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="holychicken":2j5aqkgl]I always remember him as evidence that hometown fans can destroy one of their own players and unfairly blame one person for the loss of a 7 game series.[/quote:2j5aqkgl]
I don't think this is totally true. I don't believe the majority of fans blamed him for 2006. He was booed intensely last year, but that was for sucking so bad in 2008, not for what happened in October 2006.
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metsguyinmichigan
Dec 11 2008 07:36 AM
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I have to give Aaron credit for ending my Streak of Shame. He was hanging out by the railing before the game in Cincy, chatting with fans and signing autographs. He signed my scorecard -- and didn't pitch. Really tall. Very friendly.
I wish him well.
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Gwreck
Dec 11 2008 08:07 AM
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If we ever wanted textbook-evidence that a vast percentage of Mets fans are stupid, look no further. I still think that 2008 was an aberration more than anything.
Some Heilman memories not yet mentioned:
May 19, 2006, the now "legendary" game against the Yankees that was won on David Wright's walk-off double. Lost somewhere between Beltran's 3-run homer that put us back in the game and Wright's hit to win it was Heilman's three perfect innings.
July 26, 2008 against the Cardinals. Heilman wound up getting the loss when he gave up a homer to Pujols in his third inning of work -- but was the last man out of the pen and still pitched three innings despite having pitched both of the two previous nights. I always felt that this game shouldn't have been counted against his '08 statistics.
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MFS62
Dec 11 2008 08:18 AM
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I remember when he was drafted, reports said he was "closest (as in getting there quickest) to the Majors" and "a sure fire #2 or #3 major league starter".
Later
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Edgy DC
Dec 11 2008 08:23 AM
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Any sources there?
<a href="http://www.talk-sports.net/mlb/sucks.aspx/Aaron_Heilman" target="_blank">Go, Mets fans!</a>
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86-Dreamer
Dec 11 2008 08:26 AM
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Despite so many failures, he was the reliever I wanted to see in the 7th or 8th. Then he would walk the leadoff hitter, allow another hit, maybe a long HR. But considering the other options, I still thought he was the best option the next time there was a lead to protect. I wish him well, but thankful/hopeful that we have a better option now.
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MFS62
Dec 11 2008 08:27 AM
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Edgy,
I knew that as soon as I hit "enter" you would reply that way. :)
No, just newspaper and (baseball america and other) website comments that I recall.
Nothing specific, but there were several of them.
If you want to find them, check out the NY newspapers and BA the day or two following that year's draft.
Maybe I just should have said "IIRC".
Later
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Edgy DC
Dec 11 2008 08:30 AM
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I don't want to find them.
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soupcan
Dec 11 2008 08:32 AM
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I always liked him, always tried to be positive when he came in a game thinking that this was the one where he would turn it around.
-The 1-hitter against the Cubs in Chicago with his coach from Notre Dame in attendance.
-I remember Rick Peterson on WFAN with Russo and Francesa discussing Aaron's difficulties this past year saying that he 'had more moving parts' than your average pitcher, suggesting that when everything was in alignment he was great, but if one thing was out of whack - than it was very difficult for Aaron.
Peterson said that he used to spend quite a bit of time with Aaron constantly reminding him and pointing this out.
I always wanted him to get his starting shot. Yesterday though Peterson was on the FAN and said that Aaron has had 25 big league starts and in those starts he is 5-15 with an era over 5. He suggested that while Aaron could very well become an average ML starter he felt that his best chance for success was in the 'pen.
To be fair though - average starters seem to make about 3 times what average to good middle inning bullpen guys do. No wonder why Aaron wants to start.
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DocTee
Dec 11 2008 08:50 AM
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One of my favorites.
Cute wife.
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Centerfield
Dec 11 2008 10:45 AM
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I thought he could have been a good starter. Remember, most of those starts he made were before he moved his arm angle back down. Coming out of college the Mets fucked with his delivery depriving him of some of his natural movement.
I always thought he was an appearance or two from getting straightened out in in 2008. Mostly because the stuff was there. Alas he didn't. So he sucked.
Before that, he was pretty good though. You obviously can't get through this thread without mentioning Yadier Molina, but I also remember thinking that it was the right call to go to him at the time (tie game in the ninth, choosing him over Wagner). That says something about the season he had been having.
He had a sourpuss face, and seemed to pout after bad outings that made him really easy to dislike. But afterwards, would say all the right things so I would be reminded how wrong impressions can be.
I thought he got screwed by the Mets when they moved his arm angle. And I imagine it was hard for him to not blow a gasket when the Mets were not giving him a shot at starting when they were trotting out the likes of Brandon Knight and Chan Ho Park. I think Ben Grimm even got a spot start in 2006. But through it all he played the role of a good teammate.
Fans treated him like shit. But fans being douchebags is nothing new.
I'll miss Aaron. I think he will have a great 2009.
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Vic Sage
Dec 11 2008 11:47 AM
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i'm rooting for him to succeed in Seattle.
so long, Aaron ...and thanks for all the fish.
