Jason Heyward says Cubs have 'a lot of work to do' to match Cardinals
It's early, but Jason Heyward has not made the best first impression to his new Chicago Cubs fans. The $184 million man is hitting .205 with no homers and seven RBI in 12 games.
And now the Cubs outfielder gets to face his former club and Chicago's division rival -- the St. Louis Cardinals -- to begin a three-game series Monday in St. Louis.
"If you ask me about the rivalry this year, I feel like I'm on the side that has a lot of work to do as far as being established in the playoffs," Heyward told the Chicago Tribune. "They've got World Series championships. They've got division titles. We want to be established as a group in Chicago."
Some Cardinals fans have not gotten over Heyward switching sides in this heated rivalry, taking to burning the former Cardinal's jersey. But Heyward decided to take the high road.
"They paid for it so they can do whatever they want with it," he said.
Heyward added that Cardinals fans have been nothing but nice to him.
"Every St. Louis fan I've seen in person has gone out of their way to be nice and say, 'Thank you for last year. I wish you nothing but the best, except against (the Cardinals),'" Heyward said. "Something like that doesn't get a lot of attention."
But Heyward's slow start hasn't affected the Cubs, who are sitting at 9-3 and are two games ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central.
