The Don™ Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 LOS ANGELES – Jason Heyward won’t use it as an excuse, but hitting coach Terry Pendleton said the rookie slugger’s nagging thumb injury is causing him problems.He went 2-for-17 with six strikeouts in the four-game series against the Dodgers, including strikeouts to end the ninth and 11th innings – both times with a runner on base – in Sunday’s 5-4 loss.Heyward tied a major league record by striking out five times in a nine-inning game Friday, including the final out of the 5-4 loss.“He’s not going to mention it, but he’s struggling with that left thumb,” Pendleton said Sunday morning. “It’s bugging him. He can’t get to a certain point in his swing that he wants to get to without it [hurting].”Heyward injured the thumb on May 14 when he caught it on the base while sliding head-first. He was scratched from the lineup May 23 at Pittsburgh after it swelled during the game the night before.He’s 3-for-28 with 10 strikeouts and no extra-base hits in his past seven games, with his only RBI in that stretch coming on a line-drive single in the third inning Sunday.Before the slump, Heyward hit .372 with nine extra-base hits (two homers) and 10 RBIs in 11 games, including three consecutive two-hit games May 28-30.“He gets to a certain spot in his swing and it’s almost like he has to come off it,” Pendleton said. “It just gets him. He’s trying to work through that and still stay on the ball.”Pendleton thinks it could be an injury that’s nagging through the rest of the season, and doesn’t believe resting Heyward for a brief period would help. He thinks it’ll be in the offseason before it completely heals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdogg Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Pendleton thinks it could be an injury that’s nagging through the rest of the season, and doesn’t believe resting Heyward for a brief period would help. He thinks it’ll be in the offseason before it completely heals. Dont like that sound of that at all. Lets hope it heals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K26dp Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Yeah, this is really Not Good. Heyward's pretty much the tipping point for this line-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 This sounds bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTRaines92 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Not good, not good at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 And I see where a lot of people are on Heyward because of his strikeouts. Give the kid a break. 12 of his 45 strikeouts have come in 3 games. Take those 3 games away and he would have more walks than strikeouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATL Fan in the DMV Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Not good news. Seems like the best Heyward can do is deal with the discomfort since it won't heal without lengthy rest. This is awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#1 pick Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 (edited) He's a great kid but if he's hurt, we need to sit him. There is no need on trying to play the kid through injury and have another Chipper on our hands. His scouting report says he's injury prone and we do not need that to linger. Edited June 8, 2010 by #1 pick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nighteyes Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 i hope they rest him for a week or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 He is too hurt to help the team right now. It's very clear. But what are our alternatives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K26dp Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 He is too hurt to help the team right now. It's very clear. But what are our alternatives?None. Plus, I'm not convinced he can't help the team. Even if he can't hit for power, he can still be a .400 OBP hitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 None. Plus, I'm not convinced he can't help the team. Even if he can't hit for power, he can still be a .400 OBP hitter.But notice how his walks have declined and his strikeouts have gone through the roof since the thumb injury? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K26dp Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 But notice how his walks have declined and his strikeouts have gone through the roof since the thumb injury?Yes, because pitchers are now attacking him in the zone, because they know he's hurt. And they will continue to do so until he can show he can at least turn on a few of those strikes.He's looked pretty good the last couple nights, though the results haven't been there. He should be productive again in the short term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Yes, because pitchers are now attacking him in the zone, because they know he's hurt. And they will continue to do so until he can show he can at least turn on a few of those strikes.He's looked pretty good the last couple nights, though the results haven't been there. He should be productive again in the short term.I can't tell. Just moved 2 weeks ago and don't have power or tv yet. All I've got is the radio. They can only tell you so much. Don said last night or maybe the night before that Heyward had the best swing he has had in 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobkowski Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Jason Heyward for the past week: at bat 35 struck out 14 :ph34r: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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