Jason Heyward wants to win a World Series

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St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jason Heyward is entering the upcoming baseball season in the final year of a two-year contract valued at $13.3 million.

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Heyward was acquired by the Cardinals during the offseason to play right field after the tragic passing of promising rookie Oscar Taveras. Whether Heyward becomes the right fielder of the future remains to be seen. The Cardinals and Heyward could reach an agreement that sees him in right field for many years to come or the club could decide to turn their attention to a Stephen Piscotty or Tommy Pham, to name a few.

A March 2010 article by Hall of Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons sees Heyward compared to the likes of Darryl Strawberry, Dave Parker, Fred McGriff, Cliff Floyd, and Hall of Famers Willie McCovey and Willie Stargell.

An article by ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick a month later saw comparisons to much of the above plus Ken Griffey Jr. and Larry Walker.

Heyward’s numbers over the last few seasons haven’t been ideal since he launched nearly 30 home runs during the 2012 baseball season. Will coming to the Cardinals change all that for the outfielder? Maybe.

“I spent five years at this level with one organization and I still don’t know if I’ve seen the best of myself,” Heyward told St. Louis Post-Dispatch beat writer Derrick Goold. “I would say a fresh start would be good. I feel like that was kind of self-explanatory. Look at it. I do feel that this is the best thing that could have happened to me as far as playing this game, getting a new start somewhere else. Absolutely.”

Maybe the fresh start will come this year at Busch Stadium. Maybe it won’t. We’ll fine out soon enough what Heyward will do in the grassy field of Busch.

On his next contract, Heyward tells the Post-Dispatch:

"“I want to win a World Series. I would like to say that I want to win multiple World Series, but so many people don’t have one, so I’ll start by saying one,” Heyward said. “We’re five years into this thing and I don’t feel like I’ve been given a shot at seeing what’s possible. This is going to be the time of my life finding out. … I do understand that it takes a group of people for support, that it’s not going to happen with an individual. It takes a team to bring out the best. That’s what I would look for."

"“I want to find out how good all this can go.”"

Cardinals Nation will hope it is with St. Louis.

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