DODGER REPORT
Double-A Prospect to Replace Nomo
By Jason Reid, LA Times Staff Writer
DENVER ? The Dodgers on Sunday promoted standout minor league pitcher Edwin Jackson to replace Hideo Nomo in the rotation.
With Nomo sidelined because of a shoulder injury, Jackson will start Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark.
The 19-year-old double-A right-hander is scheduled to face five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson.
The Dodgers are in the thick of the National League wild-card race and the struggling Diamondbacks are fighting to remain in playoff contention, so Jackson won't be eased in slowly.
But the Dodgers believe their top pitching prospect is ready for the challenge.
"He's the guy," Manager Jim Tracy said of Jackson, who turns 20 on Tuesday. "I don't think age has a whole lot to do with it. Character and composure, there's a whole lot to be said for that, and you hear nothing but good things about him.
"The Marlins don't have any apprehension about [21-year-old starter] Dontrelle Willis in a pennant race. I don't see why we should. We're not asking this kid to go out there and pitch a complete game. If he wants to, that's fine."
Not surprisingly, Jackson expressed excitement after joining the team before Sunday's 6-2 victory over Colorado.
"I'm still like a little kid when you first take him to Disney World ? eyes open and admiring where you're at," he said.
The Dodgers purchased the contract of Jackson, in his second full season as a pitcher, because Nomo was recently diagnosed with inflammation of his rotator cuff. Team medical personnel determined Nomo needs more time to recover from his "dead-arm" phase.
The Dodgers converted Jackson after selecting him as an outfielder in the sixth round of the 2001 amateur draft. He was selected the organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2002 after going 5-2 with a 1.98 earned-run average for Class-A South Georgia.
This season, Jackson went 7-7 with a 3.70 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 148 1/3 innings for double-A Jacksonville. He was at the top of other teams' wish lists in trade discussions, baseball executives said.
General Manager Dan Evans passed on acquiring star outfielder Brian Giles because Pittsburgh wanted Jackson. Giles recently was traded to San Diego.
Jackson impressed pitching coach Jim Colborn in a bullpen session. "It's hard not to be excited. He's got a great delivery," Colborn said of Jackson, whose fastball has been clocked in the mid-90s. "How well he can control his emotions and feel comfortable in a setting different from the one he's been used to that'll be the big thing."
And what about opposing the Big Unit? "He's facing the Diamondbacks and the Diamondbacks' hitters," Colborn said. "Randy's batting ninth."
Jackson acknowledges pitching against the Diamondbacks in a tight race will be different than facing the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.
"I have to do what I've been doing the whole year, and not let the atmosphere get to me," said Jackson, the first Dodger promoted from double A to the majors since Adrian Beltre in 1998. "It's my chance to step up and show everybody it wasn't a mistake."
from official site:
09/07/2003 4:11 PM ET
Notes: Jackson to make debut
Rookie right-hander to face Big Unit on 20th birthday
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com Get tickets
DENVER -- One day after saying he looks for "encouraging scenarios" for young players to make Major League debuts, manager Jim Tracy announced that Edwin Jackson would make his debut replacing Hideo Nomo as Tuesday's starting pitcher against five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson in a pennant race on his 20th birthday.
"I think this young man is up to the task," said Tracy, who added that he did not consider anyone else for the start and had no apprehension about putting Jackson in this critical situation.
"Not with that kind of arm," said Tracy. "I don't think age has a lot to do with it. Character, composure, there's a lot to be said for that.
"The Marlins don't have apprehension about Dontrelle Willis in a pennant race. I don't know why we should feel any differently. We're not asking the kid to pitch a complete game. If he wants to, that's fine. We have people out there to pick him up."
Jackson, 7-7 with a 3.73 ERA, missed leading the Southern League by one strikeout, finishing with 157 in 148 1/3 innings. His 53 walks tied for fifth-most in the league. He skipped his final scheduled start last Monday because his innings workload increased more than 40 percent (104 2/3 to 148 1/3). He last pitched Aug. 27.
Because of the uncertainty over Nomo's fatigued right shoulder, Jackson was put on ice this week working out in Tulsa, Okla., home of minor league pitching coordinator Mark Brewer, who informed Jackson on Saturday to join the club in Denver.
"It hasn't really hit me yet," said Jackson. "It's happened so fast. Before you know it, I got called up. Wow. I'm still like a little kid in Disney World. Tuesday's my birthday. That's a pretty good present."
Jackson said he has been preparing the past few days as if he would pitch Tuesday. He took Nomo's bullpen session Sunday in the rain with Tracy joining pitching coach Jim Colborn in the audience.
"There's no question about his stuff," said Tracy. "None. Zero. We brought him here because it's important for a young kid to get a feel for the landscape rather than wait to the last minute and run him out to the mound. His stuff is quite capable of getting Major League hitters out. He's got a real good idea of getting Major League hitters out."
Jackson said he has attended two Major League games in person, both Florida Marlins home games in 2001, one of them against the Dodgers.
Jackson is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft out of Shaw High School in Columbus, Ga. He was the organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2002 when he went 5-2 with a 1.98 ERA in 19 starts at South Georgia.
Jackson's contract was purchased and to make room on the 40-man roster, Alfredo Gonzalez was placed on the 60-day disabled list. Jackson is eligible for postseason play, as the rules dictate that a player replacing another who is injured may appear in the postseason as long as he comes from within the organization and was not acquired from another team after Sept. 1.
