The D On Austin Jackson’s Tigers Cap Also Stood For Defense

Black History Month continues with a celebration of the marvelous defensive work Austin Jackson turned in while playing center field for the Detroit Tigers.

During the five seasons Austin Jackson played for the Detroit Tigers, Miguel Cabrera was the team’s best performer at the plate. Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were the best performers on the mound. When it came to defense, it was Jackson who was the Tigers’ best performer in the outfield.

From the beginning of the 2010 season through the end of July 2014, Jackson made 667 appearances in center field for the Tigers. In 1,693 chances, he racked up 1,648 putouts and had 29 assists with only 16 errors.

His first two seasons in Detroit were his most dynamic. Per Fangraphs, he led American League centerfielders in defensive runs saved with 12 in 2010. That was good for third overall among MLB centerfielders. In 2011, Jackson led the majors with 26 DRS at the position.

He never won a Gold Glove Award, but he did earn a Fielding Bible Award in ’11, which was the year he led all major leaguers in defensive WAR with 3.1 (per Baseball-Reference’s calculations).

Playing half his games at spacious Comerica Park, Jackson was a key contributor during a very productive era in franchise history. He was part of three AL Central Division champions (2011-13) and played in the 2012 World Series. Jackson’s teammates recognized his what his defense meant to the team. During the Tigers’ run at the division title in ’12, Verlander said,

“Without a doubt, he’s a great athlete. We got spoiled with Curtis (Granderson) here for years, and I was a little worried when he (Jackson) came over here, not knowing much about him. But he stepped in right way and did a great job. This is not an easy field to roam out there. There’s so much room, but he’s been one of the best.”

Quality defense up the middle is an essential component of a successful team. From behind the plate, catcher Gerald Laird had an excellent view to watch Jackson show off his skills. Laird, also speaking in 2012, said,

“Austin gets to balls that you don’t see guys get to, and he gets to them with ease. He’s had a couple game-saving, pull-back home runs. A few times, I’m like ‘God, I can’t believe how high he can get sometimes.'”

Austin Jackson’s most important and most memorable plays from his Detroit Tigers tenure will always be fun to reminisce about.

April 5, 2010: A Debut and an Assist

The Tigers opened the new decade in Kansas City against the Royals. Austin Jackson, Detroit’s new leadoff hitter and centerfielder was making his major league debut. Through the first six innings, he hadn’t been very busy in the field. The Royals singled into center three times, but Jackson wasn’t involved in any plays otherwise. It was only a matter of time, though, before the 23-year-old rookie made his mark defensively.

Detroit rallied for six runs in the top of the seventh to take an 8-4 lead. Jackson contributed an RBI-double, his first big-league hit, and also scored for the first time that inning. Following the seventh inning stretch, the Royals went to work. Jason Kendall and Chris Getz led off with back-to-back singles. With one out, Scott Podsednik dropped a single into shallow center.

Jackson was playing a little bit deeper than where the ball landed. As he came in to field it, Kendall was rounding third base and heading home. Jackson’s throw bounced once on the way to the plate, but it arrived before the runner. Tigers catcher Gerald Laird was ready and tagged the sliding Kendall out. The Royals’ best hitter and biggest power threat, Billy Butler was in the on-deck circle. Had Jackson not made what was hailed as the play of the game, Butler would’ve represented the possible tying run. The 8-4 score held up as the final.

June 2, 2010: “OH, JACKSON!!!” (Part One)

The 17,738 fans who showed up at Comerica Park for this Wednesday night matchup between the Tigers and Cleveland Indians had no idea they were about to witness a game that will be talked about until the end of time. Through eight innings, Detroit’s starting pitcher, Armando Galarraga, was perfect. Indians hitters went up to the plate and went right back to the dugout twenty-four times in a row.

It all began when Trevor Crowe, Cleveland’s leadoff hitter, flew out to Jackson in center for the game’s first out. Jackson also caught fly balls in the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh innings to help maintain Galarraga’s perfection. They were all fairly routine outs, but as the intensity in the ballpark increased, it looked like one hitter was going to rise to the occasion. Mark Grudzielanek, who had flown out to Jackson leading off the third inning, was scheduled to lead off in the ninth.

