Major league scouts have been lining up to see Warren Central’s Taylor Tankersley. (The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[04/12/01] Taylor Tankersley says he’s not an athlete.

But he’s been doing a pretty convincing impersonation of one this year.

“I’m fat … I’m not fast … I can’t jump high,” the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder said with a chuckle. “I just have a left arm and a brain.”

And those two weapons have been too much for every team he’s faced so far this season.

Tankersley, who went a disappointing 4-3 last year, is off to an 8-0 start for Warren Central (27-1), which made its 2001 debut in USA Today’s poll at No. 12 overall, No. 8 in the South on Wednesday.

But it’s the way he’s won that has caught the eyes of everyone from casual fans to jaded major-league scouts.

The Alabama signee has thrown five straight shutouts, striking out 56 in his last 30 innings. For the season, he has whiffed a whopping 116 while walking only 23 in 61 innings.

His 31 scoreless-inning streak has whittled his ERA to a jaw-dropping 0.34.

And to make the numbers more impressive, consider his list of victims. There aren’t any stat-padders in the bunch, which includes No. 6 Madison Central (twice) and No. 11 Northwest Rankin, as well as Louisiana state runner-up Airline.

Even the only two games in which he allowed a run were impressive a 15-strikeout 3-1 win over Ouachita (La.) and an 11-strikeout 8-1 win over Meridian.

He’s also blanked archrival Vicksburg twice, including a no-hitter in which he fanned 12 in five innings and a one-hitter. His only no-decision was in the season-opener against another ranked team, No. 15 Brookhaven. He struck out 11 in five scoreless innings before being pulled because he was on a strict pitch count.

“It’s easy to pitch when you have the best defense in the state,” Tankersley said, shrugging off the scoreless streak. “We’re winning, and keeping them off the board helps us win. That’s all that really matters.”

WC coach Sam Temple knew that would be his star’s answer.

“He’s just a tremendous leader,” said Temple, whose squad will put its 17-game winning streak on the line tonight at 7 in Brandon against Parkview Baptist, a powerhouse from Baton Rouge, La. “That’s a pretty good defense behind him, and he’ll be the first one to tell you that.”

But Temple adamantly disagrees with Tankersley’s assessment of himself.

“A lot of people don’t give Taylor credit for being an athlete, but he is,” Temple said.

“He’s another defensive player for us when he’s out there. He bounces off the mound … and he’s tough.”

Temple pointed to The Tank’s last win, a second straight shutout of Madison Central on Saturday. Tankersley turned his ankle early in the game, but stayed in and kept the high-powered Jaguars at bay.

“I couldn’t push off, so I had to use more arm … but you don’t really notice (pain) when the adrenaline is going through you,” Tankersley said.

That’s not the only evidence Temple has of his pitcher/outfielder/first baseman’s athleticism.

“Nobody else, except for Brian (Pettway), plays dual positions like he does,” Temple said.

Last year, Temple said that Tankersley was possibly the best outfielder on the team, even though he never played there for WC. He made a diving catch in right field in a win over Natchez last week and he’s gunned down a couple of runners at the plate, Temple said.

And Tankersley’s dominance on the mound has overshadowed how well he’s doing at the plate. After being DH’d for most of his varsity career, he started batting for himself this year and has been one of the Vikings’ most consistent hitters. He is hitting .382 with 18 RBIs, nine doubles and three triples. He has 31 hits on the season five more than he has allowed in 61 innings.

“He made up his mind that he wanted to hit this year,” Temple said, taking the blame for keeping Tankersley out of the lineup. “He hit the ball well before the season. You could tell he wanted to be more than just a pitcher.”

Tankersley just smiles when asked about being perceived as a late bloomer with the bat.

“I guess it has surprised a lot of people that aren’t in our circle,” he said. “They all joke with me about it.”

Winning the spot in the lineup was important to Tankersley so he could help make this a season to remember.

“I want to make this the best year of my life and my teammates’ lives,” he said.

He’s come a long way since last year, when he lost three one-run games. Temple said that experience made Tankersley get mentally tougher.

“I think that’s the reason that he is where he is now,” Temple said. “Last year, I believe he just got caught up in all the hoopla.”

This year, there is still plenty of hoopla, but Tankersley has been immune to it.

“I’m a lot more mature now,” he said. “I’ve got more of a killer instinct.”

Even though he can’t help but notice the radar guns pointed at him from behind the plate, he isn’t thinking about the big leagues not yet.

“I see the scouts … but I pitch for my team,” he said.

“What I do out there is done for 28 guys. My only goal right now is a (state championship) ring.”

Still, he admits that diamond dreams creep into his mind late at night, when he’s alone.

“I know it’s a decision I might have to make when it’s time,” he said.

Earlier this season, after Tankersley threw a 91-mph fastball in 40-degree weather, then followed with his trademark 66 mph curve for a strikeout, one scout was overheard saying, “He’ll never see Alabama.”

Dana Tankersley said her son has dreamed of the College World Series, too, ever since going to Omaha, Neb., with his father, Tom.

“Tom and I want him to get an education first,” she said, adding that Taylor gets mail almost every day and calls fairly regularly from scouts trying to determine how much money it would take to sign him. “Omaha has for so long been his goal. It would be a hard decision for him if it comes down to that.”

But for now, all Taylor Tankersley is worried about is winning and getting better. He’s not complacent just because he’s dominating top-tier teams.

“The games I’ve had shutouts, I haven’t really thrown that good, in my mind,” he said. “My goal should always be to not let anyone on base … .”

Of course, if someone does reach first, he’ll probably pick them off anyway.

“He’s got a great move to first,” said Northwest Rankin coach Jeff McClaskey, whose team got just two hits and struck out 15 times against Tankersley. “He’s a real battler on the mound. I think he may need to get more composure on the mound, but he may need that emotion.

“I think he’s one of the top five pitchers in the state, and he’ll have a lot of success.”

Tankersley is also successful in the classroom. His grade-point average is much higher than his ERA nearly 4.00 while taking accelerated classes. He is 17th in his class and he scored 26 on his ACT.

“I don’t know if I’m as proud of him as a baseball player as I am of the man he has become,” Temple said. “We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg of what he can become.”