Great expectations for Braves rookie Heyward

SAN DIEGO

Before Jason Heyward's first major-league game, he was paired with a Braves legend. Hank Aaron, the former all-time home run leader, threw out the first pitch to Heyward on Opening Day in Atlanta.

After Heyward started to build his own lore with the first swing of his career, a three-run home run, Aaron saddled him with about the only expectation the 20-year-old phenom may not be able to live up to.

"He can certainly bring the excitement back, not only for Atlanta but also for African-American players," Aaron told The Associated Press that day.

With expectations that Heyward can do it all on the field, the questions already have surfaced about whether he can do it all off the field as well.

"I don't think there's any fair, unfair," Heyward said recently. "It's like Obama being president, it's something new that can be done, it's something that other people want to do. People have role models like Peyton Manning, somebody like themselves, or somebody like Donovan McNabb. Some people are going to want to do different things when they see other people like themselves.

"I want to be a good influence on whoever."

Darryl Strawberry, like Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton, believes the expectation is unreasonable. Heyward can't carry that torch alone.

"That's not realistic," said Strawberry, the former Mets and Yankees outfielder. "It's going to take more than that for African-American kids to get back to playing baseball. It's going to take Major League Baseball involving itself with inner-cities programs and putting its stamp on it.

"Do you want that responsibility on him? No, he's a 20-year-old rookie. I wish everybody'd just let him be."

Heyward arrives in New York for the first time Friday as the Mets host the Braves for a weekend series.

The legend of the New Jersey-born, Georgia-raised kid continues to grow. On Tuesday, his homer tied the score with two outs in the bottom of the ninth against the Phillies. Two days earlier, Heyward's walk-off single beat the Rockies.

Chipper Jones, almost 38 and nearing retirement, believes Heyward, batting .298 with four home runs, 16 RBIs and a .411 on-base percentage through Tuesday, is his successor.

"It's my job to groom him to be the next No. 3 hitter," Jones said, " . . . and he might be there before I leave. He's as gifted a 20-year-old as I've ever seen, no doubt about it."

To Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, the fanfare of Heyward's debut is reminiscent of Ken Griffey Jr. To David Justice, a Rookie of the Year with the Braves 20 years ago, there is something special about Heyward, as there was with Andruw Jones and Alex Rodriguez.

At 6-5, 240 pounds, the five-tool Heyward is lean and controlled. His lefthanded swing and stature might be most reminiscent of the 6-6 Strawberry, the 1983 Rookie of the Year at 21.

"I had heard that they compared him with the ability of me - power, speed, do it all, run," Strawberry said. "When I saw him in spring training, I saw him steal third easy, which is phenomenal for a guy his size."

So many prospects couldn't meet high expectations. Another Braves rookie rightfielder, Jeff Francoeur, was dubbed "The Natural" on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2005. Four years later, he was traded to the Mets.

Strawberry said playing outside of New York's spotlight doesn't hurt. He knows well that immaturity can derail a career.

"I look at his value more where he comes from, what's his situation at home, the way he was raised and everything," he said of Heyward's parents, both Dartmouth alumni.

Heyward says the hype and comparisons don't bother him.

"I don't think anything of it," he said. "People want to compare, that's for the fans and the media. I'm just going to say I'm being myself. It's cool to be compared to other people, because those are great guys that came before myself. That's an honor to be talked about, but other than that I don't think too much of it."

Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez knows all about pressure. The No. 1 overall pick in 2000 took six seasons and three franchises before he grew into the force he is today.

"Sometimes, I'm just like, 'Dude, just leave him alone,' " Gonzalez said. "Just let him play. Let him put up his own numbers, just let him write his own thing."