Mets Hot Stove: Marty's got a brand new bag

There is a new Marty Noble Mets Mailbag on Mets.com, some news regarding former Met Jason Phillips, and a really promising new Mets blog.

Mets.com: Mets Mailbag
Marty Noble answers a question regarding Aaron Heilman's request to be traded to a team that would use him as a starter, which Marty points out that the Mets are under no obligation to do. Marty seems to feel the way that many of us do, Heilman is more effective as a reliever:

The Mets' sense is that Heilman's value to them is greatest when he pitches in relief. There is some thought, too, that despite his successes as a starter in winter ball and his one-hitter in April, Heilman is better suited to pitch in relief, that opponents will be better able to deal with his changeup after facing him twice as they would be likely to do if he were a starter. Offspeed pitches, particularly changeups, can be more effective in late innings when hitters are apt to have a sense of urgency about their at-bats.

Marty goes on the detail why having a deep bullpen is so essential for the Mets in 2006:

A bullpen with three primary parts -- Wagner, Heilman and potentially Baez, in the Mets' case -- is essential for a team with no starter likely to pitch into the eighth. Mets starters reached the seventh (meaning they faced at least one batter in the seventh) 81 times, the eighth 35 times, the ninth nine times and pitched eight complete games. Those numbers aren't likely to increase a year later with a team that has two starters with significant mileage, such as Pedro Martinez (34 years old and 2,513 big league innings), Tom Glavine (soon to turn 40 and pitch his 4,000th inning), along with Kris Benson, a pitcher who has struggled in successive Septembers.

Moreover, Steve Trachsel, 35, averaged 6.14 innings per start in 2004, his most recent full season, less per start than Martinez (7.0), Glavine (6.4), Benson (6.23) and Jae Seo (6.45), and slightly more than Victor Zambrano (6.0) averaged in 2005.

This is why I have gotten into arguments with people who felt it would be okay to trade Heilman as long as we pick up another reliever. We need as deep of a 'pen as we can get. If Juan Padilla's success in 2005 wasn't a complete mirage -- which it may well have been, unfortunately -- it wouldn't hurt to have four go-to relievers on this team.

Noble also has an interesting response to a fan who asked what David Wright might do in 2006. I'm not going to quote the whole response, but I found this intriguing on Wright working to improve his defense:

There's every reason to believe his defense will improve -- it did after the All-Star break. Wright committed 15 errors in 233 chances before the break and nine in 228 chances after the break. He slowed himself down and that helped. And he has been jumping rope in the offseason to be quicker on his feet.

I still think that most of his problems in the first half were in his head, especially with rushing the play.

Noble also has an interesting take on Victor Diaz' playing time next year.

MLB.com: Jason Phillips signs minor league contract with Toronto
Jordan Bastian reports that former Mets catcher Jason Phillips has signed a minor-league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Phillips was not tendered a contract by the Dodgers after last season. The Dodgers obtained Phillips from the Mets in return for pitcher Kaz Ishii, who was also non-tendered this off-season.

ESPN Insider: Gammons on the Red Sox situation
If you have an Insider account at ESPN, you might want to read this fascinating story about the wild and crazy Red Sox off-season, and the happenings between Larry Lucchino and the departed Theo Epstein.

New Blog: 123-01 roosevelt ave.
I stumbled across a new Mets blog today, and I really enjoyed the 3 posts that were up so far. Noah Portes Chaikin promises "mostly rants" about the state of the Mets, and I for one can respect that. Well worth checking out.