Stats don't tell story of Nats fans' adoration for Taylor

The day will come, perhaps in 10 years or 20 years or even more, when someone will mention Michael A. Taylor's name fondly and someone else will look up the outfielder's stats during his time with the Nationals and ask an understandable question.

Why was this part-time player with the .237 average, .291 on-base percentage and more than 10 times as many strikeouts as home runs so popular among Nationals fans?

Taylor's career stats, of course, don't really tell his story. Not in adequate terms. The story of "Michael A. Taylor, Cult Hero" requires context, a lot of it.

He'll be remembered so fondly not because of his performance in totality but because of the very specific moments of glory he provided during his time in Washington. He'll be remembered for his elite play in center field, for his clutch home runs in October and, yes, for his face.

Taylor's is a face no one can dislike. The big eyes. The wide smile. The permanent look of sheepishness that seemed to suggest he never truly understood how he was supposed to react to events both positive and negative.

He's nearly 30, yet he has the permanent face and demeanor of a rookie. And fans love nothing more than a rookie with athletic gifts who only seeks an opportunity to prove he can play in the big leagues.

Taylor, who signed a one-year deal with the Royals on Monday, perpetually seemed to be waiting for that opportunity while at the same time having been afforded countless opportunities by the Nationals to win an everyday job. He has started more games in center field (356) than anyone in club history, and he started more games there than anyone else in three separate seasons (2015, 2017, 2018).

Center field, of course, was never Taylor's problem. Well, aside from a handful of egregious gaffes out there, most notably the misplay of a routine groundball single in the bottom of the ninth in 2016 at Dodger Stadium that turned into the ugliest inside-the-park, walk-off home run you're ever going to see in the big leagues. That Taylor's error capped off a night in which he also went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts only cemented its place among the worst performances in Nationals history.

Strikeouts came in bunches for Taylor, big bunches. He made the lonely walk back to the dugout in a whopping 31.4 percent of his plate appearances over parts of seven seasons. He struck out three times in 37 games, four times in five more games and mercifully only struck out five times on that one occasion.

Coaches tried to help him revamp his swing, tried to shorten his stroke and his stride, tried to help him recognize breaking balls down and away and fastballs up at his eyes. Every once in a while, he'd figure it out and go on a nice run at the plate. Inevitably, he'd revert back to his old self at some point.

All of this might leave the uninitiated believing Taylor was a complete bust with the Nationals. Except he wasn't. Yes, he endured through the lowest of the lows, but he also delivered some of the highest highs you could ever hope to experience. Especially once the calendar shifted to October.

Taylor took 43 postseason plate appearances for the Nats, the overwhelming majority of them coming in 2017 and 2019. He went 12-for-38 with four homers, 10 RBIs, a .316 batting average, a .395 on-base percentage and a 1.027 OPS that is best in club history (minimum five postseason plate appearances).

He launched a grand slam off Wade Davis to help seal the Nationals' Game 4 win over the Cubs in the 2017 National League Division Series, then hit a three-run homer the following night in Game 5 before watching his teammates lose the game several hours later.

He homered in Game 2 of the 2019 NL Championship Series in St. Louis, lifting the Nationals one step closer to their first pennant. And in his only at-bat of the World Series, he homered, part of a power barrage during a 12-3 blowout in Houston that lifted the Nats to a 2-0 series lead and left them in prime position to win their first championship.

Those are some memorable offensive moments, to be sure. But there's a case to be made that the definitive moment of Michael A. Taylor's career with the Nationals came, as it should have, in the field. And on the exact same field where he endured through the worst moment of his career.

With two outs in the bottom of the 10th of Game 5 of the NLDS, Taylor came charging into shallow center field and made a diving catch of Justin Turner's blooper, barely securing the ball before it touched grass. It clinched the most important win in Nationals history to that point, the first postseason series win at long last.

And how did Taylor react to the moment? He hopped to his feet, held the ball out, and with a slight grin and a sheepish look around the field ... just stood there, not knowing what he was supposed to do. Was he supposed to hold onto the ball himself? Was he supposed to give it to someone else? Was he supposed to join the dogpile at the pitcher's mound?

Taylor honestly had no idea. And that's why it's the definitive moment of his career. As a wild celebration was beginning all around him, he was wide-eyed and unsure of his place in all this. In a postseason run that included so many emotional moments, it still stands out as one of everyone's favorites.

That's the image you'll always remember of Taylor. When someone asks you in 10, 20 or more years why this guy with the unimpressive stat line remains so popular among Nationals fans, just show them that clip. They'll understand.