Major League Baseball

Jackson impresses in White Sox debut

Published Aug. 5, 2010 7:37 a.m. ET

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Did the White Sox really want Edwin Jackson on their team?

Yes, Kenny Williams insisted, not long before Wednesday’s first pitch.

And given the glove-popping performance that followed, the story won’t change anytime soon.

Jackson beat the Tigers, his employer one year ago, with seven strong innings. He allowed just one earned run. And he struck out six, displaying an upper-90s fastball that Manager Ozzie Guillen didn’t remember him having.

It was Jackson’s debut with the White Sox, and a highly successful one at that. Guillen was very satisfied with what he saw, and catcher A.J. Pierzynski admired, “His arm is pretty darned amazing.”

Yes, the White Sox traded for the right guy.

But let’s remember that there was no guarantee that Jackson would throw a pitch with the interlocking “S-O-X” over his heart. Not even after the White Sox acquired him from the Diamondbacks on July 30.

July 30, you see, comes one day before baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline. And that left Williams, the Chicago general manager, with plenty of time to make another move. Some in the industry believed then — and still believe now — that Williams acquired Jackson for the purpose of repackaging him in a deal for Washington Nationals slugger Adam Dunn.

By now, you know that didn’t happen. But Williams seems very content.

During an interview at Comerica Park, Williams recalled a conversation with Jackson soon after the trade in which he said, “Listen, over the next 24 hours, you’re going to hear your name bantered about a lot. It is not in my mind to move you. I got you to pitch here. But I ain’t going to make you any promises, either. Because I don’t make nobody promises.”

Jackson understood. After all, he has been traded four times — and is not yet 27.

“People are out there saying I got him to move him — but you don’t tell the player anything, at that point,” Williams said. “If you’ve got an idea that you might move him, you don’t tell him, ‘Get to Chicago.’

“I’d have kept him in New York. That’s where they (the Diamondbacks) were. It’s closer to Washington.”

Williams smiled.

Maybe he senses that this will work out for the better, anyway. And if so, who could blame him? His team leads the American League Central and has the best record in baseball over the past 50 games (37-13).

Dunn or no Dunn, the White Sox added an experienced starting pitcher at the deadline. The Twins didn’t. Keep that in mind during the nine remaining games between the teams — including six on the South Side.

Remember, too, that Chicago had the best rotation in the AL Central before adding Jackson.

Gavin Floyd has been perhaps the best pitcher in baseball since early June, posting a dominant 1.06 ERA over his past 11 starts.

John Danks remains one of the most underrated pitchers anywhere, despite pitching in the nation’s third-largest city. He leads the rotation with 11 wins and a 3.40 ERA.

Mark Buehrle and Freddy Garcia, sages from the ’05 Series winners, each have won 10 games.

Jackson, meanwhile, is a clear upgrade over Hudson, the rookie shipped to Arizona in the trade.

“Listen, we already had our big guy go down, in (Jake) Peavy,” Williams said. “As we sit today, we’re in first place. We have another devastating injury to our pitching staff, and we’re you-know-what.

“I love the kid Daniel Hudson. He’s going to be a nice pitcher, I think — more so, maybe, in that league. But we needed a guy that we knew could go out there and give us six, seven innings.”

Jackson, a 214-inning man last year, is that guy.

Is Jackson a sure thing? Three trades in 20 months would suggest that the answer is no. He was an All-Star for Detroit last year but faded down the stretch. The White Sox pummeled him during the final weekend of the regular season — five innings, eight earned runs — as the Tigers collapsed.

But fans everywhere saw Jackson’s talent this season when he no-hit Tampa Bay. So he has plenty of talent and a little something to prove — precisely the type of player Williams finds irresistible. Pitching coach Don Cooper already has suggested mechanical adjustments that Jackson incorporated effectively Wednesday night.

As for the big hitter Williams wanted? He said he’s still looking. It probably won’t be Dunn, who’s on trade waivers. But perhaps Manny Ramirez will be available later this month.

For now, the GM seems quite content with the trade he made — and unbothered by the one he didn’t. Williams got Edwin Jackson “to pitch here,” and to pitch exactly like this.
 

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