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Meet the latest Detroit Tigers scapegoat: Austin Jackson
Tiger fans have apparently developed this habit of seeking a player to pick on. Early this season, it was a slumping Ryan Raburn. Then it was Brandon Inge, who wasn't hitting a lick.
They got their wish with Inge. He is at Toledo (he is hitting .304 with two home runs, six RBI and an OPS of 1.081 since being designated for assignment). They didn't with Raburn, but he has come around at the plate. Wednesday, his eighth-inning home run provided the eventual winning run in the Tigers' 5-4 victory over the Rangers. Since June 29, Raburn is hitting .327 with four home runs and eight RBI in 58 at bats.
Now, it seems, as if Austin Jackson is the player on the hot seat. The Tigers' center fielder got off to a horrible start this season (.181 in the first month), then came around to a degree, hurt his wrist, missed some time and has scuffled upon his return. More and more I'm getting calls on my radio show, "Austin Jackson is (fill in the over-reactive criticism)
Is Jackson an ideal leadoff hitter? Not at this point. Way too many strikeouts, not enough walks.
His batting average is considerably below last season - .247 compared to .293 when I voted for him for American League Rookie of the Year. To top it off, Curtis Granderson, the player traded to the Yankees for Jackson, is having a monster season.
But Jackson is a completely different case than Inge or Raburn. He isn't a veteran player signed to an overblown contract as his career appears to be waning - like Inge. He won't be arbitration eligible until after next season. He isn't a utility player with a questionable glove in his late 20s and early 30s, once considered to be a 4-A player, the Tigers gave an unexpected two-year contract - like Raburn.
He is a decidedly above-average defensive player at a premium position with the Tigers' only real element of speed. He is 24 years old. Yet, already, he has shown his ability to grind through the season and survive slumps, and a willingness to play when hurt. Jackson's .247 batting average isn't that far below the major league average of .254. He is not having a good season, but it isn't that bad.
There is a relatively high probability Jackson is going to be a very good major league player for a long period, that he is just going through growing pains young players inevitably do.
I don't believe he deserves scapegoat status from a growing number of overzealous Tigers' fans.
They got their wish with Inge. He is at Toledo (he is hitting .304 with two home runs, six RBI and an OPS of 1.081 since being designated for assignment). They didn't with Raburn, but he has come around at the plate. Wednesday, his eighth-inning home run provided the eventual winning run in the Tigers' 5-4 victory over the Rangers. Since June 29, Raburn is hitting .327 with four home runs and eight RBI in 58 at bats.
Now, it seems, as if Austin Jackson is the player on the hot seat. The Tigers' center fielder got off to a horrible start this season (.181 in the first month), then came around to a degree, hurt his wrist, missed some time and has scuffled upon his return. More and more I'm getting calls on my radio show, "Austin Jackson is (fill in the over-reactive criticism)
Is Jackson an ideal leadoff hitter? Not at this point. Way too many strikeouts, not enough walks.
His batting average is considerably below last season - .247 compared to .293 when I voted for him for American League Rookie of the Year. To top it off, Curtis Granderson, the player traded to the Yankees for Jackson, is having a monster season.
But Jackson is a completely different case than Inge or Raburn. He isn't a veteran player signed to an overblown contract as his career appears to be waning - like Inge. He won't be arbitration eligible until after next season. He isn't a utility player with a questionable glove in his late 20s and early 30s, once considered to be a 4-A player, the Tigers gave an unexpected two-year contract - like Raburn.
He is a decidedly above-average defensive player at a premium position with the Tigers' only real element of speed. He is 24 years old. Yet, already, he has shown his ability to grind through the season and survive slumps, and a willingness to play when hurt. Jackson's .247 batting average isn't that far below the major league average of .254. He is not having a good season, but it isn't that bad.
There is a relatively high probability Jackson is going to be a very good major league player for a long period, that he is just going through growing pains young players inevitably do.
I don't believe he deserves scapegoat status from a growing number of overzealous Tigers' fans.
Labels: Austin Jackson Curtis Granderson Brandon Inge Ryan Raburn
posted by Pat Caputo at
9:51 AM
5 Comments:
I guess I could live with the .247 if he was the karmic victim of a low BABIP (the opposite of what happened to him last year). But his BABIP is .343, again an abnormally high number. And no, he's not getting that many infield singles.
My problem with A-Jax is that he swings right through mediocre fastballs WAY too often. I'm talking 88 mph fastballs. Real Nate Robertson-type stuff (or Doug Fister, if you will). He doesn't look fooled on them, either, just that he misses them.
The problem for Curtis (and Nook Logan, for what it's worth) was their inability to detect a slider, often swinging at ones way off the plate. That doesn't seem to be the problem for A-Jax which leads me to believe he just doesn't have the bat speed right now. Perhaps the effects of a wrist injury?
I agree about the overblown criticism of Jackson. Unfortunately for Austin, he's simply suffering from his sophmore year slump syndrome.
With Inge you had to be critical. With Raburn you had / have to be skeptical. And I pitty Wilson Betimit as he will likely be next in line.
But now as we enter August 4 games up and 8 over .500 and 3 one run wins agains west coast powerhouses - criticism of Jackson right now is like saying the fudge on my chocolate sundae isn't chocolately enough.
Good times so far ...
I don't think Jackson is getting scapegoat treatment. Baseball is a team effort, everybody has to contribute. There's plenty of criticism to go around.
Re: Jackson. He's in the lead off spot and isn't doing lead off quality work there. As others have pointed out, he strikes out too much and he swings through whimpy fastballs. Fans are left wondering if he's got his eyes closed while he's up to bat.
I sure don't temper my disapproval of a guy based on what his contract or salary status is. Jackson is our everyday centerfielder and lead off man. Sure, I hold hope that because he's young, he'll grow more savvy at the plate in the years to come. Meanwhile, living in the present, I'm hoping he pulls off more bunt singles and steals, and keeps his eye on the ball better for the remainder of this season .
The reason Jackson is getting such harsh treatment this year is he played over his head last year. He was never and probably never will be the answer at lead off. He'll probably bat closer to .250 than to .300 most of his career. He was nowhere close to being "one of the best rookies of all time" as Caputo foolishly said last year. That said, he's a decent player. He has speed, he plays above-average defense and he'll probably hit for more power as he ages.
I agree that fans have been overcritical of Jackson this year. His offense hasn't even been that bad for a center fielder, and his defense is vital to the team.
Baseball Reference has him tied for 5th with V-Mart in Wins Above Replacement among batters. Fangraphs has him 6th and puts his value so far this year at $5 million.
He hasn't been a very good fit at leadoff, but we don't have that many other options. And he's still an above average player overall.
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