Don Cooper and Edwin Jackson Part II

[hi8is]

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=397871&src=162

 

Don Cooper waited until the end of Edwin Jackson's bullpen session Sunday morning to reveal a long-held secret.

 

"He was tipping his pitches," Cooper said. "We knew what he was throwing."

 

Ah, so that helps to explain why, in Jackson's final two starts for Detroit last season, the White Sox racked him for 14 hits and 13 runs in 12 innings.

 

It also might explain why Jackson posted a 6-10 record with a 5.16 ERA in 21 starts for Arizona before joining the Sox on Saturday.

 

Whatever happened in Arizona, however, Cooper believes can stay in the dry heat.

 

He walked away enthused by Jackson's 20 minutes of work prior to the White Sox' 4-1 win against Oakland at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

"I was excited, looking forward to it all yesterday," Cooper said. "Last night I was thinking about it. This morning, when I woke up, I was thinking about it. I'm even more excited now because the process has begun - and the sideline we just had.

 

"It went very, very well. I can't remember how long ago I was this excited about a sideline, about a bullpen."

 

What the heck did Jackson do to warrant such praise?

 

"I'm not sure," Jackson said with a laugh. "I wasn't throwing 105. I wasn't down there (being) Stephen Strasburg. It was just me."

 

Jackson boasts the raw materials, including a 98-mph fastball and a sharp slider, to overpower batters.

 

But in his 1341/3 innings for the Diamondbacks, Jackson issued 58 unintentional walks and an NL-worst 13 wild pitches.

 

Clearly, there's something more at issue than some tipped pitches as Jackson prepares to make his Sox debut Wednesday at Detroit.

 

Cooper alluded to "a couple mechanical things" he saw on video.

 

"Everybody's got their key," Cooper said. "I don't like - we don't like - to overdo mechanical verbiage and get guys thinking about their left earlobe and their big toe and things like that. We like to keep it simple.

 

"Many, many times, it is fairly simple to see what a guy is doing wrong. The job is, can we get that shored up? And that's what we just started."

 

Oh my, I just keep getting more and more excited about this guy.

Edited August 3, 2010 by hi8is

[Knackattack]

I honestly am excited about him. He has the kind of arm to explode for us if Coop can get him right.

[ThunderBolt]

Edwin Jackson has potential to throw Sergio Santos-like stuff for 7 innings a night. I don't think a turnaround is likely, but if anyone can bring it about, Don Cooper is the guy.

[hi8is]

Edwin Jackson has potential to throw Sergio Santos-like stuff for 7 innings a night.

I even think that is an understatement. =)

 

I'm gitty.

 

[TomPickle]

But in his 1341/3 innings for the Diamondbacks, Jackson issued 58 unintentional walks and an NL-worst 13 wild pitches.

You don't see too many guys throwing 447 innings in a season these days.

[Frank_Thomas]

I too am excited about EJax. He has electric stuff obviously and a perfect and smooth delivery that helps prevent injuries. He will help eat innings down the stretch to keep the bullpen fresh.Whether he was KWs target or not? Who cares, he's who we got and Coop hopefuly fixed him.I can't wait for his debut un a Sox black uni. Unfortunitly I have to work so I will be held to glimpse of the game and watching the reply on TiVo.

 

By the way he is nasty in MLB The Show!

Edited August 3, 2010 by Frank_Thomas35

[ScottyDo]

wow, hearing cooper act like a kid on his birthday really makes me wonder how high this guy's ceiling is. you'd think jackson would have to gain a measure of confidence just knowing how excited coop is to work with him.

[Frank_Thomas]

Great article breaking down EJaxs mechanics and why he was so good in Det. very entertaining and got me even more excited. Includes a visual breakdown of delivery with written breakdown. Truly a must read (written when he was with the tigers).

 

 

http://www.baseball-intellect.com/emergenc...-edwin-jackson/

[Frank_Thomas]

"Notice how the glove is a bit higher in 2009, while it hovers down by the side of his knee in 2008. I think this has contributed to Jackson’s improved control this year."

 

I wonde if this may be his problem again this year?

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I would like to thank Don Cooper for really rasing my hopes about Jackson, and feeling less pessimistic about the trade of Hudson. I'm really pumped for Wednesday night.

[Milkman delivers]

OK, now I'm getting a little excited.

 

I honestly am excited about him. He has the kind of arm to explode for us if Coop can get him right.

 

Hopefully not like Peavy.

[justBLAZE]

OK, now I'm getting a little excited.

 

 

 

Hopefully not like Peavy.

