My apologies to Charles Dickens, but I’d rather read about Edwin Jackson than Edwin Drood.
The mystery here is how Edwin Jackson has resurfaced to the majors following his 7.20 ERA and release by the Orioles. Once upon a time, Jackson was a hot prospect for the Dodgers. That was in 2003. He has managed to pitch 15 years in the majors for a dozen teams, twice now with the Nationals. That’s 40 percent of the teams in baseball.
Jackson actually pitched in the 2009 All-Star Game. Then, again, Jeff Locke once was chosen for an All-Star game, too. Jackson has defined below average with a career mark of 93-114, a 4.65 ERA and 1.46 WHIP.
Last year, Jackson posted a combined 5.89 ERA pitching for the Marlins and Padres. He had a losing record for them. From 2012-2014, Jackson had a combined record of 24-44 pitching for the Cubs and Nationals. His ERA during this span was 4.03, 4.98 and 6.33 in 2014.
The 33-year-old Jackson certainly looks finished to me. I’d love to fade him today as he starts for injured Joe Ross against the Angels. I can’t though. The oddsmaker won’t let me. They opened the Angels a $1.20 favorite with Jesse Chavez pitching. Chavez also is 33 and strictly a bottom-of-the-rotation type starter – if that. His ERA is a combined 6.00 during his last six starts. I’m not laying a price with him. That hasn’t deterred the marketplace, though. Chavez currently is minus $1.32.
This just tells you the kind of disdain the marketplace has for Jackson. The Nationals are the second-best offensive team in baseball next to the Astros, just fortified their bullpen picking up Ryan Madsen and Sean Doolittle and have the third-best record in baseball. They are 20 games above .500. The Angels are three games below .500.
But it’s going to be hard to find any brave soul who wants to take this price since it means backing Jackson.
The answer to this mystery is the conservative Nationals would rather trust Jackson than go with one of their young pitching prospects such as A.J. Cole. So for the time being, Jackson still has life in the big leagues. Amazing.
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