Grudzielanek took a big swing at Galarraga’s first offering and sent the ball soaring high and deep to the gap in left-center field. Jackson was stationed in dead center and not nearly deep enough. He raced back toward the wall, anticipating where the ball might drop. In most ballparks, it would’ve dropped into the seats for a home run. Inside Comerica Park, it looked like the perfect game was about to be spoiled by a double. The speedy Jackson heroically arrived in the nick of time. Reaching upward with his gloved left arm, he made the catch as his left foot touched down on the warning track. He put both arms out to steady himself as his momentum carried him the final few steps to the wall.

The ballpark erupted with applause. On the mound, Galarraga smiled a relieved smile. There was jubilation in the Detroit dugout. In what has become a legendary reaction, Fox Sports Detroit analyst Rod Allen loudly exclaimed, “OH, JACKSON!!!” His play-by-play partner, Mario Impemba, proclaimed it “a sparkling catch.”  Comparisons to Willie Mays’ iconic catch in the 1954 World Series abounded everywhere. Considering what was at stake in that moment, it’s not hyperbole to suggest that Austin Jackson may have made the most exciting catch in franchise history. Afterward, he said,

“Off the bat, I definitely didn’t think I was going to have a chance to get there. It hung up there a lot longer than I thought it was going to. As I closed on it, I realized I had a pretty good chance to catch it.”

Of course, the feelgood buzz shared by every Tigers fan in the ballpark, watching on TV, or listening to the radio didn’t last much longer. The historical record will forever show that Galarraga’s perfect game was infamously broken up by umpire Jim Joyce’s blown call two batters later. Although it still counts as a 3-0 Tigers victory, a contingent of Detroit baseball fans will always remain in agreement with Jackson, who summed up the sentiments of his teammates by declaring, “In our minds, that was a perfect game.”

The next afternoon, Tigers fans at Comerica Park showed their appreciation for Jackson’s skills when they gave him a standing ovation after he made a similar running catch to track down a deep fly ball to right-center in the second inning.

April 3, 2011: Biting the Big Apple

The Tigers’ season-opening series at Yankee Stadium was turning out to be a dud. Detroit dropped the first two games to New York and faced the possibility of a sweep in the Sunday afternoon finale. The Tigers took a 9-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but the Yankees scored one run in the inning and threatened to add more.

With a runner on second and two outs, a familiar face represented the potential tying run. Curtis Granderson was up. Grandy still looked odd in Yankee pinstripes, even though a full season had passed since the three-team deal that sent him to New York and brought prospect Austin Jackson to Detroit. Granderson’s Opening Day home run off reliever Phil Coke, a former Yankee who also became a Tiger in the aforementioned trade, was a game winner. Coke was back on the mound to face Granderson once again in this key situation.

Granderson lofted a fly ball to center that may have been aided by the wind. Jackson’s pursuit took him to the warning track. Just as it appeared that he might lose it in the sun, Jackson leaped up and reached to his right in a last-ditch effort. He made the catch, and the inning was over. Jackson remarked,

“It was tough pretty much the whole series trying to get good reads on the ball with the wind doing a lot of crazy things.”

The Tigers still held their 9-7 lead in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and a man on first, Mark Teixeira represented the potential tying run. He had already hit three home runs off Detroit pitchers in the series, including one off Max Scherzer just four innings earlier. Teixeira ripped Joaquin Benoit’s two-strike pitch into center field. Jackson made a basket catch just before the sinking liner would’ve hit the ground. He tumbled over as he went low to make the inning-ending play but kept the ball in his glove. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective enough to keep Alex Rodriguez from coming to the plate with two runners on.

For the second time in two innings, Jackson overcame obstacles to make a play when the Tigers needed one. Jackson explained that the play on Teixeira was a tougher catch to make because “the ball blended in with the seats and the backdrop of the stadium”.  Detroit added a run in the top of the ninth, and Jackson easily handled Jorge Posada’s routine fly ball to seal the 10-7 victory.

