Taillon pens emotional letter following surgery for suspected testicular cancer
An emotional Jameson Taillon took to Twitter to share some of his thoughts following Monday's surgery for suspected testicular cancer.
"When I was a kid, I spent countless numbers of hours dreaming of being a Major League pitcher," Taillon said. "Always determined (borderline obsessed) with working hard to make it, I never doubted myself. However, as a naive little guy, I never realized that each person has a different path and journey along their way to accomplishing their goals.
"Tommy John surgery, sports hernia surgery, a 105-mph line drive off of my hard head, and this most recent discovery are just a few of the stops along the way. They have all just added fuel to my burning fire, and inspired me to become even better. I vowed to use every setback as an opportunity for growth.
"Today I lost a piece of my 'manhood.' But, today I'm feeling like more of a man than I ever have. My journey hasn't been the smoothest. But it is my journey, and I wouldn't change it for anything. Thank you to my family, girlfriend, teammates, doctors, Pirates fans, and the entire Pirates organization for the support."
The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander was placed on the disabled list Saturday after alerting the team's medical staff of groin discomfort. He underwent the surgery at Allegheny General Hospital.
Taillon, 25, was the second overall pick in the 2010 draft behind Bryce Harper.