Talking Chop

In the first of what will likely be many "of the week/month/year" awards, Braves outfielder Jason Heyward was named the National League Rookie of the Month for April. Here is the release:

Heyward led all rookies with six home runs and 19 RBI in April, and finished tied for ninth in the Majors in RBI. The 20-year-old hit .240 (18-75) and added three doubles, 10 runs scored, 13 walks, a .520 slugging percentage and a .360 on-base percentage. The Georgia native became just the second Braves rookie to make his Major League debut in the Opening Day starting lineup since 1981 (Jordan Schafer, 2009). The left-handed slugger connected for a home run in his first Major League at-bat on April 5th, becoming the youngest player to do so since Cincinnati's Ted Tappe did it in 1950 at age 19. In addition, Jason was the sixth player in Atlanta history and the 11th in franchise history to homer in his Major League debut. On April 18th against Colorado, Heyward collected his first game-winning hit with a two-RBI single in the ninth inning to lift Atlanta to a 4-3 victory. Just two days later against the N.L. East-rival Phillies, he forced extra innings with a solo home run in the ninth inning to tie the game at 3-3.

The 14th overall selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft collected five multi-hit games, including a career-best three-hit performance on April 10th at San Francisco. Heyward also contributed five multi-RBI contests, including his four-RBI effort on Opening Day. Jason registered at least one RBI in five consecutive games from April 10-11 at San Francisco and April 12-15 at San Diego. On the season, Heyward is hitting .272 with seven home runs and is tied for fourth in the N.L. with 23 RBI.

Congrats to J-Hey. In addition to all the praise and honors heaped upon him, Heyward also stealthily won a set of Callaway Golf Clubs for hitting a homerun more than 470 feet.