Mets Get More Bullpen Help

The Aaron Heilman era is over. Let us now rejoice. In an old-fashioned 12-player, three-team trade, the Mets have acquired relievers J.J. Putz, Sean Green, and outfielder Jeremy Reed from the Mariners and sent Heilman, Endy Chavez, Jason Vargas, Mike Carp, Ezequiel Carrera, and Maikel Cleto to Seattle, and Joe Smith to Cleveland.

After getting a discount on Francisco Rodriguez, as much through outside forces as Omar Minaya playing his cards right, the Mets GM worked a miracle in this deal. Heilman had to go. Maybe he had one bad season and will turn his career around, but if he stepped on the mound in Citi Field in 2009, Mets fans would probably swarm the field, tar and feather the reliever, carry him to the parking lot, take turns running him over in their cars and set the whole stadium on fire.

And that may be understating things.

Chavez is a folk hero, but is also a fifth outfielder. Smith had his moments but is expendable. And there are no top prospects among the other names (unless you want to count Carp or Cleto).

In Putz, Omar couldn’t have gotten a better setup man. There’s some sentiment saying the former Seattle closer is better than K-Rod. He was slowed by rib and elbow injuries last year (3.88 ERA/1.60 WHIP/23 saves), but was dominant in 2006 and ‘07 (2.30/0.92/36; 1.38/0.70/40). When healthy, he doesn’t walk anybody and throws in the mid 90s.

He probably won’t have the same hangdog look on his face that Heilman usually sports. Any concern about accepting a setup role is put to bed with this quote by Putz:

“It’s a new challenge and I’m excited about it. I’m going to a new team that’s going to be very competitive. Francisco Rodriguez is a great closer and with Sean Green going as well, we should have a great bullpen.”

Jeremy Reed can take Endy’s place as a defensive specialist. The left-handed-hitting outfielder’s a career .257 hitter with a .314 OBP and has slugged .365, so he better be good in the outfield. And Sean Green is a righty reliever with a career 4.32 ERA and 1.53 WHIP, and is a ground-ball specialist, so he can replace Smith in the bullpen.

After ignoring the bullpen last year, which led to the disaster of aught-eight, Minaya has a chance to redeem himself with this year’s moves. The Mets spent the last two months of ‘08 with Luis Ayala, Heilman and a long list of shaky, nervous, profusely sweating relievers trying to close out the last few innings of every game.

Now it will be K-Rod and Putz. That looks like a huge upgrade.

At least I pray it is.