once I do that, I'll get started on the Heilman Project. (Wasn't that a Robert Ludlum novel?)

[soupcan]

No, you're thinking of the 'Heidemann Weekend'.

[Frayed Knot]

]Here's another theory -- Peterson and Randolph have seen something in Heliman's mechanics, delivery, mind set, biorhythm, astrological sign, that has convinced them his strongest role is in the bullpen. Conceivably, they may even be right.

I don't think I brought up the biorhythms or astrology, but I did once ask (NYDN beat reporter) Adam Rubin via a radio talk show whether he thought the NYM brass was keeping Heilman out of the rotation because they were so concerned with building from their pen on out, or because they were skeptical of his probable success as a starter -- and his view was essentially; 'all of the above'

Maybe (thinking back also to JW Seo) Peterson just isn't a great believer that a hurler armed only w/a fastball-change combo has enough to succeed over the long haul & in multiple times thru the lineup.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Conceivably, he may even be right.

[Willets Point]

Traschel didn't have too high a pitch count, so if the Mets need a pitcher bad in an upcoming game...

Well, I guess that's a mixed bag, but something to think about a la Tim Wakefield 2004.

[Elster88]

Willets Point wrote: Traschel didn't have too high a pitch count, so if the Mets need a pitcher bad in an upcoming game...

I think you meant "if the Mets need a bad pitcher in an upcoming game".

[Willets Point]

You're not looking on the bright side.

[Willets Point]

Okay here's something we can cling to:

These are the Cardinals, they're managed by LaRussa. Somehow he will screw this up.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Darren Oliver's yeoman effort means that Willie can pull a quick hook on Perez if necessary tomorrow, and despite last night's blip, our pen is pretty fucking good, and everyone but Oliver & Robo should be available.

In the second inning, I figured us for screwed tomorrow without a dominant performance by Perez. Oliver has given us a chance even with a poor performance.

[Willets Point]

Thank you Rotty.

It's just game 3 of a 7-game series. We've got one win under our belts and the other three will be won somehow.

This is far from over.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Willets Point wrote: This is far from over.

Hells yeah!

St. Louis has gotten a lot of breaks tonight. Balls hit hard but right at someone, Trachs walking the park, poor defense by Green . . .

It's not like they're dominating us out there.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Tomorrow night's starter Reyes strikes out more batters at home (9.31/9 innings), but he also allows more walks (4.06 per 9 innings) and home runs (1.90 per 9 innings). Overall, an ERA of 4.78 ERA at home.

Oliver Perez in September/October 2006:

4.39 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 10.03 K/9, 3.14 BB/9, 1.57 HR/9

[metirish]

iI still believe...Perez this is your time to become a Mets legend...like Bobby Jones.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Y'know, we really don't need Oliver Perez to become a legend.

We need him to go ~6 innings, and allow ~4 runs or less.

The other 2 things we need:

1) Make the plays behind him (his K's will help some but as we've seen the last 2 nights if you don;t make the plays behind a shaky starting pitcher, you stand a great chance of losing).

2) Hit a lot more.

[TransMonk]

Darren Oliver: my lastest Mets hero.

[Guest cooby]

Tomorrow's another day, and our Metsies are all in bed resting up for it right now!

[Guest cooby]

Here's to both of them

[Guest cleonjones11]

Do the Oliver Twist...Good luck Oliver in the biggest game of your career and mine as a Metsie.

Baby steps....Baby steps...Baby Steps.......Bill Murray..What about Bob.

[Guest cooby]

Hey, look who the cat dragged in

[Guest cleonjones11]

cooby wrote: Hey, look who the cat dragged in

Ironically I had to put my beloved cat Koko to sleep yesterday...Mets don't seem so..so.. important right now..Maybe in a few days...

[HahnSolo]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: 1) Make the plays behind him (his K's will help some but as we've seen the last 2 nights if you don;t make the plays behind a shaky starting pitcher, you stand a great chance of losing).

JD makes a good point here. Think about the Cards last two nights. I can think of some plays where it looked like a hit off the bat, but their guys were in position to make plays. I'm specifically thinking of Eckstein and Belliard making plays on the other side of second base. Meanwhile, on Spiezio's triple I think Green was playing in Kansas, and on the foul pop that Endy couldn't grab, where exactly was he? Those two balls had a lot of air time.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Endy got to the foul pop in time to catch it, and he would have if he hadn't had to avoid stepping on Wright.

I don't fault Wright for being there. They both made their best efforts and got in each other's way. But it turned out Endy had the better play on the ball.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Not really his fault, but Wright interfered with Endy on that play. Green's dive was simply a matter of poor concentration for a catchable ball. Either way it forced Trax, bad as he was, to get 5 outs in the first inning instead of 3.

On Friday Maine made things difficult by walking the leadoff guy, but a potential out, maybe two gets booted and suddenly our lead's not so safe.

We just don;t have enough pitching, or THAT good an offense, to make goofs in the field. It's the one thing that we need in the absense of a shut-down pitcher.

[Guest Edgy DC]

If things don't change, this may be known as the series of balls Shawn Green juuuust missed.

Somebody ransom David Wright.