Braves OF Jason Heyward: Destroyer of Cars

Whether Jason Heyward is a full-time starter for the Braves this season is irrelevant. The guy should get a spot in the home run derby based on the hype alone from his spring training home run exploits. Heyward was already regarded as a big-time prospect, but he's gaining notoriety and buzz for his ability to hit the ball very, very far and do considerable damage to automobiles. (Watch this video with the sound up for the full experience of the solid contact this guy creates.)

Heyward nailed Braves assistant GM Bruce Manno's sunroof, as well as a coke truck that was on the move during Tuesday's batting practice. The details from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The Coke truck was rolling past the right-center field fence at Champion Stadium when Heyward hit a screamer towards the gap. The ball kept rising, the seemed to hone in on its target, smashing into it with the sound like a brick against a garage door.

A few swings later, the same truck was parked in a lot behind the right-field fence. Heyward, 20, hit a ball completely over it, smashing the sunroof of assistant general manager Bruce Manno’s car.

The update on the damage to Manno's car, also from AJC beat writer Dave O'Brien, is the stuff of legends:

[Bobby] Cox said Jason Heyward not only busted sunroof of asst. GM Bruce Manno's car, but bent frame around it. $3,400 repair, $2,500 deductible.

O'Brien also notes that the Braves plan to hang netting to protect cars. My only disappointment with this story is that photos of said damaged vehicles haven't surface. This is incredibly disappointing. If anyone has seen these images, fire them our way at blogtips[at]sportingnews[dot]com.

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