Posted October 28, 200519 yr SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Taylor Tankersley could be one of the most complex individuals the Arizona Fall League has seen in quite some time. Sure, the former first-round pick has, by all accounts, a bright future as a pitcher, working his way up through the Florida Marlins system. But, there's also the Tankersley who likes to hit fungos to the infielders during batting practice. There's the Tankersley who appreciates history and reads upwards of 50 books a year. Then there's the Tankersley who writes, keeping a detailed journal about the goings-on in his life. For the record, he also pens some poetry and has dabbled in writing song lyrics, as well. So when considering what the southpaw is about, just know that there's much more to "The Tank" than a plus-slider and the tough-as-nails attitude he displays on the mound. He's introspective, interesting and, if everything goes according to plan, he'll be coming to a Major League park near you sometime soon. What role he'll be playing once he does arrive has yet to be determined, but it appears the Marlins have decided that the best route for Tankersley to take will be through the bullpen, a move he wholeheartedly endorses. After starting each of the 22 games in his professional career, Tankersley has been working exclusively as a reliever for the Grand Canyon Rafters in the Arizona Fall League. Tankersley had made six appearances heading into Tuesday's action at Phoenix and has delivered mixed results. He's pitched brilliantly in three of the outings, not allowing an earned run over six innings of work while striking out seven -- no small task in the offense-minded AFL. In fact, he hasn't allowed an earned run in each of his last two outings. But in the other three appearances he has allowed 12 earned runs over six innings, surrendering 15 hits and posting a problematic 18.00 ERA. He doesn't seem fazed by the poor outings and isn't overly encouraged by the good outings. A thinking man's pitcher, Tankersley says this past season taught him a great deal, including not to be too results-oriented. "I wasn't happy with the year I had," said Tankersley, who was 3-7 with a 4.70 ERA in 16 starts while splitting time between Greensboro of the South Atlantic League and Jupiter of the Florida State League. "I felt that I got better when I tried not to be too results-oriented, whether I was good, bad or down the middle. I just wanted to judge my performance constructively. And I learned a lot from the experience. "Now I'm just trying to keep working hard and learning, because that's what this is all about -- learning. Once you get to the big leagues, it's time to perform. But until then, it's a learning process. And I couldn't ask for a better situation than the one that I'm in with the Marlins, and the way they've treated me and brought me along. And whether it's starting or relieving, I'll do whatever it takes to get to the big leagues. If standing on my head will get me there, I'll stand on my head." Tankersley may even get there as a coach if he continues to do what he's done in Arizona. He donned a batting glove, grabbed a fungo bat and was hitting grounders to the infielders during batting practice Monday morning at Surprise Stadium. He says he can't help himself, that keeping busy is part of his nature. He added that hitting grounders has made him closer to the infielders, something he feels will be beneficial not only now but down the line. As for his love of books, Tankersley knows the benefits of being educated and informed. His dad is a nuclear physicist, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that he's a bookworm. Author John Grisham tops his list of fiction writers, but his true passion is for nonfiction and history books. Tankersley recently finished reading Ghost Soldiers, which tells the story of the liberation of Allied POWs in the South Pacific theater near the end of World War II. "I always need to be doing something," he said. "I'm not one of those guys that needs to get geared up. I have to be throttled back." It's all part of his complex nature, one that makes him one of this season's more compelling stories in the AFL. http://www.gsohoppers.com/pressbox/news.cfm?uid=100090
October 28, 200519 yr Maybe he can read a book about consistency and keeping the ball in the ballpark...
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