GOODYEAR, Ariz. — At 8 years old, Jameson Taillon wasn’t exactly thrilled to be trapped at the table by nagymama’s (which is Hungarian for grandmother) tales of World War II. She talked about it all the time, and the boy’s understanding of the world wasn’t developed enough to appreciate what his grandparents went through to escape Hungary.
Now, Taillon cherishes his memories of those conversations with his grandmother, Agnes Kormendy, which she also wrote down in a book. In fact, that family history is the emotional core of Taillon’s commitment to Team Canada.
“Canada just welcomed her,” Taillon said in a recent conversation with the Sun-Times. “She built an incredible life and family in Canada.”
On Monday, Taillon made his last spring training start with the Cubs before joining the Canadian national team in Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic. He’s expected to make his first start of the tournament on Sunday against Panama.
“I’m doing it more to honor my family and what Canada means to my family, and how great it’s been to us,” he said. “I still want to win and stuff, but I think helping Canada grow baseball is also a big deal.”
Taillon grew up in Texas, but his family ties to the Great White North are extensive. Both his parents were born and raised in Canada, he said. And Taillon’s parents made sure every summer that their four kids visited their grandparents in Canada.
Taillon’s brother Jordan was born not far from Toronto. And the eldest, Justin, returned to get his master’s degree from the University of Guelph in Ontario. They still have plenty of family and friends in the country.
This will be the second time Taillon represents Canada in the WBC. The first was in 2013, when Taillon was a 21-year-old Pirates prospect, just a few years removed from being selected No. 2 overall by Pittsburgh in the MLB Draft.
“Being a prospect at the time, I was just handled carefully in a lot of ways,” he said, “protected a little bit.”
Then for the WBC, he ventured from the Pirates organization, onto the international stage, and into another world. Taillon, who had never pitched above Double-A at that point in his career, was tabbed to start against Team USA in pool play.
He was facing a lineup that had Jimmy Rollins, Brandon Phillips, Ryan Braun and Joe Mauer hitting back-to-back-to-back-to-back. Then after getting through them, he’d still had to worry about David Wright, Adam Jones and Ben Zobrist in the bottom half of the order.
“That was the big thing for me, was putting my big boy pants on and going out there,” Taillon said. “I was scared as s—. But you’re out there facing [future Hall of Famer] Joe Mauer, who’s coming off MVPs, and Ryan Braun, and it’s like, well, you have no choice but to just try to do your best.”
Young Taillon’s best was pretty darn good. He held the U.S. to just one earned run and four hits in four innings. The game was tied when he handed over the ball, but the United States went on to beat Canada 9-4.
Taillon’s return to the WBC comes at a wildly different point in his career. Far from a burgeoning prospect, the 34-year-old is entering his 10th major-league season. He’s played for three different franchises, come back from cancer and two separate Tommy John surgeries, and continued to evolve as a pitcher.
He joins Team Canada as an elder statesman, his focus on preparing for a major-league season, but his foundation solid enough to also balance a commitment to his national team.
“I’m excited,” Taillon said Monday to a small group of reporters, standing by the batting cage tucked below Goodyear Ballpark’s right-field seating. “I wish I was throwing better going into it, but honestly, I think it could be good. A little change of scenery, get out of Arizona, go compete.”
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