The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Heyward running more this season
Right fielder perfect on seven steal attempts. Dropping 20 pounds added to aggressive attitude on bases.
Jason Heyward set out to be more aggressive on the basepaths this season, and he’s well on his way. The resurgent Braves right fielder is a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen bases after one in the fourth inning Friday. That’s two shy of his total in steals from last season, when he was 9-for-11.
“I’ve got some speed, use it,” said Heyward, who lost 20 pounds during the offseason, which has made him even lighter on his feet.
He also has the National League leader in stolen bases over the past three years to learn from in Braves leadoff man Michael Bourn, who also led the majors last season with 61 steals.
Heyward said he has kept a close eye on Bourn and makes a point to stand with bench coach Carlos Tosca in the dugout when Bourn is on first or second, to get pitchers’ times to the plate.
“I really get a good visual feel,” Heyward said. “Other than that, it’s just going off what I know now and trying to improve on it, getting better at it. It helps seeing him a lot though.”
Heyward stole 11 bases in 17 attempts during his breakout rookie season in 2010. Fifteen was his career high in the minor leagues, on 18 attempts, in 2008 for Single-a Rome.
Heyward hasn’t set a specific number to shoot for this year, except to just keep building on what he’s doing.
“Just go for however many I can get,” Heyward said. “Just keep running, see where we end up.”
Heyward has seven stolen bases matching Bourn, and Bourn has been caught three times.
Bourn said he has drawn more attention from pitchers than he ever has before.
“I’ve never seen it like I’ve seen it this time,” Bourn said. “It’s more pick over, pick over, pitch out, pitch out, pick over, quick to the plate. So I don’t like to force the issue right off the bat. But eventually they’ll ease off as our team, we start banging a little bit more. Then I’ll start to pick them up again.”
As fun as it was to homer against the Dodgers on his 40th birthday, Chipper Jones had a pretty nice birthday gift waiting at home, too. His wife, Sharon, surprised him after a birthday dinner out with his family Thursday night with keys to a new Ford F-150.
Jones took advantage of the day off Thursday to give his knee a rest as well. While it bothered him waking up after the cross-country flight, by Friday it felt “good enough,” and he was back in the lineup.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez said he plans to rest Jones at least once against the Pirates.
“Sometime this weekend we’ll give him a breather,” Gonzalez said. “Play him two or three in a row, keep doing it that way. We want him productive, the whole year, on this team and this roster.”
Jair Jurrjens will make his first start since his demotion to the Triple-a Gwinnett Braves at 2 p.m. Sunday in Toledo. He originally was projected to pitch today, which would have been on regular rest, but by going Sunday it was an easier fit for the Gwinnett rotation.
The Braves have no timetable for Jurrjens’ return, but hope time in Triple-a will help him recapture his form, whether it’s by working on his mechanics, arm strength, leg strength or simply confidence. Jurrjens is 0-2 with a 9.37 ERA in four starts this season.
“Obviously something there is not right,” Gonzalez said. “Go down there and fix it and come back. You don’t think I want a guy who’s won 40-something games back here pitching for us?”