Q&A with Louisville Bats' Chris Heisey

September 1, 9:09 PMLouisville Bats ExaminerJason Stella

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Louisville Bats Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

On the night I interviewed Chris Heisey, he went 3-4 with a homer and
three RBIs. That handshake we exchanged treated him well.

As the International League regular season winds down, the Louisville Bats continue to put the rest of the West division in a chokehold, becoming the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot this past weekend when they locked up the division against Columbus. One of the reason's for the team's dynamite play over the last two-and-a-half months has been outfielder Chris Heisey, who made his triple-A debut on June 27th. Heisey has enjoyed his best pro season in 2009, hitting .347 at double-A in 71 games before his call-up. In Louisville, he has continued his torrid pace, batting at a .285 clip in 58 games. The 24-year-old has set a career-high in most individual offensive categories, including homers, RBIs, doubles, and hits. I got a chance to do a brief interview with Heisey:

What do you think has been key in staying ahead of the competition as your opponents' skill level and experience has also increased
I think it's been a combination of me developing physically and a lot of work with coaches who have given me some very good insight into how to improve and how to continue to work on my swing.

What have been the biggest changes on and off the diamond as you have moved up from the lower levels of pro baseball to playing with the Bats this season?
Off the field, everything gets a little bit easier. You don't have to worry about packing your bags, and all of your stuff is set up in your locker when you get to a road trip. As far as on the field, the competition is better, and you face more veteran guys who know how to play and expose your weaknesses.

Following the '08 season, you played winter ball in Puerto Rico. What was that experience like, and how did it help in your preparation?
It was a great experience to live in a different culture and get to learn a little spanish. The competition was good, but more important was getting the extra swings and extra work throughout the winter instead of going home and taking a break.

What aspect of your game do you take pride in the most?
I can't really pinpoint one specific thing. I just try to do everything well, and whether it's good enough or not, I let other people decide. I've probably taken the most pride in my hitting, just because I thought that was my biggest weakness coming into pro ball.

What other players, coaches, or people have served as influences or role models on your playing career?
A lot of people from back home in Pennsylvania, from high school coaches to when I was even younger. Since I got to pro ball, I've had numerous coaches and scouting directors who have given me input on how to be a better baseball player. I've had great coaches and people around me coming up who have supported when me when I was struggling and helped and as I have continued to grow.

What do you consider the greatest accomplishment of your playing career thus far?

Just seeing that I have been able to improve as I've moved up. It's been good to see that I can continue to get better, and I don't feel like I'm at my peak of potential. I feel I still have room for improvement.