The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/18/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: DANIEL SHIREY Freshman Johnathan Taylor poses for a portrait at Foley Field. At leadoff, Taylor has a .706 on-base percentage. [Click to enlarge]

For the first two weeks of the season, any questions whether freshman Johnathan Taylor could bat leadoff were answered with an emphatic "yes."

After a three-game sweep of Arizona two weekends ago, Taylor returned to Athens with a staggering on-base percentage of .706 and left his teammates and coaches short of the superlatives needed to describe him.

"That kid has been unbelievable and I don't think [opponents] have even gotten him out yet," junior first baseman Rich Poythress said. "He is always on base and that makes it easy to score runs."

"It's nothing like I've seen before," added head coach David Perno. "A lot of [his at bats] are in leadoff situations, but he's driving in runs and getting big two-out hits, too. We knew he was gifted as a pest and to see pitches and get on base, but to have the skill of driving in players with two outs is just special."



He has even earned some early consideration for the Golden Spikes Award, awarded to the best player in college baseball.

"He should win the Golden Spikes," Arizona head coach Andy Lopez said Sunday. "If they send me a ballot I'm just writing it in, Golden Spikes. I've coached against guys like J.D. Drew, Pat Burrell, Chase Utley and Nomar Garciaparra, and I have never seen a guy hit like that."

Taylor's domination of opposing pitchers came to an abrupt halt last weekend in Alabama, when he finished the weekend 2-for-12 with three strikeouts and no runs, while Georgia lost two of three from Alabama.

"The SEC's no joke," Taylor said. "They have scouting reports and they know what to do."

Despite being only a freshman, Taylor marvels his teammates and coaches with his maturity on and off the field.

Even after Alabama, Taylor maintains the same team-first attitude he exuded during his successful opening two weeks.

"I didn't really care [about the stats]," he said. "I was just glad our team was able to win [on Sunday]. Its not about me, its about the team."

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