Darrin Jackson likes to think he has experienced everything in baseball.
“I know what the bottom is like,” he said. “And I know what the top is like.”
But nothing could have prepared Jackson for what happened two years ago when he was released by the San Francisco Giants on the final day of spring training. It left Jackson–one of baseball’s all-time good guys–thoroughly disgusted.
“I had told them: `If you plan on cutting me, don’t wait until the last day,’ ” Jackson recalled. “Then they sent me to San Francisco to play for the last three days of spring training. They were making stuff up, telling me lies.
“It fit right into (General Manager) Brian Sabean’s pattern. He’s the person I think the least of in baseball. He’s a man who gets all the accolades, but he cares nothing about the people who work for him.”
Sabean, as expected, remembers things diferently.
“It’s unfortunate when something like that happens,” he said. “But we went down to the end with him because we wanted to make the right decision. If anything, we gave him a chance to showcase himself.”
Jackson did land on his spikes a few weeks after being cut, signing with Minnesota. But the way the Giants treated him left a wound. He hopes it stays closed, but he knows the reality of his situation: He is fighting for a roster spot with the White Sox.
“It’s been like this the last three years,” he said. “It’s a stressful time–I’ve got a wife and kids. It’s not easy for us, and it’s not easy for (the team).”
A glance at the statistics suggests Jackson actually is making it easy for the Sox, who are leaning toward keeping either him or fellow veteran outfielder John Cangelosi.
Jackson has been the Sox’s best hitter this spring, with nine hits in 16 at-bats for a .563 average. He has shown some pop, with three doubles and a homer. His defense has been excellent with the exception of one fly that he lost in a 30 m.p.h. swirl of wind.
“I took my eye off the ball,” he said. “That won’t happen again.”
Jackson, 35, considered retiring after hitting .240 for Milwaukee last season. But he ultimately decided that the chance to return to his former team was too good to pass up.
Wise decision.
“He has been really impressive,” manager Jerry Manuel said. “He clearly has a lot of baseball left in him. I’m sure if he doesn’t come with us, he’ll be with another major-league club.”
Jackson hopes that if the Sox don’t want to keep him, they won’t wait until April to let him know. Lightning can’t strike twice, right?
“I’m looking at the calendar,” he said.
“I hope I can talk to (General Manager Ron Schueler) before it gets too late.”
