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| Michael Taylor earned Baseball America Third Team Preseason All-American honors prior to the 2006 campaign |
Stanford's 2006 Preseason All-American to begin answering questions at 10:00 am, PT.
Michael Taylor Joins Chat Room Thursday, February 9
Ask Michael A Question
Stanford, Calif. - Stanford sophomore rightfielder Michael Taylor will answer your questions when he stops by the gostanford.com chat room this Thursday, February 9 (10:00 am, PT) to continue a series of regular chats with Stanford Baseball players and coaches throughout the 2006 campaign. If you would like to ask your questions of Michael ahead of time please feel free to post them now, and we will save them for his arrival on Thursday, or you can join the chat session live on Thursday.
Taylor and his teammates will continue a season-opening 10-game homestand by hosting Kansas (4-1) in a three-game series at Sunken Diamond this Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 (5 pm, 1 pm, 11 am, PT). KZSU 90.1 FM will carry a live audio broadcast of all three contests, which will also be available from a link at gostanford.com.
Stanford (3-0) is off to a tremendous start in 2006 after sweeping No. 5 Cal State Fullerton in a three-game season-opening non-conference series last Friday-Sunday. The sweep moved the previously unranked Cardinal back into Baseball America's national rankings at No. 19. Taylor homered, tripled, stole a base and drove in a pair of runs in the series, while batting .364 and picking up a pair of multiple-hit contests.
Last season, Taylor bolted onto the collegiate baseball scene with a solid rookie campaign, hitting .289 with four homers, 28 RBI and nine stolen bases while playing in all 59 games (58 starts). He also became the first Stanford player to hit for a cycle since 1998 when he pulled off the feat versus San Jose State (April 19), going 4-for-4 with three RBI to tie career-highs in both hits and runs batted in while also blasting his first collegiate home run in the contest. In addition, Taylor tied for second on the team with a pair of triples and 22 multiple-hit games. He ended the season on a tear with four multiple-hit contests in his last five games (May 29 - June 6), and led Stanford with a .368 batting average at the NCAA Waco Regional, going 7-for-19 with two doubles, an RBI and a pair of stolen bases.
Last summer, Taylor was named the top prospect in the Alaska Baseball League by Baseball America while playing for the second-place Mat-Su Miners. He also earned First Team All-ABL honors, finishing with a .328 batting average, four homers, 25 RBI and 25 stolen bases.
• Michael Taylor Bio
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Michael Taylor: Good Morning. I am here and ready to answer any questions |
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| mike (Chicago): Michael,
I can't help but notice the added muscle from last season. What was your workout schedule like to achieve this? |
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Michael Taylor: Well, the past year has really been my first experience with any kind of weight training so getting to Stanford with our strength coaches has allowed me to actaully trim down and add some lean muscle. |
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| Luke Rasmussen(Los Gatos): What was your number one drill that you worked on to become a great hitter? I'm a 9-year old Little Leaguer. Good Luck against Kansas this weekend! |
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Michael Taylor: Well i would suggest just taking batting practice and figuring out what works for you. There are so many diffrent ways to be succesful as a hitter but one thing that i value is the ability to monitor your own game and have fun doing it. And Thank you! |
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| Jack Rasmussen(Los Gatos): Why did you choose to go to Stanford over the Florida schools? |
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Michael Taylor: It was a relatively easy choice when you factor in the weather and prestige of both the school and the baseball program. Those 3 factors together are hard to beat. |
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| jonathan: how much time as a highschooler did you devot to practice? |
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Michael Taylor: I would say i spent 3 to 5 hours per day practicing. Not to say that much time is necessary but i always enjoyed being out on the field so it was relatively easy to be out there for me. |
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| Julian Standen (San Francisco): Hi Michael
I enjoy the team.
What ahppened to Hojn Mayberry? He was a great asset. I hope he's moved on to the pros.
