Right at home

Logansport’s Heilman loves going to work every day

By BEAU WICKER

CHICAGO — Although the Chicago Cubs might not be putting together the season they were hoping to as of yet, Logansport native Aaron Heilman has been coming on strong of late.

At one point in late May, Heilman’s ERA was 5.49, but the right-handed reliever has lowered it to 3.57 and hasn’t allowed a run in his last four appearances. His ERA over the last month is 1.93.

“I’ve been able to figure a few things out and kind of settle in and progress as the season’s gone on,” Heilman said before Tuesday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves. “I feel like I’m throwing the ball, the last couple times, as I should. And I’m just going out there and attacking hitters and getting ahead — just trying to put the pressure on them.”

Heilman (2-3) has been known as a second-half pitcher throughout his career. He’s hoping that trend continues.

“It kind of seems that way most of the time. I’ve always felt like I’ve gotten stronger as the year went on,” he said. “Other than just being out there and the repetitions and competing, I don’t know if there’s a reason for being able to do that. But I’ve always felt that I’ve gotten stronger as the game went on when I was a starter and likewise as the season went on. Maybe it’s facing hitters a few more times, you get a little more familiar with them. You remember a few things and you’re able to use what’s happened previously in that year to your advantage.

“But unfortunately there’s no magic reason or why some guys get off to a hot start and some guys seem to do a little bit better towards the end.”

Heilman is a product of Midwest baseball growing up and playing baseball in Logansport, where he led the Berries to the state finals his junior year in 1996, before going on to Notre Dame where he set numerous school records. He’s now at arguably the hub of baseball in the Midwest — Chicago and the Cubs with their millions of fans throughout the world.

“It’s a tremendous experience for me,” he said, noting he grew up a Cubs fan. “{Wrigley Field] was the place I saw my first big league ballgame. It has always been a special place to me. Now to be able to call this place home is very special. I live here in Chicago now and have for awhile. It makes it nice and I’m very fortunate to be able to live and play in the same city.

“The Cubs have certainly had a storied franchise and it’s a great organization and it’s a fun one to be around. You can’t beat coming out to the ballpark knowing that you’re going to play in front of 40,000-plus rain or shine. This place is packed and it’s energetic and lively every day, so it makes it real easy to look forward to come to the park and play and know that the fans are out there to support you. It’s always been such a great community here, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Plus playing for the Cubs makes it easier for his fans in Logansport to follow him than it was when he played for his former team, the New York Mets.

“It has been great. Every once in awhile you see somebody I haven’t seen in awhile come up and stop in while we’re taking batting practice and say hello,” he said. “It does make it easier … you don’t have to search too long to find WGN or listen to it on the radio. That definitely is an advantage. Now, you get the Internet you can pretty much follow any team at any point, but it’s always a little bit easier when you can just turn on the TV or turn on the radio and find what you’re looking for.”

The Cubs are currently 41-41 going into today’s four-game series against the first-place St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. The Cubs trail the Cardinals by 3.5 games entering their last series before the All-Star break.

Heilman thinks the Cubs are capable of making a good second-half run.

“We’ve been able to hang around and stay close in our division. Even though we felt like we were able to play a lot better than what we’ve showed, we are pretty close for not having played as well as we would’ve liked,” he said. “That’s good for us so that hopefully we can get hot here and right after the break continue that and put together a run and hopefully see what happens and get in the postseason, and then it’s just taking it one game at a time. But it makes it a lot more fun when you’re coming out, winning ballgames and guys are playing well.”

Beau Wicker is the sports editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at (574) 732-5113 or beau.wicker@pharostribune.com

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