J-Hey Kid or Wayward Heyward?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:21 am
I touched on this in my last post and wanted to complete those thoughts.....
I'm rooting for the Cubs. I'm not a Cubs fan, really. I guess I am just more of a fan of the National League than American League.
It's sorta like voting for one party over another in an election, I guess.
Fantasy baseball has made me individualized. Even if rooting for the Cubs, there are players on the Indians that I want to have a fantastic series.
Francisco Lindor epitomizes how young players should approach the game. It is a pleasure watching and enjoying Lindor playing and enjoying the game.
Andrew Miller, without Wins or Saves to shoot for, mowing down the opposition because that is his job. Makes me think of Closers who come into the game with a four run lead. As if winning the game wasn't enough incentive, they crash and burn without a Save as a trophy.
Corey Kluber who never changes demeanor. A bulldog.
The Cubs have easy guys to root for too.
Anthony Rizzo is my favorite player in baseball to watch hit. It drives my wife crazy. I'll put an at bat and certain swings in super slo mo, asking my wife (in vain) to join me in marvelling at his batributes.
Easy going Kris Bryant is an admission worth the price.
The Lester-Ross combo is a treat. Enjoyed it for years. Watching Lester barking when thinking he is getting squeezed and Ross working both Lester and the umpire to try and get the most out of his pitcher.
Awesome stuff.
Unlike the broadcasters who will laud every player and every skill displayed tonight, I do have some not nice things to say about one player.
Jason Heyward.
Super Cub fans will now want to turn away and pretend like this post is over.
Enjoy the Series!
Bye bye.
We could say that the Cubs have won despite Heyward this year.
Oh, I know, he is one of the best fielders in baseball. (That is always the first comeback from his Mom and friends and sabrs)
But think about it, when we play choose-ups on the playground and we were stuck with the last kid, where did we stick him?
That's right.
Right field.
The way Heyward has hit, NOBODY is that good of a fielder to make up for it.
If Heyward had Chris Coghlan's history, he most likely would not be on the Cubs right now.
But, he is.
Heyward is a rich mooch. A rich mooch is a guy who makes too much money to take out of the lineup and mooches time from others because of it.
The Cubs could have played Heyward a lot less this year, Javier Baez a lot more, and they would have been even better.
BUT, they are where they are, so that doesn't hold much water.
Still, from a fantasy and skills point of view, Baez is so much more fun than Heyward. Right?
Somebody once wrote that the age 27 season of a ballplayer is special. Heyward read that and wanted to prove it wrong.
Man, did he prove it wrong.
Heyward's nickname is the 'J-Hey Kid. Love it. Great nickname.
Hate it when players don't play up to a good nickname.
This year, ' Wayward Heyward' would have been more fitting. Or, 'the What the Hey? Kid'.
Heyward has lived off 'what he could do' for years.
It's the reason why he gets so much money.
He's never hit 30 homers. Never scored or driven in 100 runs. Never stole 30 bases. Never hit .300
But, at one time or another, he was projected to do all of that.
He still can.
But, he won't.
Heyward is a hitter that pitchers have figured out.
His best power year was five years ago. He hit 27 home runs.
While most other hitters in baseball have let their swings fly, Heyward is taking an opposite tact.
During his 27 home run year, he struck out over 150 times.
In the four years since, Heyward has not even struck out 100 times.
Announcers and sabrs say less strike outs equals better hitter.
Not so fast.
Heyward makes bad contact.
I'd much rather see a hitter swing and miss at a first pitch than make bad contact.
Heyward does not attack, even on first pitches.
Heyward was one of the few hitters in baseball NOT to hit a home run on a first pitch in an at bat last year.
At the same time, among all pitches, he hit for his highest average on first pitch pitches.
Mere contact is not working for Heyward.
Only one player in baseball had more at bats with less homers than Heyward last year.
Cesar Hernandez.
Cesar Friggin Hernandez.
It'll be fun listening to broadcasters dance around the dreadful year that Heyward has had.
They will be like his Mom and friends and sabrs, and want to speak of his glove rather than his bat.
But in your life, have you ever seen an outfielder sign an eight year, multi million deal for his glove?
