Former Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Edwin Jackson excited about All-Star reunion

RHP Edwin Jackson was voted by the players to the AL All-Star team in his first season after being traded by the Tampa Bay Rays to the Detroit Tigers and is looking forward to pitching for Rays manager Joe Maddon in St. Louis.

"It’s going to be a lot of fun,'' Jackson told the Detroit Free Press. "Joe shows a lot of emotion. You see him smiling all the time. He keeps everybody loose in the clubhouse. It’s going to be a lot of fun to play with him managing again.”

Jackson, who is 6-4 and has a 2.59 ERA that is second best in the league, said he was honored to be voted in be the players, who had to choose five starters and three relievers. “That means a lot,'' he said. "It shows they tip their hat. Sometimes you can’t control the wins and losses. They understand how the game is.”

 

Comments

[JJ Jones]

No, I don't play pretend GM.

[KennyNance]

Hey JJ, Actually I only play Head to Head like a real man. Anyways you must not play at all because if you did, Dunn was gone in the 3rd round or so where as Burrell is ranked around 800 out of every player in baseball, so yeah, maybe I could do better.

[JJ Jones]

Don't worry. There is still time for you to pick up Dunn for your roto-league and brag to your friends that you could do better than Andrew Friedman.

[KennyNance]

After reading my comment I contradicted myself. I wanted to force myself to agree with you but I guess I couldnt. Another thing the ownership screwed up was paying 16 mil for pat the bat. Who didnt see this coming? Guys like Burrell dont age well. He looks like a 40 year old man at the plate and he doesnt even play the field. I dont know why they didnt pursue Dunn instead. I know they didnt want a lefty, but that is so overrated. Dunn is hits more homers and walks more and is 4 years younger. could you imagine this lineup?
Bartlett
Crawford
Dunn
Longoria
Pena
Upton
Zobrist
WOWOWOWOWOWOW
that looks like an allstar team.

[KennyNance]

You're absolutely right JJ, I dont know what we have in Joyce yet, but waht I do know is that hes a career .240 hitter and the management sees him as someone who is not better then Kapler or Gross so that is why he is a minor leaguer. They literally gave away one of the most live arms in baseball for a minor leaguer.
The Zobrist point doesnt make a whole lot of sense because we know what we have in Joyce, he will be a .250 hitter with an ok eye and he might be able to hit 25 homers or so. Zobrist was a suprise because he was a slap hitter then all of the sudden at the end of last year he started swinging hard, teams were feeding him fastballs so he hit a couple of homers. Check his stats since June 1, over 30 games he has only 2 doubles. Teams arnt feeding him fast balls anymore. I do like the way he plays the game though.

[JJ Jones]

"So yes, they have done alot of great things, but trading jackson for essentially nothing, and not trading Brignac when he was in the 2nd rated prospect in our system were huge huge mistakes."

You don't know what they have in Joyce yet. You can make assumptions all you want but what had Zobrist done before this year?

[Bud Lite]

OrdiNance...your one of the smarter(observant) fans on most of these sites

[KennyNance]

Yea I know you guys are all saying that they have been great for the most part and all of this. But clearly Jackson was turning it around last year and put up good numbers, he was young and has amazing up side. We traded him for a guy who "cant" start over either of the Gabes. Also what you guys forget is our ownership refused to trade Brignac for Jason Bay last year when we after we spent the first overall pick on a ss and we have 2 very good ones on the team now (zoey and bartlett). So yes, they have done alot of great things, but trading jackson for essentially nothing, and not trading Brignac when he was in the 2nd rated prospect in our system were huge huge mistakes.

[oldtimer]

I'm a big fan of Josh Hamilton and wish him nothing but the best. Those lamenting his departure from the Rays must consider this; Mr. Hamilton is "one bad day" away from never playing again. That's a reality. I commend him for his fight, but the Rays would have been on the hook for a great deal of lost money in the event of a relapse. They just could not afford to take that chance. Same with Elijah and Delmon. (For different types of risks than Hamilton)

The Rays current owners and administration have performed a miracle with the make-over of this franchise. Two years ago they were the Seattle Pilots! Now we are spoiled Rays fans and we expect 1st place all the time.

Great Manager, Great Pitching, Great Hitting, Great Defense and Great Depth in the minors. This will be a team that contends for titles every year for the foreseeable future. I am a proud Rays fan.

Go Rays!

[JJ Jones]

LOL at the people posting in this thread. BJ Upton the next Ryan Leaf? Do you understand how that doesn't even make sense? People calling out Friedman for trading Edwin Jackson and exposing Hamilton after how many second chances? Lets forget about getting Jackson and Navarro for nothing. Getting Zobrist for nothing. Trading Young for Garza and Bartlett. Getting Pena off the scrap heap. Getting Gross and Balfour from Milwaukee for nothing. You guys are clueless.

