Jameson Taillon says 'It's fun being part of Chicago' originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
After spending his first four seasons in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the last two with the New York Yankees, Jameson Taillon was ready for a change during the offseason.
"It's fun being a part of Chicago," Taillon said to MLB Network. "This was always like the funnest road trip going to Wrigley, playing in front of those fans. When we're with Pittsburgh, we always look forward to it. (I'm) familiar with the division and a lot of rivers, a lot of rain. That's what David Freese used to always say about the NL Central. So I'm excited to be back. I enjoyed my time in New York but (am) excited to be here."
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Taillon, like most Cubs players, enjoys playing at Wrigley Field in front of the loyal fanbase.
Last season, the Cubs finished just outside the top ten in attendance, finishing 11th. They averaged over 32,000 fans per game and totaled over 2.6 million fans amidst a season they recorded a losing record and a lowly 74 wins.
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While Cubs' fans poured into Wrigley last season, Taillon executed a solid season with the Yankees. In 32 starts, he recorded a 14-5 pitching record to pair with a respectable 3.91 ERA. His WHIP was impressive, at 1.128 for his elongated season. Taillon also struck out 151 batters on the year.
Now, he's working to improve his stuff, specifically his curveball and slider. He used those two pitches around 18 and 14 percent of his sequencing last season, respectively.
"Curveball's a pitch I've been throwing since I was a little kid and I'm super comfortable with it," Taillon said. "In the past, same-side curveballs aren't necessarily the greatest option, but mine's performed pretty well against right-handers. So I think we're going to try to up that a little bit.
"And then the sweeper, the slider last year was a little inconsistent. So we're just looking for a consistent weapon to righties for swing and miss for quick outs. When I'm in the thick of it, I need a pitcher to get a swing and miss. Hopefully, that's going to turn into that weapon."
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