He's the real deal, and apologies to Holyfield, for borrowing the phrase. The real deal. Go ahead and jump on, this train is going places. You couldn't write the script any better than this.
    Packed house of 50,000-plus. National TV. In your face pitcher Carlos Zambrano challenging him with fastballs. The young man's first at-bat. That 2-0 fastball was low & in, and left the park in faster than it arrived. They say it was a 442' blast. And it rocked Atlanta. Turner Field never rocked like that. Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium did in '95. But Turner never shook like that before. 
    Heyward goes 2-5, with 4 RBI in his debut. Braves explode for 16 runs. 
    Moylan caught up with the HR ball in the Braves bullpen and gave it to the kid. They put away the bat. And Bobby Cox presented him with the Dugout Line-Up Card as a momento. Moylan had some fun with him too. In front of the media, Moylan gave him the old shaving cream-pie in the face. Heyward played right along. Used a towel to wipe away some of it, but left it on his face during the interviews. 
    "This is a good thing," he said smiling. What was he thinking, when he hit it? "I was thinking we've got the lead."
    Man, is this guy awesome! Winning's the most important thing! During BP, Chipper told him he was trying to lift the ball. He made the adjustment. And he captured the moment of a lifetime. Homering in hs first at-bat.
    After the game, Chipper told me what he thought of this team's chemistry. "This is a good mix", he said. "Think we're going to have some fun this season." About the kid's big homerun? "That ball will sit on his mantle, since he crushed one-side of it...think he compressed that ball flat?"
    Yeah, this Braves season looks like it'll be fun. Get signed up.