For the Chicago Cubs, the Jason Heyward watch officially began on Sunday night. Unfortunately for all involved and invested, the 2017 season opener looked an awful lot like all of 2016 and all of this year's Spring Training. In other words, Jason Heyward still looked really bad at the plate. Is it too early to worry about whether or not the outfielder is "broken" and doomed to be a great defensive player who can barely hit his weight? Yes and no. The Cubs are well aware that Heyward is in the middle of a process that started right after the season ended.
That process is attempting to rebuild a swing the team changed for the worst in spring training 2016.
More of the same for the Chicago Cubs
No, the team never claimed Heyward was going to be magically fixed when spring started. Still, the fact that the outfielder hit just .161 has to make some people wonder just what in the world is going on. For a brief period of time, it looked like the Chicago Cubs were finally seeing their highest paid position player start to turn it around. The resurgence didn't last long and soon, talk that his swing wasn't all that different from the 2016 version began to get louder. While the Cubs' front office and manager claimed they were seeing a different look, the results have been shockingly similar.
One game is a microcosm for Chicago Cubs outfielder
No, opening night does not prove Heyward is still having the same old problems. four at-bats is just not enough to judge. However, for those who have paid close attention to Jason since he arrived in Chicago, his plate appearances should be concerning. Heyward's first at-bat ended with him coming nowhere near a fastball and he struck out.
His next two plate appearances were a ground out to the right side of the infield and a pop out to the right side of the field. Even his infield hit, where he eventually came around to score on a Wilson Contreras home run, was a weak grounder to the right side, badly fielded by the Cardinals. Those who know Heyward that when he's at his worst, he's grounding or popping to the right side of the infield. That performance should make some Chicago Cubs fans start to wonder if it's going to be moe of the same in 2017.
