Heyward reflects on time at Turner Field

June 12th, 2016

ATLANTA -- Sunday's 13-2 win marked the Cubs' last game at Turner Field as the Braves move to a new facility next year. One of the highlights came in 2003 when the Cubs clinched the National League Division Series with a victory over the Braves in Game 5. Kerry Wood won both Game 1 and Game 5 of the NLDS at Turner Field.
Jason Heyward, who was the Braves' first-round Draft pick in 2007, called Turner Field home, and he had a memorable Major League debut there on April 5, 2010, when he homered in his first at-bat in a game the Cubs would rather forget. The homer came off Chicago's Carlos Zambrano and Atlanta won, 16-5.
Heyward is now with the Cubs. Will he miss the ballpark?

"I'm spoiled right now being on a team and in the city we're in and obviously playing well," Heyward said on Sunday. "Playing well is always fun, but we get a lot of support in Chicago. It's a different city when it comes to sports."
Heyward won't miss the physical structure, but he has good memories about the people.
"What I do hope happens is that a lot of the good people who work here and who I was able to meet get to go to the new stadium," Heyward said. "I know that's not going to happen for everybody, but I think it'd be cool.
"It wasn't built for baseball when it was built," Heyward said of the ballpark, originally used for the 1996 Olympics. "I feel with the new one, we're going to make it a baseball place and cater to everything the players need and the staff needs and make everybody's day easier. That's not a bad location either when you're talking about stuff in the area."
• Heyward hoped to talk to his younger brother Jacob later on Sunday after the outfielder's Super Regional game for the University of Miami against Boston College. Jacob Heyward was selected in the 18th round on Saturday by the Giants.
"I think it's a lot easier to not be a first-rounder for him, so he doesn't have to go through all that stuff," Jason said. "It's not a bad thing [to be a first-round pick], and you don't shy away from it, but he can focus on trying to go play."
• Manager Joe Maddon was able to give Addison Russell a day off on Sunday and started Javier Baez in his place at shortstop. Baez played second base on Monday, shortstop on Wednesday and first base on Friday.
"Javy has been handling everything so perfectly, and his attitude couldn't be better," Maddon said. "His methods of staying ready are outstanding."
• Maddon was able to spend time postgame Saturday with actor Bill Murray, who was in town with his brother.

"He's easily very funny, a naturally very funny guy," Maddon said. "He wanted to know about [Maddon's hometown of] Hazleton [Pa.] last night, so I gave him a rundown. Whenever the opportunity popped up for him to say something clever, he did."
• The Cubs claimed right-hander R.J. Alvarez off waivers from the A's and optioned him to Double-A Tennessee. Chicago's 40-man roster is now at 39.
Alvarez, 25, had been on the 60-day disabled list while recovering from surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow in early April. He had recently begun a rehab assignment and had given up one earned run over 3 2/3 innings in three rehab appearances with Class A Stockton and Triple-A Nashville.
Alvarez went 3-3 with five saves and a 4.11 ERA in 31 relief outings for Nashville last year, striking out 41 batters in 35 innings. He has spent parts of the 2014-15 seasons in the big leagues with the Padres and A's.