Heisey comfortable leading off, ready to start for Nationals

Chris Heisey makes his first start today for the Nationals, and will lead off and play left field, giving Jayson Werth the day off.

Manager Dusty Baker said he focused on Heisey to lead off because of his previous experience atop the batting order and wanting to keep the lineup spaced out well from each side of the plate.

"He's batted there before plus he's the best choice that I have right now," Baker explained. "The other choice would've been (Matt) den Dekker but then that gives me too many righties at the bottom. I can go right, left, right, left at the bottom. Then if I have to substitute Michael A. Taylor for Heisey, then he goes back up to a familiar spot."

Despite usually called on to pinch-hit, Heisey said he won't change his approach when leading off. He will be just as aggressive at the top of the order as he would be batting sixth or seventh.

"Dusty, when I was in Cincinnati, he was my manager, he told me not to (back off at the plate)," Heisey said. "He said (to) stay aggressive. That's what I have done as a pinch-hitter and when I've played, just tried to be aggressive. I'm not a work account type of player. I have the ability to walk, but I don't do it by trying to do it. I do it by being aggressive - that's actually when I make my best decisions. I'm going to go up there and be aggressive and try to get a fastball early. If I happen to work deep into a count and work a walk, obviously I'll take it."

As a matter of fact, when reporters approached Heisey and asked him about leading off, he was quick to point out that he had his best day as a pro while with Baker and the Reds leading off for Cincinnati.

He went 3-for-5 with three homers against the Yankees on June 22, 2011.

Would he rather let others bat first so he can get a feel for the game?

"No, I'm used to just running up there against the reliever late in the game," Heisey said. "It's almost like pinch-hitting when you lead off. In a way, I feel very comfortable doing it and, like I said, I've done it before. I don't necessarily picture myself as a leadoff hitter, but this is a one-time thing, giving some guys a day off. Need somebody to fill in there and I'm happy to do that."

So far, Heisey has appeared in two games with the Nationals and had one at-bat last night, popping out to second base. He is a career .245 hitter in more than 500 games, with 52 homers and 156 RBIs. He stole 91 bases in the minors and 25 so far in the majors.

Heisey also gave some insight on playing for Baker, having had him as his manager in Cincinnati. He said Baker's willingness to always talk to each player before and after each at-bat, good or bad, makes him very easy to play for.

"That's actually what separates him from some of other managers that I have had," Heisey said. "He's always talking in the dugout, pumping guys up. It's almost like he's one of the guys in the dugout. He's not always too serious. He likes to have fun and I think that keeps everybody loose and that's what I like about him."

He also said Baker doesn't get quiet when things go wrong.

"I think that makes him even more vocal in trying to get everybody pumped up," Heisey said. "That's important."

Heisey said he is familiar with left field at Nationals Park and has worked the past few days during batting practice shagging fly balls and running after line drives, seeing the caroms off the wall.

"The other day, (Baker) kind of gave me heads up that I maybe playing today," Heisey said. "He didn't say for sure, but they wanted to give J-Dub a day off on a day game. The last couple of days during BP, I've got out there. When I came here as the visiting team and played out there, so I feel comfortable.

"But it's crazy the ballparks these days around the league. I think the one that sticks out to me is the Astros' ballpark down in Houston. They've got like a 90-degree jut back in left field and it's like if you're running back, you don't know if you're going to hit the wall or you're going to have plenty of room to run. So I've played in harder, but I'll go out there during batting practice today and get some more reads."