The J-Hey Kid

[DOUGHBOYS]

An NFBC friend of mine was touting Jason Heyward as a wonderful ball player.
I quipped that 'wonderful' is not a roto category.
We both agreed that Heyward is a better baseball player than fantasy player.
Experts love talking about his defense. But defense is not a part of fantasy baseball.

Back in the day, I marvelled at Vada Pinson as a ball player.
He could do it all. But defensively, I thought he was, at the least, in my childhood hero Willie Mays class as a center fielder.
As a fantasy player, Pinson would have held his own.
But watching him was truly the joy.
So far in Heyward's career, I'd rather watch him in the field than at bat.
He does not hit left handers. When he is about to come to the plate, lefties leap up in the bullpen to be the first to start warming up.
He hits lefties like I hit Kate Upton. Only in dreams.
He shows flashes of both power and speed, but both dissapate faster than a cheap firecracker.

Heyward is a fast fellow. Fast fellows should be using their speed.
Does Heyward bunt ?
Not a lot.
Does Heyward bunt against the shift ?
Not much.
Does the shift hurt him?
Yes.
Really, Heyward uses most of his God-given speed....on Defense!
Fantasy players get little benefit from his speed.

Heyward maybe listening to the wrong people.
In his 'career year, he had 27 homers.
In that year, he struck out 152 times. He walked 58 times.
Last year, in about the same amount of at bats, he homered 11 times.
He decreased his strike outs to 98. He increased his walks to 67 this past year.
Heyward really, needs to strike out more.
I know that sounds funny to hear.
But he needs to go back to his old ways for more fantasy relevance. And, quit being more picky at the plate.
Maybe the Cardinals will see that light.

In five years, he has had as much hype as almost any player.
He has not come close to filling that hype, especially in a fantasy sense.
And he is still being taken in the fifth and sixth rounds of drafts.
Why?
Some will take him, hoping for a late hype breakout.
Some will take him for a change of scenery.
Some will take him out of sheer hope.
And some, like my friend, think he is just wonderful.
I figure if I don't draft him, I can still watch him at his best in the field, without cursing him at bat, flailing away at a lefty.
It is best for him and me, that I pass on him this year.