The Mets pulled off a pretty wild trade that has netted the team a guy who looks to be the setup man for Francisco Rodriquez.

The Mets picked up J.J. Putz a 31-year old relief pitcher from Seattle as part of a three team, 12-player trade. When the smoke cleared three signature Mets players were gone.

Aaron Heilman and Endy Chavez were shipped to the Mariners. Joe Smith was shipped to the Indians. Three minor league players, including Mike Carp, were shipped off by the Mets as well.

The New York Post weighs in on the deal and Putz:

The New York Daily News is reporting that Aaron Heilman either wants to be moved to the starting rotation or he wants out of New York.

I've said in the past that I thought it made sense to try Aaron as a starting pitcher again. Willie Randolph wouldn't hear it. Perhaps Jerry Manuel will feel differently. After all, Heilman was originally a starter. And he even threw a one-hitter back in April of 2005.

In 2008 Aaron was miserable coming out of the bullpen, sporting a 5.21 ERA. Do we really want him coming back as a setup man or middle reliever in 2009? I don't. So I say we give him a chance at the rotation in spring training. We are going to need to replace Pedro Martinez and probably Oliver Perez and Heilman just might be the number five starter that the Mets are looking for.

While we look at being consistently inconsistent, it is reassuring to know that we can rely on one element of the team. The bullpen has never failed to ensure that we have absolutely no chance of winning games that have been relatively tight. As I sit here, Jorge Sosa has just given up a grand slam home run. I've lost track by mid April of the number of homers given up by the bull pen, especially in tight positions. Frustrating is an understatement - we have to face facts with this. we are not pennant material if we continually shoot ourselves in the foot in the seventh and eighth inning. 2006 has never seemed so far away....It's more like '96 than '06 at the moment.

Of course Aaron Heilman wants to start. He was brought up in the Mets organization as a starter. And after some disappointing call ups he finally showed some promise in 2005. In 2006 he was relegated to a set up role.