June 22, 2011: Game Over, Man

It was getaway day in Los Angeles, and manager Jim Leyland gave Jackson the day off. Casper Wells started in center in the finale of the three-game series with the Dodgers. The Tigers dropped the first two but had a chance to escape with a win in the finale. Detroit led, 7-5, heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Leyland reconfigured his outfield for the final frame. The dependable Austin Jackson got the call to beef up the defense behind closer Jose Valverde. Jackson took his usual spot in center field. Wells slid over to right, replacing Brennan Boesch. Valverde had successfully completed all 16 of his save opportunities to that point, but the Dodgers weren’t going to make this one easy for him. In between the first two outs of the inning, Los Angeles loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk.

With the game on the line, light-hitting catcher Dioner Navarro stepped in against Valverde. Down to his last strike, Navarro hit a fly ball deep to center. Jackson hustled back to the warning track and made an over-the-shoulder catch to snuff out the Dodgers’ threat and end the game.

Don Mattingly, the Dodgers’ rookie manager, and James Loney, who was the runner on first base, were both caught by surprise. Each of them said they thought the ball was going to soar over Jackson’s head. Navarro, after watching a replay, acknowledged that Jackson “took a great jump.”  The Tigers’ infrequent interleague opponents from L.A. must not have been too familiar with Austin Jackson. For the Detroit centerfielder, the catch was just business as usual. Jackson commented,

“With the situation, it was probably a better catch than it really was. I got a pretty good jump on it and a good read on it. I felt the warning track, and I knew how much room I had. That’s why they put me in there – to try to make a big catch.”

August 21, 2011: “OH, JACKSON!!!” (Part Two)

First-place Detroit held a 1 1/2 game lead over second-place Cleveland in the AL Central when the Indians arrived at Comerica Park for an important weekend series. Huge crowds gathered at the ballpark for each of the three games. The Tigers won the first pair to increase their lead in the division. A crowd of 43,388 was on hand for the finale to see if Detroit could pull off the sweep.

The Tigers looked like they were well on their way to a big victory with a seven-run rally in the third inning. Jackson contributed an RBI-single and also scored a run in the outburst. The Indians countered with a five-run rally in the top of the fourth. Detroit led, 8-7, heading into the bottom of the ninth. Closer Jose Valverde took the mound, but “Papa Grande” wasn’t his sharpest that day. He gave up a leadoff walk to Kosuke Fukudome and walked Jason Donald. Jack Hannahan, a former Tiger, advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. That brought up pinch-hitter Matt LaPorta.

LaPorta hit a fly ball to shallow center. Jackson came in a bit and ranged to his left to make the routine catch. Fukudome boldly tagged up in the hopes of scoring the tying run. Jackson took a couple quick steps and promptly hurled the ball to catcher Alex Avila, who was positioned left of home plate at the point where the baseline met the batter’s box. Avila gloved Jackson’s solid throw in plenty of time to pivot and greet Fukudome. The runner’s attempt to slide underneath the tag was in vain. He was out, and it wasn’t close. Home plate umpire Paul Schriber paused only long enough to make sure Avila held on to the ball before calling Fukudome out.

The game-ending double play that Austin Jackson instigated preserved the 8-7 win and wrapped up the Tigers’ sweep. Their lead in the division was now 4 1/2 games. In the Fox Sports Detroit booth, Rod Allen unleashed another epic “OH, JACKSON!!!” The crowd was ecstatic, and the victorious Tigers’ procession of high-fives was especially sweet. It was an exciting and successful ending to a long day at the ballpark. The teams needed three hours and 45 minutes to complete the game. Reflecting on his highlight-film moment, Jackson said,

“It wasn’t hit that hard, so I was just trying to get it lined up. I knew I had to get it there on the fly, but I didn’t know if I even had a chance until I saw Alex put on the tag.”

June 13, 2012: Fear No Ivy

There’s just something special about watching the Detroit Tigers play in Wrigley Field. Since interleague play began in 1997, the Tigers have only made five trips to the baseball cathedral on Chicago’s North Side. The 2012 visit was the first for a Detroit team since 2006, and it was a big draw. The 41,326 on hand for this Wednesday night contest, the second in a three-game series, represented a season-high for attendance at Wrigley. (It was topped the next afternoon when 42,292 showed up.)

Through the first five innings, the Cubs led, 4-1. Then the Tigers’ offense took over. Detroit led, 8-4, heading into the bottom of the ninth. Closer Jose Valverde retired the first two hitters he faced, and it looked like he was heading for a 1-2-3 inning after throwing his first two pitches to Reed Johnson for strikes. Johnson singled, however, and the Cubs still had life. Tony Campana was first-pitch swinging, and he drilled a single to left field.

