Tigers trade Joyce for Rays pitcher Jackson

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Edwin Jackson was 14-11 as a starter for the Tampa Bay Rays last season.

LAS VEGAS -- When the attempt to get the closer he coveted fell short -- with Seattle's J.J. Putz going to the New York Mets in a 12-player deal that included Cleveland -- Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski instead strengthened his starting rotation.

Outfielder Matt Joyce, linked all week to a possible trade for Putz, was sent to the Tampa Bay Rays late Wednesday night for starting pitcher Edwin Jackson, who was 14-11 with a 4.25 ERA in 2008."Edwin pitched on a World Series club and has great stuff," Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "Everyone in baseball's known about his ability. He took a step forward this year. Hopefully, he'll take another step for us ... It's unusual to pick up a guy who won 14 games."

Jackson was the odd man out of the Rays' rotation in the postseason, with Matt Garza, Scott Kazmir, James Shields and Andy Sonnanstine getting the starts and Jackson pitching 4 1/3 innings of relief with a 2.08 ERA and no decisions.

He said he looked forward to calling pitcher-friendly Comerica Park home and playing for a "hard-nosed manager" in Jim Leyland.

"It's a great team and I will play for the Detroit Tigers any day," Jackson said early this morning in a teleconference call from his home in Columbus, Ga. "It's a new start with a new team. It's not a personal move, it's a business. A lot of players get traded from World Series teams. I was happy to be in Tampa Bay, and hopefully can contribute in Detroit to another winner."

Dombrowski said he would be one of the club's five starters.

Earlier Wednesday, Leyland said Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman and Armando Galarraga were the only sure starters. Adding Jackson, 25, leaves one opening. Zach Miner and Nate Robertson are likely to battle for the fifth spot, with Dontrelle Willis a long shot. Re-signing free agent starter Freddy Garcia would appear highly unlikely after this deal.

"(Jackson) has above-average stuff," Dombrowski said. "He has a two-seam and four-seam fastball, a slider and change up. He has struggled to consistently throw strikes."

Jackson was 5-15 with a 5.76 ERA in 2007, walking 88 in 161 innings and striking out 128. He cut down on the walks this year, with 77 in 183 1/3 innings, and his improvements paralleled those of a last-place team that went to the World Series one year later.

"Edwin Jackson was a big part of our turnaround," Tampa Bay executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "But you have to give up talent to get talent."

Both teams dealt from areas of their greatest depth to bolster a need. The Rays have highly touted David Price and Jeff Niemann pushing their way into what already was a quality rotation. The Tigers have three veteran corner outfielders -- Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and Marcus Thames -- and top minor league outfield prospects in Wilkin Ramirez, Clete Thomas and Brent Clevlen.

Ironically, Jackson was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round in 2001 as an outfielder from Shaw High in Columbus. He immediately was converted into a pitcher, just as the Texas Rangers once did with Kenny Rogers.

Jackson, who reached the majors at age 19, struggled to make it until this season. He is 25-30 with a 5.15 ERA in parts of six seasons.

"I started controlling situations better before they got out of hand," Jackson said of his significant improvement this season. "It was just a matter of slowing down the situation instead of speeding it up. All that came with experience and getting a chance."

Joyce hit .252 with 12 homers and 33 RBIs in 242 at-bats with the Tigers, displaying a sweet left-handed swing and the ability to cover plenty of ground in the corner outfield spots. He has looked good in the Mexican winter league, cutting down on the strikeouts that plagued him as he often struggled to hit curve balls. Joyce, 24, was born in Tampa and lives in nearby Riverview, Fla.

"There was a lot of interest in Matt," Dombrowski said. "He's not a guy we wanted to trade -- a left-handed hitter with some pop."

Joyce was rumored to be going to Seattle for Putz along with first baseman Jeff Larish and a young pitcher such as Luis Marte.

"We felt we made a significant offer for (Putz)," said Dombrowski, "but they decided to go in another direction."

What Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik wanted was a center fielder in any deal for Putz, and Mets general manager Omar Minaya helped get him Franklin Gutierrez from the Cleveland Indians.

"There were other offers but they did not come close enough to make a deal," Zduriencik said.

Dombrowski said he discussed multi-player and multi-team deals that involved the Rays and would have brought him a closer.

Now, with Baltimore's George Sherrill and Pittsburgh's Matt Capps unlikely to be traded, only Colorado's Huston Street is left as a likely closer to be had by trade. And Brian Fuentes is the only high-quality free agent closer remaining. Dombrowski, though, said he is not likely to pay the big money Fuentes is seeking.

Dombrowski said one starter likely will "slide" into the bullpen, while adding that a better rotation takes stress off the relievers. Jackson won more games than any Tiger did last season, and matched James Shields for the Tampa Bay lead in victories.

"This makes us a better club," Dombrowski said.