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My Take: The kid, the staff, and the search for redemption
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It's been a while since a 20-year-old, seven-hole hitting right fielder got as much attention as Braves rookie Jason Heyward has gotten since spring training started up and on through his first-career at-bat which was good for three RBIs and an abrupt homer.Braves fans got a dose of reality after that, as he went two for his next 12, but he bounced back in Saturday's 7-2 win over the Giants with his second-career homer and a 3-for-3 night.In that game, he looked like a seasoned veteran, showing his power with a solo home run, his patience with a pair of walks and his ability to adjust by squirting an RBI single to left after lining a pair of hot shots foul down the third-base side in the seventh inning.In other words, he opposed his will in San Francisco that night.The hype of "the kid" has been huge since he got the call to the show and, although he's been slightly inconsistent, it's easy to see why.One can only hope that he doesn't get "Yankee'd" by Braves fans, who have been quick to jump on the bandwagon when all is well and quick to abandon as the "glory years" have recently fallen by the wayside.It's clear that Heyward has re-energized the fan base, but it can be a dangerous bit of medicine, too. Look at A-Rod's plight in pinstripeville.When the poor guys is hitting homers and driving in clutch runs, it's because that's what he is supposed to be doing, and when he grounds out down one with two on in the bottom of the ninth, he's an overpaid hack who deserves to be run out of town.No wonder he felt the pressure and, well, you know.Heyward has set the bar for himself pretty high already, so - right now anyway - the bottom half of the order is where he needs to be. Besides, if he stays there, that means Chipper, McCann and Glaus are doing what they're supposed to be doing, and that can only mean good things for the Bravos.Besides, if that pitching rotation throws as good as it looks on paper, no one player will have to carry the team with his bat - and to me, that's Atlanta Braves baseball as it should be.