If the Tigers were going to move Matt Joyce in a trade, they needed to at least get a power arm in return.
And that's exactly what they accomplished by trading Joyce to Tampa Bay for right-hander Edwin Jackson.
Jackson is still in his middle 20s. He does throw his fastball consistently in the mid-90s. He did make 30-plus starts for Tampa Bay the last two seasons. He was available because the Rays needed left-handed hitting, wanted to save a bit of money (Jackson is salary arbitration eligible) and they needed to make room for phenom David Price in the starting rotation.
I believe Joyce has good upside (read original post below), but so does Jackson.
The concern with Jackson is his control. When he throws strikes, he is as tough as they come. When he doesn't - which is often - he gets in trouble. It's one of the reasons he hasn't approached the 200-inning mark yet. His pitch count get high. Even when he is not walking hitters, he often falls behind in the count.
There isn't an injury issue to be concerned about - like with Jeremy Bonderman. He hasn't totally lost his ability to throw from Point A to Point B accurately - like Dontrelle Willis. He has not lost zip on his fastball - like Nate Robertson. Yet make no mistake: Jackson is one of those pitchers who go either way for the Tigers in 2009.
They need him to throw strikes. They need him to be better than in the past.




Posted before trade for Jackson...

Whether acquiring J.J. Putz in a trade with Seattle is ideal for the Tigers depends on how two of their younger players - left-handed hitters Jeff Larish and Matt Joyce - are viewed.
Of the prospects the Tigers were forced to bring to the major leagues last season because of injuries, I thought Joyce showed the most promise. He made some blunders in the field, but he does seem to have the makings of at least an average corner outfielder defensively.
What is best about Joyce is that he has a fairly compact hitting stroke and turns well on a good major league fastball.
I see him as being a better player in the future than Larish, who has a longer batting stroke and is limited defensively. I know the Tigers played Larish at third base last season, and he did get a lot of time there in the Arizona Fall League, where he excelled with the bat, but I don’t see where his career is necessarily going to take off. He appears to be below-average defensively for a third baseman. The Tigers are, obviously, set at first base - his primary position - with Miguel Cabrera, and it doesn’t seem like Larish will hit enough to be full-time DH once Gary Sheffield departs.
I know this: The Tigers desperately need left-handed hitting. I wouldn’t trade both of them for Putz. But if one or the other must go, I think the Tigers should keep Joyce, who is also two years younger than Larish.
Joyce had 31 extra base hits in 242 major league at bats last season and walked considerably more than Larish, who displayed far less power in the major leagues than he had for Triple-A Toledo.

Random Thoughts

- Shaking up their starting lineup didn’t do the Pistons much good at Washington Tuesday, but in fairness to the Pistons, the Wizards did get more than double the free throw attempts. Doesn’t excuse blowing a 15-point first quarter lead, though.

- Should Jim Rice be in the Hall of Fame? This is his final year on the ballot and he came close last year. Yes. He is on my ballot.

- Jimmy Howard has a below .500 record and a save percentage under 90 percent for Grand Rapids. Red Wings general manager Ken Holland knew what he was doing when he signed Ty Conklin during the off season.