Seattle Embraces Heilman, New York Not So Much

I read an article in the Seattle Times this morning about Aaron Heilman. I know that we are better off with Putz in the pen, than we were with Heilman, but I can't help feeling like a heel for the way I ragged on him in 2008. Heilman was a big key to our bullpen and had solid seasons in '06 and '07. Sometimes my passion makes me explode with anger right after a Mets loss. I'll just go straight to my laptop and vent to make me feel good. I did a lot of venting on Heilman last season, but in truth he was a solid citizen and always could be found at his locker after a bad game. He was a good guy, and if I examined the record I would find that 75% of the time if not more, Heilman delivered the goods. Steve Kelly writes, New York is tough and unyielding and demanding as a drill sergeant. It can exalt an athlete and it can destroy one. It can celebrate athletes, or it can suffocate them. For the past couple of seasons at Shea Stadium, setup man Aaron Heilman has been the ...