[bayern]

Tim, I can't say whether BJ will ever fulfill his potential, or what is holding him back. And I share your love and admiration for Perez. But I honestly don't see him as our starting center fielder -- I just don't think he is a strong enough hitter, either in terms of power or average (he hit .288 in Durham with 5 home runs -- is he likely to equal or better this in the majors? and coming off a year on the DL?) Sure, he's likely to be cheaper than BJ once Upton is a free agent, but he's not going to be better. So go ahead and be disappointed in Upton's performance this year...but don't imagine we've got someone better to take his place.

[Tim]

BJ has been around long enough that 'potential' shouldn't be used anymore. At some point in time you have to be who you are........and his range is entirely over-rated......they can gush over him 'making it look easy' but he certainly covers, at most, a little more ground than Perez....but not much. I know BJ is a great defender, I am not saying he isn't, I'm saying the difference in the actual number Perez would put up vs. Upton is close.....close enough NOT to give UPton a huge deal, instead trading him for 3 major prospects and give Perez a shot.

[TampaVolFan]

You're certainly entitled to that opinion, but I'm not buying in. Perez is a great athlete and as good of a character guy that you could ever want in your clubhouse. All things considered, he doesn't have the arm strength, power potential nor the range that BJ does.

[Tim]

BJ is a classic underachiever........he's the next Ryan Leaf.......I just believe that....I have no hate in my heart but I promise you I'd rather invest in a Perez than an Upton. Upton has all the gift and no genuine heart for the game........he wears it on his sleave.......

[TampaVolFan]

"Upton has been very clear about wanting a huge payday when his time comes........"

...and if we don't give it to him, there will plenty of teams tripping over themselves to do just that. Say what you want about his rough start, and other perceived short-comings, but anyone that knows a thing about baseball can see that the kid is one of the most talented players in the game.

[Tim]

I agree about Joyce being the future. I also see Perez taking over Upton's spot. Upton has been very clear about wanting a huge payday when his time comes........

[joemaddonsucks.com]

We all see what Jackson is doing this year, and I liked him as a Dodger too, he had lots of potential, but honestly the Rays has a surplus, Jackson was due for a higher payday, and they got Joyce who clearly has shown he can play, and will be the starter next season for hopefully years to come. Would love to have Ed JACKSON back, but you have to give up something to get something, and the Rays starters are all good, they just need to prove it more often. Joyce is raved about by Al Kaline and others, so give it a chance. Too bad it wasn't Andy instead of EJ, but Andy had options and makes minimum, so it's part of the game. In the end, I'm betting the Rays get at least equal on the deal, maybe better. Love EJ when he is on, but he is due for large salary, and he needs to show it for years to come still. The Rays don't need another starting pitcher, they need a right fielder and Joyce will be that guy. Rooting for EJ to continue his success, wish him the best

[Tim]

You say Ed Jackson is an all-star.....he's as much an all-star as Navarro.............

[Bud Lite]

Sorry Timmy...
The PLAYERS voted EJ in (those that have to bat against him)
The FANS voted Hamilton in
(those that watch home runs go out of the park)
But YOU say they are not??

[Tim]

Sorry Bud Soft.....you called Edwin Jackson an All-Star for having 1/2 of one good season.

Also, Hamilton as an all-star this year is a joke.........not deserving at all.

[Bud Lite]

Please don't call Kazmir/Navarro ....ALL STARS... its an embarrasement to those who ever played in the game!

[Tim]

Not keeping Hamilton on the 40 man was not a good idea because of the lack of talented people they chose to keep on the 40 man instead of him.......however, at the time it was a gamble to keep him as he hadn't done anything yet........

All stars starters we got THROUGH trades for basically nothing:
Navarro
Kazmir
Zobrist
Bartlett

[Bud Lite]

Dear Tim; Let me try to even it up...

Josh Hamilton (All Star).. for nothing
Edwin Jackson (All Star).. for nothing
(Joyce)
Free agents are not trades....
How we doing on trades???

[WTF]

I agree Tim.

Even with the less than stellar outcomes of a couple of deals...Percival (great at first, then health problems) and Burrell (Pending)...this leadership group has earned my faith. Especially with the hidden talent they've found like Aybar and Zobrist. Not to mention, the Bartlett/Garza trade was the deal of the century.

[Tim]

I don't see Jackson sustaining this first half over the long haul....but we'll see. As far as trades go, even if on the short end of this one, the moves, ovrall, this team has made has been great.

Young for Garza/Bartlett
Zambrano for Kazmir
Pena--Free Agent pick up
Aki--Free Agent pick up
Gathright for JP Howell

[SC-Carl]

The trade lit a fire under Jackson, something he needed badly. I want to see his stats and record at the end of the season. Detroit has a good bullpen and individual ERA is one of the worst stats by which to measure performance. The trade needs to be evaluated about 2-4 years down the road, not 3 months in to the first season.

[MarkFidrych]

Only time will tell.Trading Jackson away may turn out,2nd only to letting Josh Hamilton go for nothing,the biggest blunder Friedman,etc;made.