It was a dream for Chris Heisey when he first picked up a bat and glove in Eastern Pennsylvania.
When the Cincinnati Reds drafted him in the 17th round, it still seamed far away but a little closer.
"If you would have told me last week or a year ago, I would have never believed it," Heisey said. "I'm pumped up. I'm really excited. When they put me on the 40-man roster this winter, I thought maybe later in the year but not right now."
The outfielder was drafted by the Reds in 2006. It was the same day that his sister graduated from high school, so she had to share the spotlight. When Chris Dickerson was injured on Thursday night in Houston with what turned out to be a broken hamate bone in his right hand, Heisey got the call on Saturday. His sister was graduating from college in Misheshaukwa, Indiana near South Bend the following day.
He joined the Reds on Saturday in St. Louis after getting a call at his home in Mechanicsburg, his hometown. The Louisville Bats played the Scranton Wilkes-Bare Yankees earlier that day.
He watched from the bench the balance of the series against the Cardinals.
"You don't want a young player to sit too long," Dusty Baker said. "I didn't get a chance to pinch hit him in St. Louis. With Oliver Perez pitching, he's tough on lefthanders so it worked out that I could give Jay (Bruce) a day off."
Heisey found out he was starting when he arrived at Great American Ball Park for the first time.
Heisey impressed Baker in spring training as a "camp player", the minor leaguers that teams take along in spring training to finish games.
"I was told two years ago by an old teammate of mine, Candy Maldonado, who saw him play in Puerto Rico. He told me to watch this kid, Heisey," Baker said. "I've watched him in camp the last couple years. He plays hard, runs well. He probably has a chip on his shoulder because he was a low draft choice, which is good,"
Baker himself was a 23rd round pick.
"You hope that a young player comes up and contributes and makes it hard for you to send him back down," Baker said
Cincinnati Sports News and Commentary
About Me
- Gary Schatz
- I am a freelance writer. I've covered the Cincinnati Reds, Bengals and others since 1992. I have a background in sales as well. I've sold consumer electronics, advertising and consumer package goods for companies ranging from the now defunct Circuit City to Procter&Gamble. I have worked as a stats operator for Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati, the College of Mount St. Joe and Colerain High School.
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