***Official 2024 STL Cardinals Thread ***

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Ocotillo

Heyward had a .393 OBP at age 20. His most similar batter by age on Baseball Reference was Willie Mays at 20 LOL

The rest of his career was a lot of frustration and meh.

I've never leaned harder into the idea that "once you demonstrate a skill, you own it until age or injury takes it from you..."

Heyward was the most obvious candidate in the world for that axiom. After his age 22 season, the sky was the limit for him. He showed power and patience and everything you'd want from a perpetual 30/30 candidate who should be getting MVP votes annually. He was a 22 year old superstar in waiting.

And then...wasn't. He got hit by that pitch (broke his jaw, right?) and was just never the same. The argument would be, I guess, that 'injury' took it away from him by making him tentative. But damn man, he was 23 when that happened; I just don't buy it 2 or 3 years later.

From a pure technique standpoint, he was getting in his own way. He just wouldn't open up his shoulders/hips and drive the damn ball. He was so closed off trying to reduce his K-Rate that he jammed himself on anything from the middle in.

The only pitches he drove were pitches down and away that FORCED him to extend his arms. He ruined himself. Age didn't do it, injury didn't do it. He did to himself. I can't think of many guys like it.