Jason Heyward doesn't want any part of a war of words with the St. Louis Cardinals.
At his first Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago, the Cubs' biggest free agent acquisition of the offseason took the high road when asked about the comments the Cardinals had last month.
After Heyward inked a $184 million deal with the Cubs in early December, the Cardinals took it as a personal slight and made public comments on the matter.
Heyward told Chicago reporters he chose the Cubs in large part because of the young core in place with players like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo.
St. Louis manager Mike Matheny didn't like that answer, saying he believed it wouldn't "ring too well with our club," and then continuing on by saying, "I don't blame him. But I don't like it."
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A couple days after that, Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright joined the onslaught on Heyward, saying the 26-year-old outfielder clearly didn't want to "The One" in St. Louis.
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With his first chance to comment publicly on the matter, Heyward admitted he didn't necessarily expect that reaction from the Cardinals.
"I don't know about surprised. I didn't expect them to say anything one way or the other," Heyward said. "When it comes down to leaving a team, if they're happy to see me leave, then I didn't do my job right.
"I'm just kinda happy that somebody's gonna miss me when I'm gone."
Heyward admitted he didn't really get much of a reaction when he left the Atlanta Braves, though that was via trade to the Cardinals before the 2015 season, not a free agent decision.
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Regardless of what St. Louis fans Tweet at him or what the Cardinals say to the media, Heyward seems at peace with his decision.
"I gotta do my job right," he said. "On a team where we won 100 games, now it's time for me to choose for the first time in my life where I'm gonna be and I had to make the best decision for me."