Rays Alumni: The Roller Coaster Ride of Edwin Jackson

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP Browse more photos » During last offseason the Rays traded two potential 2009 starting pitchers in Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel . A member of the rotation in 2008, Edwin Jackson was moved to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for outfielder Matt Joyce . Jackson had won 14 games last season as the Rays fifth starter and was about to get more expensive. Despite the impressive win total and 4.42 ERA, the Rays had grown tired of Jackson's lack of progress. He struck out a career low 5.3 per 9 innings while walking 3.78. In short, it seemed Jackson was a decent pitcher whose traditional stats were inflated by the American League's top defense according to UZR. The Rays had an abundance of starting pitching and thought the cost controlled 25-year-old Joyce could be the long term answer in right... [read full story]                    

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