Heilman deal a good one

The D-backs pick up of Aaron Heilman from the Cubs on Thursday is not likely to draw much attention, but certainly looks like a good deal for Arizona.

With a little more than $10 million to spend this offseason, I’m not sure the D-backs had the ability to be a serious player for a top-tier free-agent reliever.

Heilman gives them a more cost-effective way of filling a need in the pen. He made $1.625 million last year and as an arbitration-eligible player this year he will likely get a raise to somewhere between $2 million and $2.5 million.

In addition, he will be a free agent following the season so you’re basically looking at a one-year committment and should he be a Type-B free agent, the D-backs would get a draft pick for him should he sign elsewhere. Not a bad return on a pair of prospects who were not exactly setting the world on fire.

There’s also some pretty good upside to Heilman judging by his performance for the Mets from 2005-2007. His numbers the last two seasons have not been as good in terms of his ERA and walk rate etc., but if the D-backs are able to get him right, he could really help in the late innings.

It’s a low-risk move with a chance at paying off and it leaves the D-backs with more money to spend on that No. 4 starter and maybe on another reliever.