Yeah, me neither.
I'm rooting for the Cubs. I'm not a Cubs fan, really. I guess I am just more of a fan of the National League than American League.
It's sorta like voting for one party over another in an election, I guess.
Fantasy baseball has made me individualized. Even if rooting for the Cubs, there are players on the Indians that I want to have a fantastic series.
Francisco Lindor epitomizes how young players should approach the game. It is a pleasure watching and enjoying Lindor playing and enjoying the game.
Andrew Miller, without Wins or Saves to shoot for, mowing down the opposition because that is his job. Makes me think of Closers who come into the game with a four run lead. As if winning the game wasn't enough incentive, they crash and burn without a Save as a trophy.
Corey Kluber who never changes demeanor. A bulldog.
The Cubs have easy guys to root for too.
Anthony Rizzo is my favorite player in baseball to watch hit. It drives my wife crazy. I'll put an at bat and certain swings in super slo mo, asking my wife (in vain) to join me in marvelling at his batributes.
Easy going Kris Bryant is an admission worth the price.
The Lester-Ross combo is a treat. Enjoyed it for years. Watching Lester barking when thinking he is getting squeezed and Ross working both Lester and the umpire to try and get the most out of his pitcher.
Awesome stuff.
Unlike the broadcasters who will laud every player and every skill displayed tonight, I do have some not nice things to say about one player.
Jason Heyward.
Super Cub fans will now want to turn away and pretend like this post is over.
Enjoy the Series!
Bye bye.
We could say that the Cubs have won despite Heyward this year.
Oh, I know, he is one of the best fielders in baseball. (That is always the first comeback from his Mom and friends and sabrs)
But think about it, when we play choose-ups on the playground and we were stuck with the last kid, where did we stick him?
That's right.
Right field.
The way Heyward has hit, NOBODY is that good of a fielder to make up for it.
If Heyward had Chris Coghlan's history, he most likely would not be on the Cubs right now.
But, he is.
Heyward is a rich mooch. A rich mooch is a guy who makes too much money to take out of the lineup and mooches time from others because of it.
The Cubs could have played Heyward a lot less this year, Javier Baez a lot more, and they would have been even better.
BUT, they are where they are, so that doesn't hold much water.
Still, from a fantasy and skills point of view, Baez is so much more fun than Heyward. Right?
Somebody once wrote that the age 27 season of a ballplayer is special. Heyward read that and wanted to prove it wrong.
Man, did he prove it wrong.
Heyward's nickname is the 'J-Hey Kid. Love it. Great nickname.
Hate it when players don't play up to a good nickname.
This year, ' Wayward Heyward' would have been more fitting. Or, 'the What the Hey? Kid'.
Heyward has lived off 'what he could do' for years.
It's the reason why he gets so much money.
He's never hit 30 homers. Never scored or driven in 100 runs. Never stole 30 bases. Never hit .300
But, at one time or another, he was projected to do all of that.
He still can.
But, he won't.
Heyward is a hitter that pitchers have figured out.
His best power year was five years ago. He hit 27 home runs.
While most other hitters in baseball have let their swings fly, Heyward is taking an opposite tact.
During his 27 home run year, he struck out over 150 times.
In the four years since, Heyward has not even struck out 100 times.
Announcers and sabrs say less strike outs equals better hitter.
Not so fast.
Heyward makes bad contact.
I'd much rather see a hitter swing and miss at a first pitch than make bad contact.
Heyward does not attack, even on first pitches.
Heyward was one of the few hitters in baseball NOT to hit a home run on a first pitch in an at bat last year.
At the same time, among all pitches, he hit for his highest average on first pitch pitches.
Mere contact is not working for Heyward.
Only one player in baseball had more at bats with less homers than Heyward last year.
Cesar Hernandez.
Cesar Friggin Hernandez.
It'll be fun listening to broadcasters dance around the dreadful year that Heyward has had.
They will be like his Mom and friends and sabrs, and want to speak of his glove rather than his bat.
But in your life, have you ever seen an outfielder sign an eight year, multi million deal for his glove?
Yeah, me neither.