Right after the Rockies and A's consummated the Matt Holliday trade, a deal that sent former Oakland closer Huston Street (and two others) to Colorado, there were rumors linking the Mets to a potential Street spinoff. The rationale being that the Holliday trade itself was a quasi-salary dump, and with Manny Corpas on the roster Street was a luxury the Rockies would be better off trading for other needs.
Those rumors have resurfaced, this time with the oft-rumored Aaron Heilman's name specifically linked. By himself. As in Huston Street for Aaron Heilman.
See, by reportedly offering -- nay, insisting! -- on a 1-for-1 swap, the Mets are trying to convince the Rockies that Heilman is a Huston Street in Aaron Heilman clothes... and skin, hair, body etc.
And you know, aside from Street's 94 career saves compared to Heilman's 9, and an ERA over a run lower even though he's been pitching in the AL, and a batting average against of .215 to Heilmans .245, the Mets have a point, they're just about the same pitcher! Plus, all those Caucasian relievers look the same anyways. Am I right, or am I racist?
While Minaya doesn't have a statistical leg to stand on, the big wild card he's handed as leverage is Heilman's repeated desire to be a starter. When guys like Carlos Silva are making over $10M a year just because they can eat the innings, then Heilman's current salary, combined with upside as a starter looks awfully tasty.
So what might have been a scenario that depresses Heilman's market value, the disgruntled player who wants out of town, actually helps because the teams with the available closers (one who can also pitch the 8th) are all looking to cut costs. If Heilman had gone with the Mets plan for him to be a lights out set-up guy without complaint, teams might be less interested in him now.
Of course, there's been no deal, and it's likely the Mets will need to sweeten the pot, because it's still, you know, Aaron Heilman versus Huston Street. But if they get it done the Mets will have traded one of their 2008 nightmares, for the first piece to the bullpen of their dreams.
