Heilman is

[Guest AG/DC]

What did you conclude from last night?

[Gwreck]

I guess it's a mix of #3 and #4. I do think Willie showed a lot of confidence in Heilman by giving him two high-pressure innings late in the game last night.

I'd like to see him have a good month before I declare him "all the way back" but as I've said all year, I think the suckage at the beginning of the year was more an anomaly than anything else.

[Fman99]

... bearded.

How about a choice that says "no idea." I'm baffled by his up/down-itude.

[metirish]

Still has a way to go , right now I would grade him E , for effort.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think it's a positive sign; something to build on.

If he can go two or three more weeks with more good outings than bad, maybe get that ERA down into the low 4's, then I'll be more comfortable that the badness is behind him.

For now though, I'm reserving judgment.

[Guest holychicken]

Heilman has a way of making me say "YEAH BABY! HE'S BACK!" the game before he gives up a 3 run homer to blow a lead or let the opposition's lead grow to virtually unscaleable heights.

So I am just going to say he has a ways to go. . .

[Fman99]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I think it's a positive sign; something to build on. If he can go two or three more weeks with more good outings than bad, maybe get that ERA down into the low 4's, then I'll be more comfortable that the badness is behind him. For now though, I'm reserving judgment.

This is the camp that I'm in also. Surely he looked good yesterday but let's see him string a bunch more of those together.

[metirish]

I think part of the problem is that no matter how good he is he will always be a big hit away from getting mauled by the Shea crowd.

[Gwreck]

metirish wrote: I think part of the problem is that no matter how good he is he will always be a big hit away from getting mauled by the Shea crowd.

I think that's a problem for the Shea crowd, not for Heilman.

Being booed last year didn't stop Willie from using Schoeneweis, and being booed the last 2 months of last year and this year didn't stop Schoeneweis from being good.

Can't see how it'd be any different in this case.

[metirish]

Yes I should have made that clear , it's the crowds problem , but it can have an effect I think.

[Guest AG/DC]

Fman99 wrote: ... bearded. How about a choice that says "no idea." I'm baffled by his up/down-itude.

Perfectly legitimate response, but I forgot to say: There's a gun to your head.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

...an above-average reliever coming off the worst 6 weeks of his career.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I just wonder if he's been hiding some aches and/or pains, like Schoeneweis did last year.

Or maybe it was just a lack of focus/concentration, and he's on the verge of snapping out of it. That would be better than the ache and/or the pain.

[Guest AG/DC]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: ...an above-average reliever coming off the worst 6 weeks of his career.

Sounds like choice two.

[Guest themetfairy]

Maddeningly inconsistent.

[Vic Sage]

i was there last night, and he was so totally dominant in his 2 innings that it was inspiring.

that being said, i'd like to see a few weeks of excellence before his appearances elicit anything more than nervous dread

[nymr83]

i voted "still has a ways to go", but the last two outings have at least given me hope that he can get back to where he was.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Bah. He's very consistent. His career shows consistent goodness, with a consistent drawback (HR propensity) and most recently has been consistently disappointing.

I'm OK choosing 2, though I'm not convinced he's turned the corner necessarily. If anything I agree with Grimm, who feared he might have been hiding an injury and can be hopeful that the classikc Heilman's return means he feels a little better.

[Frayed Knot]

Speaking of Schoeneweis, anyone notice that he's sporting a 1.35 ERA and 0.90 WHiP this season including only 1 run allowed in his last 13 IPs?

He's faced approx 50/50 RH/LH batters this season compared to about 60/40 last season so maybe the usage pattern has helped him.
His R/L splits are still pretty wide but he appears to be managing it better.

[Guest AG/DC]

In a binary world where any appearance giving up a run is a failure and an appearance without giving one up is the only success, they can all be called inconsistent. I'd say he's been more consistent than most.

[Frayed Knot]

I remember noting last year at some point that Heilman tended to have feast-or-famine quality to his outings - far more so than most relievers it seemed.
His appearences tended to be either perfect or perfectly lousy. This year is like last year only with more bad outings than good plus wilder extremes.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Very good performance last night was a step in the right direction, but he still has a way to go before I think he's back to his prior level of performance. He needs a few more good outings to boost his confidence, or at least mine.

[smg58]

Pitchers in general, and relief pitchers in particular, can lose their form quickly and sometimes regain it just as quickly. I'm cautiously optimistic regarding Heilman. The Mets will need 85+ innings of quality from at least one reliever, and Heilman is still the most likely guy to give that.

[Fman99]

AG/DC wrote: ="Fman99"]... bearded. How about a choice that says "no idea." I'm baffled by his up/down-itude. Perfectly legitimate response, but I forgot to say: There's a gun to your head.

Stupid Second Amendment.

In that case, I amend my vote to "Ready to Be a Useful Contributor." Optimism abounds.

[Guest sharpie]

I blame tonight on this poll.

[Guest mario25]

Heilman blows...end of freakin discussion! He should be the long man when a starter gets taken out early...He CANNOT handle the 7th and 8th innings

[seawolf17]

...an ex-Met soon.

[Guest AG/DC]

mario25 wrote: Heilman blows...end of freakin discussion! He should be the long man when a starter gets taken out early...He CANNOT handle the 7th and 8th innings

Hey, um, way to place your bet after the horses are in.

[Guest mario25]

I have been saying Heilman is not right for the 7th and 8th innings for a long time.... he will probably go somewhere and be a good starter because that is what he wants to do...he has given up some huge homers over the years including playoffs in the set uprole...

[Guest AG/DC]

Got it.