Aaron Heilman Traded To Cubs

Aaron Heilman was about to get a fresh start in Seattle.

He is now packing his packs and heading to Chicago.

Heilman was traded from Seattle to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, seven weeks after the Mets shipped him to the Mariners as part of a three-team swap. Chicago gave up utility infielder Ronny Cedeno and left-hander Garrett Olson, who had just been acquired in a trade with Baltimore.

The Cubs will give Heilman a chance to become their fifth starter but he could land in the bullpen, where he’s been used exclusively the last three seasons. A year ago, when the Mets had their second straight late-season swoon, Heilman went 3-8 with a 5.21 ERA and three saves in 78 games.

He blew five of eight save chances and heard steady boos from the disenchanted fans at Shea Stadium.

The 30-year-old Heilman grew up a Cubs fan in Indiana and graduated from Notre Dame. He said he mostly enjoyed his six seasons with the Mets.

Ronny Cedeno could compete for the second base job with the Mariners.

This could be a good move by the Cubs. They have a man who could be either the fifth starter or in the bullpen.

The trade for Heilman means that Jake Peavy will no doubt stay in San Diego.

I was looking forward to seeing what Garett Olson brought with him, but Seattle now has a promising roataion.

Cubs Get Sick Of Pie

The Chicago Cubs finally lost patience with Felix Pie.

Pie, once considered the Cubs outfielder of the future, was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Starting Pitcher Garrett Olson and minor league pitcher Henry Williamson.

Olson went 9-10 with a 6.65 ERA in 26 starts with Baltimore in 2008. He is 10-13 with a 6.87 ERA in 33 career starts, all with the Orioles, who drafted him between the first and second rounds of the 2005 amateur draft.

Williamson was the Orioles’ 14th round selection in the 2007 amateur draft. He went 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA last season in 20 games at the Class A level.

I was glad to see the Cubs unload Pie. I agree with many Cubs fans who compared him to Corey Patterson, another outfielder with a high cieling and no plate discipline.

The Cubs got a potential starter out of the Orioles. Good for the Cubs in getting some depth in their starting rotation.