MLBbro Jason Heyward Uses Social Media To Provide Leadership To Teammates

MLBbro Jason Heyward Uses Social Media To Provide Leadership To Teammates

by | May 15, 2022 | THE LEAD OFF

In this day and age, sports figures are identified more by their contracts than their play and overall impact to the team that pays them.

One of those players is our MLBbro, Jason Heyward, who may have an unfair legacy of not living up to the eight-year, $184 million contract the Chicago Cubs handed him before the 2016 season.

After Heyward’s 2015 season with slashes of .293/.359/.439 at the plate and second-straight Gold Glove Award in the field, the Cubs and their fanbase thought they had stolen a franchise player from their division rival, the Cardinals.

 

Our MLBbro aka “J-Hey”’s combination of solid hitting and better defense in the outfield was supposed to be the cornerstone of Chicago’s North side success for years to come.

Seven years later, some fans and media members have given up on Heyward’s worth to the team.

His slash line of .248/.280/.347 with 281 RBI over 710 games doesn’t add up to his salary. But what gets overlooked by many in professional sports is his veteran leadership behind the scenes. Some of it balances out the struggles that fans see on the field.

Don’t Let The Numbers Fool You, Jason Heyward Can Be Productive At The Plate

Nothing illustrates this point more for Jason Heyward and the Chicago Cubs than Game 7 of the World Series back in 2016. J-Hey called a team meeting during a rain delay to rally his teammates to the Cubs’ first World Championship in 108 years.

 

 

Just think of how much his teammates respected our MLBbro to lock in after his speech – despite Heyward batting .104 (5-48) over 16 games in the postseason. This is the example of leadership and respect he provides in the dugout as a liaison between the manager, coaches and players. Championship teams need that one player. Heyward has been one for years.

Social Media As A Team-Building Tool

With the Cubs stumbling out of the gate at 11-19, Heyward has used social media to keep his teammates inspired through this rough patch.

 

Despite his .222 batting average with only three RBI, his leadership and professionalism is appreciated by Cubs President, Jed Hoyer  according to NBCSports.com.

Roberto Clemente Award | MLBbros Tony Kemp and J-Hey Kid Nominated

“He’s a guy who had a lot of [veteran] players that influenced him as a young player in Atlanta, and he kind of pays it back now,” Hoyer said, referring to, among others, his current manager, David Ross. “He’s really good with those [young] guys. Everyone always talks about Jason being such a pro, how he handles all of his business off the field, how he prepares for games, how he prepares in the offseason. Everything he does is kind of first class in that regard.”

 

With Jason’s career winding down, his latest message to his peers: don’t take baseball for granted.

 

 

“And be on winning teams for the most part. I’ve done a lot of that,” he said. “Enough to appreciate what it’s like to have winning seasons and to feel what it’s like to lose. To see transitions happen. I’ve been a part of three of those now, in Atlanta, in St. Louis and then of course here.”

“We’ll see what happens,” Heyward said. “I know I have less years ahead of me than I do behind me, and I’m grateful for that.”

“The rest will take care of itself.”

 

Don’t Let The Numbers Fool You, Jason Heyward Can Be Productive At The Plate

Don’t Let The Numbers Fool You, Jason Heyward Can Be Productive At The Plate

by | May 19, 2021 | CLEAN UP

It doesn’t seem too long ago when Jayson Heyward made his MLB debut and was one of the most exciting players in baseball. Time sure does fly by, that was 11 years ago and now Heyward is an experienced, veteran in the league.

Heyward has had success throughout his MLB career and is currently playing on his third team, the Chicago Cubs.

He won his first and only World Series in 2016 with the Cubs and has become a vocal leader on the team. 

At the plate, Heyward showcases a silky smooth and quick swing, and possesses a lot of power. Regardless of his plate fluctuations, Heyward is always lit with the web. 

 

 

If someone who’s a fan of baseball saw Heyward play for the first time this season, they might think that Heyward has not had much success.

There’s no question that he’s struggled at the plate, hitting .187. But recently, his bat has come alive. So please don’t do too much worrying about Heyward’s offensive performance.

On May 17, Heyward had his best offensive showing of the season, going 2-for-4 at the plate with 3 RBI and a home run.

 

 

That’s the performance Cubs fans have wanted to see for a while. 

He recently was on a three-game hitting streak and during that stretch had four hits in 12 at-bats.

In April, he came in clutch off the bench, hitting a walk-off single against the New York Mets. Heyward isn’t the everyday starter like he was early in his career, but he does see his fair share on the field.

When Heyward first joined the Cubs in 2016, his numbers dropped noticeably. During that season, he batted .230 and hit only seven home runs. 

That’s after hitting a career-high .293 the previous season with the St. Louis Cardinals.

He knew something needed to change at the plate and he did not want to waste anytime. 

In a 2017 article from SI.com, former Cubs’ hitting coach John Mallee talked about Heyward’s work ethic after struggling in 2016.

“He may be better than (he ever) was,” Mallee said. “I’m very happy for him. His mind is in the right place. He has done a lot of mental stuff. It’s really special what he has put into this.”

Heyward also talked about the adjustments he made in the article.

“I’m able to be more balanced. I’m able to get more good swings off because I’m at the right spot at the right time,” Heyward said. “I’m not taking my hands behind my head, wrapping. When you wrap, with your first move to get the bat head out, you have to go around. 

“As a hitter, you don’t want to do that. You want to stay right down the line. And when you stay down the line, you give yourself more room for error.”

 

 

Now keep in mind this was almost four years ago and since then, his numbers at the plate are better than his first season in Chicago.

The New Jersey native started his career with the Atlanta Braves in 2010 and finished his first year batting .277 and hitting 17 home runs. 

It wasn’t long for our MLB bro to make a name for himself in the league and he quickly became a fan favorite in Atlanta. 

During his time in Atlanta, he made the All-Star team and won multiple Gold Glove awards. 

Even though Heyward isn’t having the success he had early on in his career, he still is a valuable asset to the lineup, whether he’s in the field or at the plate. 

Look for Heyward to have some clutch at-bats this season. He’s a true professional.