Aaron Heilman

Infobox MLB player
name=Aaron Heilman

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width=200
position=Relief Pitcher
team=New York Mets
number=48
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1978|11|12
debutdate=June 26
debutyear=2003
debutteam=New York Mets
statyear=September 22, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=22-33
stat2label=Earned Run Average
stat2value=4.24
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=395
teams=
*New York Mets (by|2003-present)

Aaron Michael Heilman (born November 12, 1978 in Logansport, Indiana) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the New York Mets.

High school years

Heilman attended Logansport High School in Logansport, Indiana, and was a letterman in baseball. In baseball, he led his team to two regional titles, and as a senior, was a team M.V.P. an All-State selection. Heilman graduated from Logansport High School in 1997.Fact|date=February 2007

College career

After a successful college career at the University of Notre Dame, he was selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2001 amateur draft with the 18th overall pick.

MLB career

He made his major league debut at Shea Stadium on June 26, 2003 in a 6-1 loss to the Florida Marlins. Heilman has pitched poorly as a starting pitcher, posting an ERA of 5.93 as a starter for 2003, 2004 and the beginning of 2005. [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Lheila0010.htm] He was converted to a relief pitcher for the rest of 2005 and excelled with an ERA of only 2.18. However, Heilman's finest game came as a starter on April 15, 2005, when he made a start in place of the injured Kris Benson and pitched a one-hit complete game shutout.

In the second half of the 2005 season, he held a 0.68 ERA, tops in the league.

Heilman is married and resides in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

In Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, Heilman surrendered a tie breaking, two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals, putting St. Louis ahead 3-1. St. Louis would hold on to the lead to win the National League pennant, while Heilman suffered the loss for the Mets.

When entering games at Shea Stadium, the home of the Mets, Heilman comes out to the song "Paint it Black" by The Rolling Stones. He has had three straight consistent years of an ERA under 4 as a reliever.

Immediately after being moved to the bullpen, Heilman repeatedly stated that he would rather be a starting pitcher. However, Mets brass felt that he is of more help to the team working out of the bullpen. However, in 2008, he was not a help but rather a hindrance.

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb=408310 |espn=5410 |br=h/heilmaa01 |fangraphs=1751 |cube=h/Aaron-Heilman