Thanks,
Julian Standen |
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Michael Taylor: John Mayberry Jr was a first round pick of the Texas Rangers and is now in professional baseball |
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| Cameron Cooke: I am HUGE fan of Stanford Baseball!!! I wish that my boyfriend was just like you... What kind of cologne do you wear so I can buy it for him?! |
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Michael Taylor: I dont wear cologne, but thanks for coming out and supporting the team. |
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| Ryan (San Francisco): I was at a lot of games last year and was at the opener on Friday night and it seems to me that this years team is playing with a lot more energy and enthusiasm than last years. Do you feel the same way? Looking forward to watching you guys play more this year! |
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Michael Taylor: As a team we are very excited about our chances to do very well. We really struggled last year by our standards and this group of guys is starving to experience the type of success that comes along with being a Stanford baseball player so its caused us to focus a little harder and of course we still have coach marquess pushing us every step of the way |
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| Paul - Belmont: Michael, I hope you win the Stanford Baseball seaon. Lets go all the way, and you all the way to the pro league. |
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Michael Taylor: thanks buddy i appreciate it |
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| Brendon (Sunnyvale): hey michael, how do you manage any pressure you get, if at all, from being named a preseason all-american? thats a great honor and i just wondered if that has changed your mindset or the way you go about things during your everyday workouts? |
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Michael Taylor: I really try not to focus on the awards and praise of people outside of the program. Its really nice to be recognized for a lot of the work that i put in and im only human so there are times when i notice but i always just try and focus on helping the team win and never becoming stagnant |
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| Gregg (Boston): Who was more surprised by the weekend sweep--CSF or Stanford? |
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Michael Taylor: Easily CSF. We know how good we can be and although this was only one series we understand that if we play the way we are capable of we can beat anyone. |
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| Chris, San Francisco: You are a tall, strong guy with tremendous speed. Did you ever consider a career in football especially since your father had played football in college? |
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Michael Taylor: I really enjoy the game of football but my dad always kept me out and i played so many other sports that it never really bothered me. |
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| Derek (San Francisco): Hey Michael:
I'm sure the games last weekend will open a few eyes, but what are your goals for this season, both individually and as a team? Good luck and Go CARDINAL! |
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Michael Taylor: Individually i just want to continue to get better every time out so that at the end of the season I am as prepared as i can be to help us win. That goes right along with the team goal of winning a national championship. Thats what we want and its what we plan to get. |
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| Medford: How hard did you work in High School? |
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Michael Taylor: Extremely. I spent a lot of time really in my youth becoming a better athelete. I didnt really specialize in baseball until later on but my father always worked with me, helping me become faster so that i just wasnt a big kid but a big kid who could run and move like someone who was much smaller. |
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| Jeff (Austin): As big-time D1 athletes, what kind of gear do you guys get? I hear some other programs get a lot of stuff. About the food, is it like a major-league clubhouse with a full-table spread after the game? On the whole, how well do you think you're treated by the program? |
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Michael Taylor: Define a lot of stuff?? We get what we need to compete on fri, sat and sundays. As far as food is concerned we dont really get anything resembling a big-league spread, does anyone really? |
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| janice, san jose: are you the most worshiped person on campus? you are sooo good, you have a great body, and you play baseball. i've been following you and i would imagine you could walk around as a superstar. is this how it goes? |
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Michael Taylor: Not even close. there are way too many people here that are more talented than me. |
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| christina, LA: what size shoes do you wear? |
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Michael Taylor: 15 |
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| johan, fla: how are the girls at stanford? |
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Michael Taylor: Extremely talented, motivated, and brilliant..can you beat that? |
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| TLB: Last weekend, the Stanford team proved that no preseason ranking was going to hold them back. You were winners as well as fighters. Team chemistry already seems to be very high this year, how do you feel about it? Is it the X factor in being a driving force throughout the season? |
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Michael Taylor: I feel like we are an extremely motivated team this year and we will definte ourselves as the season progresses. There is no X factor, its just a lot of young talented players with one goal and we will see how that works out. |
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| Lou King (Panama City, FL): Hey Michael!! How's CA? How was Alaska....we keep up with you lots and are so proud. Tom's at Troy State University, now. He says a big Hi. How's Jenny? |
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Michael Taylor: Hey Mrs. King, Alaska was a lot of fun and one interesting experience to say the least. Tell Tom I said hello and good luck. Jenny is great, she committed to UF and is doing really well. |
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| Mary (Stanford): Your advisor wants to know how your classes are going this quarter! |
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Michael Taylor: Great thus far, I need to talk to you about my major but i lost your e-mail. Thanks for the message. |
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| Mark S (Round Rock, TX): Mike,
I recently visited California and had a chance to catch one of your practices.
Are there any special practice drills that you think might separate Stanford from other top programs? And also, how in the world do you guys keep that infield looking so pristine?
Thanks |
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Michael Taylor: We do a drill called Live D where the infielders play their positions and the outfielders have to hit the ball on the ground to them and them run the bases. I feel like this is one of the unique drills that makes playing baseball at Stanford a different experience. We all work on the infield. We have a great field crew but the players also chip in, we seed and sand. A couple of weeks ago Jim Rapoport and myself mowed the infield. Team Effort! |
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| Tim (San Francisco): How hard, if at all has it been to play so far from your family, or do you have family in the Bay area? |
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Michael Taylor: I dont have any family in the Bay Area. It hasnt been that hard for me because I am a really independent person but im lucky enough that my family comes out to see some of the games. |
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| Will in San Bruno: Hey Michael, what is your favorite college stadium to play in other than Sunken Diamond? |
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Michael Taylor: Folks in the office say Navy, but I would have to say Disch-Falk at Texas. I really enjoy the hostile environment and all the noise that they make. It makes it really fun to play. |
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| miami: What is it like to be from the great state of florida? |
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Michael Taylor: Fantastic, weather is nice and its a great place to grow up. |
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Michael Taylor: Hey I just wanted to thank everyone for all of your questions but unfortunately I have to go to class. See everyone out at the Sunken Diamond tomorrow night! |
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