Heyward’s Healthy; and There Will Be Hell to Pay

The AJC’s Dave O’ Brien does a really good job of reporting. He’s a damn good beat writer. That’s what makes following a team who isn’t *your* team fun sometimes. That, and if they are building around a guy like Jason Heyward.

Today, O’ Brien is writing about Jason Heyward from Lake Buena Vista, Florida. He took his first highly anticipated hacks of Spring Training today. And he was straight crushing.

We stood at the cage and watched, and the difference was obvious. He looked again like the guy who announced his arrival on the big-league scene by hitting tape-measure long balls last spring, some of which smashed windshields and sideview mirrors on team executives’ cars parked in a lot beyond right field.

O’ Brien has been selling a huge sophomore season for Heyward for weeks now. I’m buying it obviously. Luckily, I inherited in as a keeper in one of my serious money fantasy leagues. All in exchange for giving up my 12th round pick (coinciding for where he was taken last year). That’s a steal, considering I wouldn’t think twice about taking him higher. Like, 3rd round ‘higher’.

Heyward’s being coy right now. He’s not exactly saying that he feels the best he’s ever felt. He’s being careful. Heady. I’m like O’ Brien. I have a gut feeling that Heyward is just hiding wisely in the weeds to try and catch some guys sleeping in the early going of this season. Maybe guys reading these clippings about thumb concerns feed him a few more fastballs because of it. And I think he’s going to respond in a big way by knocking balls over the wall. He’s going to be ready for them.

Think I’m buying into the hype a bit too much? Then please take Peter Hjort’s word for it. Peter is the head editor for my favorite Braves blog on the net, Capitol Avenue Club. He was a guest on The Baseball Show a year ago, and he knows his Braves for a living. Not a guy known for making statements on an impulse. He had this to say about Heyward recently:

2. Does Jason Heyward have a shot at winning the NL MVP award in 2011?

Sure, if he stays healthy. He was hitting like an MVP-candidate before he injured his thumb last year. If he can put that injury behind him and manage to play 140+ games at full strength, there’s no telling what Heyward will do. Heyward staying healthy for an entire professional season would be unprecedented, so we must temper our expectations in that regard, but, regarding ability, the hype is real.

Peter and I see right in line. Heyward was phenomenal in his first 46 games last season before hurting his thumb. He hit .301 with 10 homers, 38 RBIs, and a .421 OBP and .596 slugging percentage during his 46 games, for a 1.015 OPS that briefly led the league. Then dinged up from July 19 to the end of the season, Heyward hit .306 with 16 doubles, seven homers and 27 RBIs in 67 games, with a .423 OBP and .468 slugging percentage (.891 OPS).

It wasn’t just the numbers. It’s what we saw with our eyes. This guy is the most mature young hitter we’ve seen since Ken Griffey Jr. back in the early 90’s. It’s about the eyeball test  sometimes. And we couldn’t get enough Heyward last spring. Then the injury happened. It’s a shame because he would have finished higher in the MVP voting.

We don’t think we have to sell you on the fact that Heyward is a good to even great player. But we’re trying to sell you on Heyward being an MVP type player and one of the top five offensive players in baseball in 2011 at age 21. Yes, it’s possible. And yes he really is that good and that advanced already.

He’ll probably come out on Opening Day and go 0 for 4 quietly. His first week might even go quiet. But he’s going to go completely off not long after that. And he’s not going to stop all season long. He’ll force Fredi Gonzalez to hit him higher than 6th just like he forced Bobby Cox’s hand last season even with the dinged thumb. We’re calling it right now–Heyward is one of the biggest picks to click in 2011.