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Double-A Prospect to Replace Nomo
By Jason Reid, LA Times Staff Writer
DENVER ? The Dodgers on Sunday promoted standout minor league pitcher Edwin Jackson to replace Hideo Nomo in the rotation.
With Nomo sidelined because of a shoulder injury, Jackson will start Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark.
The 19-year-old double-A right-hander is scheduled to face five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson.
The Dodgers are in the thick of the National League wild-card race and the struggling Diamondbacks are fighting to remain in playoff contention, so Jackson won't be eased in slowly.
But the Dodgers believe their top pitching prospect is ready for the challenge.
"He's the guy," Manager Jim Tracy said of Jackson, who turns 20 on Tuesday. "I don't think age has a whole lot to do with it. Character and composure, there's a whole lot to be said for that, and you hear nothing but good things about him.
"The Marlins don't have any apprehension about [21-year-old starter] Dontrelle Willis in a pennant race. I don't see why we should. We're not asking this kid to go out there and pitch a complete game. If he wants to, that's fine."
Not surprisingly, Jackson expressed excitement after joining the team before Sunday's 6-2 victory over Colorado.
"I'm still like a little kid when you first take him to Disney World ? eyes open and admiring where you're at," he said.
The Dodgers purchased the contract of Jackson, in his second full season as a pitcher, because Nomo was recently diagnosed with inflammation of his rotator cuff. Team medical personnel determined Nomo needs more time to recover from his "dead-arm" phase.
The Dodgers converted Jackson after selecting him as an outfielder in the sixth round of the 2001 amateur draft. He was selected the organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2002 after going 5-2 with a 1.98 earned-run average for Class-A South Georgia.
This season, Jackson went 7-7 with a 3.70 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 148 1/3 innings for double-A Jacksonville. He was at the top of other teams' wish lists in trade discussions, baseball executives said.
General Manager Dan Evans passed on acquiring star outfielder Brian Giles because Pittsburgh wanted Jackson. Giles recently was traded to San Diego.
Jackson impressed pitching coach Jim Colborn in a bullpen session. "It's hard not to be excited. He's got a great delivery," Colborn said of Jackson, whose fastball has been clocked in the mid-90s. "How well he can control his emotions and feel comfortable in a setting different from the one he's been used to that'll be the big thing."
And what about opposing the Big Unit? "He's facing the Diamondbacks and the Diamondbacks' hitters," Colborn said. "Randy's batting ninth."
Jackson acknowledges pitching against the Diamondbacks in a tight race will be different than facing the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.
"I have to do what I've been doing the whole year, and not let the atmosphere get to me," said Jackson, the first Dodger promoted from double A to the majors since Adrian Beltre in 1998. "It's my chance to step up and show everybody it wasn't a mistake."
from official site:
09/07/2003 4:11 PM ET
Notes: Jackson to make debut
Rookie right-hander to face Big Unit on 20th birthday
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com Get tickets
DENVER -- One day after saying he looks for "encouraging scenarios" for young players to make Major League debuts, manager Jim Tracy announced that Edwin Jackson would make his debut replacing Hideo Nomo as Tuesday's starting pitcher against five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson in a pennant race on his 20th birthday.
"I think this young man is up to the task," said Tracy, who added that he did not consider anyone else for the start and had no apprehension about putting Jackson in this critical situation.
"Not with that kind of arm," said Tracy. "I don't think age has a lot to do with it. Character, composure, there's a lot to be said for that.
"The Marlins don't have apprehension about Dontrelle Willis in a pennant race. I don't know why we should feel any differently. We're not asking the kid to pitch a complete game. If he wants to, that's fine. We have people out there to pick him up."
Jackson, 7-7 with a 3.73 ERA, missed leading the Southern League by one strikeout, finishing with 157 in 148 1/3 innings. His 53 walks tied for fifth-most in the league. He skipped his final scheduled start last Monday because his innings workload increased more than 40 percent (104 2/3 to 148 1/3). He last pitched Aug. 27.
Because of the uncertainty over Nomo's fatigued right shoulder, Jackson was put on ice this week working out in Tulsa, Okla., home of minor league pitching coordinator Mark Brewer, who informed Jackson on Saturday to join the club in Denver.
"It hasn't really hit me yet," said Jackson. "It's happened so fast. Before you know it, I got called up. Wow. I'm still like a little kid in Disney World. Tuesday's my birthday. That's a pretty good present."
Jackson said he has been preparing the past few days as if he would pitch Tuesday. He took Nomo's bullpen session Sunday in the rain with Tracy joining pitching coach Jim Colborn in the audience.
"There's no question about his stuff," said Tracy. "None. Zero. We brought him here because it's important for a young kid to get a feel for the landscape rather than wait to the last minute and run him out to the mound. His stuff is quite capable of getting Major League hitters out. He's got a real good idea of getting Major League hitters out."
Jackson said he has attended two Major League games in person, both Florida Marlins home games in 2001, one of them against the Dodgers.
Jackson is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft out of Shaw High School in Columbus, Ga. He was the organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2002 when he went 5-2 with a 1.98 ERA in 19 starts at South Georgia.
Jackson's contract was purchased and to make room on the 40-man roster, Alfredo Gonzalez was placed on the 60-day disabled list. Jackson is eligible for postseason play, as the rules dictate that a player replacing another who is injured may appear in the postseason as long as he comes from within the organization and was not acquired from another team after Sept. 1.
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