That brought up Starlin Castro, who was also first-pitch swinging. He hit a fly ball to left-center. Jackson and left fielder Quintin Berry both closed in, but Jackson was just a bit quicker. The ball had carried all the way to the ivy-covered wall. With his back to the plate, Jackson leapt up to snag it. His left foot actually made contact with the wall as completed the game-ending catch. Jackson robbed Castro of what might’ve been a two-run double that would’ve brought the potential tying run to the plate.

Detroit survived the late-inning scare and held on for an 8-4 win. The fearless Jackson was understandably pleased with his glovework. He commented,

“It was pretty cool, especially when you hear it’s a brick wall behind that ivy, and you’ve got to be careful running full speed. I was able to brace myself a little bit at the end, so I didn’t get the full effect of the brick wall.”

August 23, 2012: Diver Down

During Austin Jackson’s time in a Tigers uniform, observers often commented on how rare it was for him to make a diving catch. Usually he didn’t need to dive. Jackson was known for getting good reads on fly balls and taking good routes to intercept his targets. With his speedy legs, Jackson could usually run flies down in time.

The Tigers and visiting Toronto Blue Jays were tied, 2-2, at the end of nine innings. Jackson had scored the tying run after singling in the eighth. In the top of the 10th, future Tiger Anthony Gose came up with one out and the potential go-ahead run on second base in the form of Jeff Mathis. Jackson was stationed slightly in left-center. On the first pitch that Gose saw from reliever Octavio Dotel, the left-handed hitting rookie hit a line drive to the gap in right-center.

Right fielder Brennan Boesch was playing too close to the foul line to be able to converge on the ball. It looked like a sure RBI-hit for Gose, but Jackson made up a lot of ground in a hurry. However, this was one of the rare instances when he needed to dive. The outfielder left his feet at the last possible moment and caught the ball in the heel of his glove. Jackson slid a bit after returning to the Earth’s surface but maintained control of the ball. Jackson remarked,

“It was one of those situations where if that ball drops, he’s probably going to score. I knew in that situation I probably had to attempt to dive. I knew it was going to be close. I haven’t dove too many times. I could probably count (them) on one hand. I knew I had to get on my horses a little bit.”

The Tigers went on to win the game, 3-2, on Alex Avila’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th.

May 13, 2014: Rally Killer

The Baltimore Orioles jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead when Adam Jones hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first. They threatened to break the game open in the third. Tigers starter Drew Smyly gave up back-to-back singles to Manny Machado and Jones before walking Nelson Cruz. With two outs, J.J. Hardy stepped into a bases loaded situation.

Hardy hit a fly ball to shallow left-center. Jackson had been playing deeper and was shaded more toward right-center. He stormed in with intense focus and never took his eye off the ball until it landed safely in his glove. A slower centerfielder might not have made the run-saving shoestring catch that Austin Jackson made to end the inning.

Jackson’s grab essentially quashed the Orioles’ momentum. Between the fourth and eighth innings, Baltimore could only muster up a pair of baserunners. Meanwhile, Detroit hadn’t fared much better. It was still a 1-0 game when the Tigers came up for the ninth inning. They rallied for four runs, three of which came on a big home run from Miguel Cabera. If you’ve ever seen the GIF or photo of Jackson staring at Miggy in bewildered amazement in the dugout, this 4-1 Tigers triumph is where it came from.

Detroit went on to face Baltimore in the American League Division Series that October, but Austin Jackson was a former Tiger by that point. Watching him exit the field during a game on July 31 after a trade with the Seattle Mariners became official was one of the season’s most unusual and memorable moments.

Later in his career, Jackson became known for a play he made against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. In the fifth inning on August 1, 2017, he caught a fly that was hit by Hanley Ramirez. Jackson completely tumbled over the short center-field wall and into the Boston bullpen as he gloved the ball. Miraculously, he hung on to it and earned a standing ovation for his homer-robbing feat. Jackson was playing for the Cleveland Indians at the time, which is ironic when you consider that two of his biggest plays prior to that came at the Indians’ expense while patrolling center field for the Detroit Tigers.