 

To be honest it wasn't Peavy's arm that exploded, but his back

[Balta1701]

To be honest it wasn't Peavy's arm that exploded, but his back

Though it was his shoulder?

 

Maybe Jake Peavy just completely detonated.

[hawkjt]

I too am excited about EJax. He has electric stuff obviously and a perfect and smooth delivery that helps prevent injuries. He will help eat innings down the stretch to keep the bullpen fresh.Whether he was KWs target or not? Who cares, he's who we got and Coop hopefuly fixed him.I can't wait for his debut un a Sox black uni. Unfortunitly I have to work so I will be held to glimpse of the game and watching the reply on TiVo.

 

By the way he is nasty in MLB The Show!

 

 

Clearly, EJax's eyes lite up when he faces AL teams not named the Sox. He has gone 28-13 vs those teams the last three years. Hopefully, that gives him confidence going into Wed vs the Tigers,who he has done well against.

 

If he can come thru, the Sox rotation can recover from a crushing blow losing Peavy.

[TheChrisSamsa]

I'm extremely excited for Wednesday night. The White Sox pummeled him twice at the end of last season, so I can understand why there's doubters, but I think he's going to be an anchor to the end of this staff.

 

A little off topic-- I've always wondered: do team's hitting and pitching coaches often help recognize flaws in opposing hitters or pitchers so as to make them easier to exploit or do they generally focus only on their own guys?

[justBLAZE]

Though it was his shoulder?

 

Maybe Jake Peavy just completely detonated.

 

Nah, detached latissimus dorsi muscle, from my understanding his shoulder detached from his lat.

[chw42]

"Notice how the glove is a bit higher in 2009, while it hovers down by the side of his knee in 2008. I think this has contributed to Jackson’s improved control this year."

 

I wonde if this may be his problem again this year?

 

Jackson has pretty good mechanics from what I see. He keeps his PAS elbow below his lead elbow through his whole delivery. The height of the lead elbow does have a lot to do with control and I like how he pointed that out in the article.

 

 

 

Not exactly the same frame in his delivery and not exactly the same angles, but I think his lead elbow is a higher in Detroit.

Edited August 3, 2010 by chw42

[chetkincaid]

Clearly, EJax's eyes lite up when he faces AL teams not named the Sox. He has gone 28-13 vs those teams the last three years. Hopefully, that gives him confidence going into Wed vs the Tigers,who he has done well against.

 

If he can come thru, the Sox rotation can recover from a crushing blow losing Peavy.

 

 

I was spying on a Twins fan forum and someone there mentioned that the Twins usually light up Jackson, so they were glad that the Sox traded for him. Jackson and Coop will have to straighten them out right away.

[southsider2k5]

If it is really something as simple as pitch tipping, this could be huge for Jackson. I imagine they will do the samething they did with Jose Contreras, and have him do that funky glove wiggle to cover up when he changes finger grip in his mitt. Here's to hoping it works.

[chetkincaid]

Chw42... your pic is too small. I can barely see it.. Edited August 3, 2010 by Chet Kincaid

[chw42]

Chw42... your pic is too small. I can barely see it..

 

It auto re-sizes on its own. Patience my friend.

Edited August 3, 2010 by chw42

[chetkincaid]

It auto re-sizes on its own. Patience my friend.

 

 

Lol I know I'm just giving you a hard time

 

I really hope that Jackson can go out and have an excellent start tomorrow against the Tigers and make the critics quiet down. Tipping his pitches is huge and it'll make a big difference.

[Balta1701]

I was spying on a Twins fan forum and someone there mentioned that the Twins usually light up Jackson, so they were glad that the Sox traded for him. Jackson and Coop will have to straighten them out right away.

1-3 record, 7.76 ERA against the Twins in his career. 8 appearances, 5 starts.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Jackson has pretty good mechanics from what I see. He keeps his PAS elbow below his lead elbow through his whole delivery. The height of the lead elbow does have a lot to do with control and I like how he pointed that out in the article.

 

 

 

Not exactly the same frame in his delivery and not exactly the same angles, but I think his lead elbow is a higher in Detroit.

 

I think that just has to do with the pictures being taken at different points in delivery. I think had he been more progressed in his wind-up, like in the Dbacks picture, his lead elbow would be lower because he is going forward and down with his body. I think they would end up about the same.

 

The one thing I DO notice is the positioning of his lead foot. He seems to be point his lead toe on the Dbacks (Thus, having a more open spread on the stride) vs. the picture on the Tigers where his foot is more pointed on the 3B side of the plate (And maybe throwing more across his body).

Edited August 3, 2010 by JoeCoolMan24