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G-Fafif
Dec 11 2008 11:51 AM
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Every time they zoomed in on him finding his arm angle, his shoulder drooping just a bit, he reminded me of Shermy, the generally forgotten Peanuts kid, doing his part in the holiday dance number. I'd start humming the "Linus and Lucy" theme and think of "A Charlie Brown Christmas".
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G-Fafif
Dec 11 2008 11:52 AM
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="themetfairy":8rwa00al]I guess my biggest memory of Aaron was one of the first times that I met G-Fafif in person. It was in the late innings, and I had gone over to the area where he was sitting. Heilman made a bad defensive play. Although I never booed the man, I remember pointing my finger and yelling, "Bad Aaron, Bad!" like he was a dog or something.
I'm kind of amazed that G-Fafif still hung out with me after that....[/quote:8rwa00al]
Oh god, that was that horrible grounder when he didn't cover first, wasn't it? I thought that was an incredibly unheady move by a guy who had to rely on headyness.
I wouldn't have hung out with you if you hadn't admonished him ;)
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Benjamin Grimm
Dec 11 2008 11:53 AM
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="Centerfield":mm2drzzu]I think Ben Grimm even got a spot start in 2006. [/quote:mm2drzzu]
CF is dumping on me a lot this week. I think I may have to pout or something.
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themetfairy
Dec 11 2008 12:17 PM
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="G-Fafif":u5aeok49]="themetfairy":u5aeok49]I guess my biggest memory of Aaron was one of the first times that I met G-Fafif in person. It was in the late innings, and I had gone over to the area where he was sitting. Heilman made a bad defensive play. Although I never booed the man, I remember pointing my finger and yelling, "Bad Aaron, Bad!" like he was a dog or something.
I'm kind of amazed that G-Fafif still hung out with me after that....[/quote:u5aeok49]
Oh god, that was that horrible grounder when he didn't cover first, wasn't it? I thought that was an incredibly unheady move by a guy who had to rely on headyness.
I wouldn't have hung out with you if you hadn't admonished him ;)[/quote:u5aeok49]
Yupİ
Frustrating as all heck.
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G-Fafif
Dec 11 2008 12:35 PM
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Get out your handkerchiefs, courtesy of [url=http://metstradamus.blogspot.com/2008/12/what-encore.html:331z0wqr]Metstradamus[/url:331z0wqr]...
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BQ42dKs845s&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BQ42dKs845s&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
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Gwreck
Dec 11 2008 01:40 PM
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Can't see why any of the non-masochists among us would want to watch that.
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Zvon
Dec 11 2008 01:47 PM
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| ="Benjamin Grimm"]
... I think I may have to pout or something. |
You better not pout...
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Zvon
Dec 11 2008 01:50 PM
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Wish him well, hope he gets to start and goes like .500 for the rest of his days,
don't let the screen door leave waffle marks on that howdy doody face on your way out.
Yes, he is walking backwards out the door.
Don't question it.
Howdy doody face^
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attgig
Dec 11 2008 02:19 PM
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i always liked the guy too.
my favorite memory is 2009, #5 starter in seattle. 13-8 record. 4.25 era.
oh wait, that hasn't happened yet?
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HahnSolo
Dec 11 2008 02:58 PM
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As mentioned earlier, the 3 perfect innings that Friday night against the Yankees in 2006 stand out.
I also thought it was cool in 2006, at least initially, that he used London Calling as his entrance music.
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Frayed Knot
Dec 12 2008 10:32 AM
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="MFS62":awnr4y7m]I remember when he was drafted, reports said he was "closest (as in getting there quickest) to the Majors" and "a sure fire #2 or #3 major league starter".[/quote:awnr4y7m]
As a college senior in the midst of juniors, Jucos, and prep kids, calling him closer to making it was a logical guess.
As is projecting a mid-1st rounder as a #2 or #3 so long one doesn't take phrases like "sure-fire" too seriously (assuming that phrase was even used).
Some revisionist history tried to turn Heilman's pick into a "reach" but that was a load of crap. Drafted 3 times: as a HSer by the Yanx (later round), then 31st overall by the Twins as a college Jr, then 18th overall when he passed up the Twins offer and went undefeated as a Notre Dame Sr.
But fans tend to think they're guaranteed perennial All-Stars w/mid-1st round picks, but I once went back and looked at all 18th overall picks and to find a better one than Heilman one had to go back to Willie Wilson back in the closing days of the Nixon administration.
His fall-off this year was stunning but what's amazing is those now acting as if this was the real Aaron all along.
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Edgy DC
Dec 12 2008 10:54 AM
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Real conversation mid-summer last year with a real person.
<blockquote>"Do you know what his record was last year?"
"Um, no."
"Some Mets fan. Seven and seven. So don't tell me that he was good because, even at his best, he was a .500 pitcher on a winning team."
"He, um..."
"He sucks. He's a fuck and he sucks."</blockquote>I think the Mets should charge more at the gate if you look unreasonably angry.
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Edgy DC
Dec 12 2008 11:22 AM
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Aaron, who gives me what will be my sig line for a day or two, goes down in history as the last inhabitant of Tom Seaver's locker.
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metirish
Dec 13 2008 05:53 AM
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Heilman getting lustily booed by Mets fans on the road was the worst , it was one of those cities where you get lots of Mets fans , Colorado I think it was.
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