Top pitching prospect Jameson Taillon is making his debut in Major League Spring Training this year, although realistically it is only for the experience, with Taillon having no chance of making the major league team on Opening Day. The right-hander will go to Double-A to start the 2013 season, and if he pitches the way he did at the end of the 2012 season, he should find his way to Indianapolis by the end of the year.
The Pittsburgh Pirates provided a video interview of Taillon, talking about Spring Training, his 2012 season, and a few other topics. The video is below, followed by some notes.
**Taillon noted that he doesn’t have a shot of breaking camp with the team, but is hoping for a shot later in the year.
**He talked about having more freedom in Double-A, including an interesting quote about “not having to worry about everyone trying to mess with you”.
**When it comes to pitching prospects, there seems to be a running joke among Pirates fans that every pitcher has to be 6′ 5″ or taller with a projectable fastball. Taillon mentioned that the same running joke exists among the pitchers in the system and with other teams
. When asked about other pitchers outside of himself and Gerrit Cole, he mentioned Clay Holmes, Tyler Glasnow, and Luis Heredia as huge guys with big fastballs and a good future.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
That isn’t a comment that makes me feel good about maximizing potential within the system. Sure the developmental people have the best of intentions, but players play, coaches coach.
I don’t think it was a horrible comment. Given the other things he said, I don’t think he resents the training methods, just happy that he’s reached a point where he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Wouldn’t you feel better if you got to show up to work tomorrow and decide exactly how you were going to do your job? Don’t you think it would be stupid to invest lots of money in 18 and 19 year olds just to say, ok, go ahead, do whatever you feel like. I think it’s safe to assume that the Pirates have their specific quirks, but that every organization does in some way or another.
Ian,
That;s a strawman if I ever saw one. Clearly no one is suggesting that these kids determine their own training routine etc. There has been abundant criticism of the extreme(in the industry) way the Pirates handle their pitchers in the low minors. To act differently is just a different version of blind FO faith. Seems such faith is prevalent amongst some posters here and at BD. I’m not saying the criticism is merited but to suggest such a belief is absurd is a bit ridiculous in and of itself.
I would imagine that when he reached AA, they let him pitch and were not controlling what he threw so much.
thx leadoff….I didn’t have time this morn to listen to the video.
“He talked about having more freedom in Double-A, including an interesting quote about “not having to worry about everyone trying to mess with you”.
Perhaps he could clarify what he meant?
It sounds like with his preceding comments that when he reached AA he had more control over his workouts and routines by saying he knows his body and what it takes for him to prepare himself instead of the coaches telling him every move he makes.
thx PM