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Jackson takes "hard-headed" approach to
get to the big leagues The 2005 season will certainly be a memorable one for Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Conor Jackson, if for no other reason then the fact that he made his major league debut in late July. It would even be better if the 2003 #1 draft choice could just stop getting hit in the head.
Jackson's first conk on the noggin happened in June prior to a Tucson Sidewinders game in Tacoma. "Tacoma ... bad memory," said Jackson in an interview just a few hours before the former University of California standout got the call to the big leagues. The opposing team was taking batting practice when Jackson stepped outside the Sidewinders locker room to take a phone call. "The locker room is not in a very good spot ... it's right behind the left field fence," Jackson continued. "I was outside the first day and I didn't know they were taking BP ... I'm talking on the phone and all of a sudden I remember waking up with the trainer over me. I got smoked by a homerun ball right on the head." Jackson was back in the Sidewinders lineup after a few days off. He later traveled to Detroit for his second straight appearance in the Futures Game before getting the call to report to the big leagues on July 27th. If Jackson thought he was done with getting hit in the head, he was wrong. Prior to a recent game in Atlanta, Jackson was struck in the eye when a ball ricocheted off the batting cage during batting practice. He missed two games when his eye was swollen shut. Even without Jackson's bouts with errant baseballs, it would be understandable if his head is swimming this year as he works to learn a new position. A third baseman during his college career, Jackson had primarily been a left fielder during his first two pro seasons. The Diamondbacks organization decided in spring training to shift Jackson to first base. He spent time working with spring training coaches Mark Grace and Will Clark, as well as veteran Tony Clark, in the early days of his crash course at the new position. Jackson's okay with the change. "They could ask me to catch and I'd be perfectly fine with it," said Jackson. "It really doesn't matter as long as I get to the big leagues. They could put me anywhere." Jackson acknowledged that it's not easy learning a new position every couple of years. "It definitely takes a toll on you because you get comfortable at one position," said Jackson, "then you move on to the next. It's a game of being versatile ... whatever I can do to help out the big league club." Prior to getting the call to Arizona, Jackson was asked whether he believed he was ready to play his new position at a major league level.
"I do," answered Jackson. "You've got to have confidence in your game. Once you lack in confidence, that's when you start going downhill, both defensively and offensively ... I'm pretty comfortable over there." Tucson hitting coach Lorenzo Bundy, himself a former first baseman, agreed with Jackson's assessment of his defensive skills. "He has developed," said Bundy. "He's made some pretty plays over there." "He knows one thing that he needs to work on is his throws," Bundy continued. "Playing third and the outfield ... gives him different throwing angles which leads to mistakes. He knows that and he's working real hard to make himself a better first baseman." Despite the extra work that Jackson has put in, there's just no substitute for playing the position in a game. "There are more things that come along in a game," said Bundy, "situations that you can't do as far as taking ground balls and taking throws .. knowing when to go out on a cutoff and relay, knowing when to trail a runner, knowing when to cut a ball." While questions remain about his defense, there have never been many doubts about Jackson's hitting abilities. After batting .319/.410/.533 in his first pro season with Arizona's Short Season A club in Yakima, Washington, Jackson came back to .345/.438/.562 and .301/.367/.456, respectively, at High A and AA in 2004. Prior to his promotion to Arizona, the 6'3", 205 pound right-handed hitter was batting .354/.457/.553 for Tucson, with eight homeruns and an incredible 38 doubles in 333 at bats. Yet Jackson believes that he still has room to grow as a hitter. "My power numbers are down a little bit," said Jackson, while still in Tucson. "It'll come and I'm not pressing for it, but it would be nice to hit a few homeruns. Other than that, I'm feeling pretty comfortable up there." Bundy wasn't at all concerned about Jackson's power numbers for the Sidewinders. "Right now, he's as good a young minor league hitter I've ever seen at this stage of his career," said Bundy. "I wouldn't needle with anything ... there are certain little things that we try to tweak every now and then. He knows when he's drifting a little bit and he knows when he's getting out in front ... stuff like that. Those are things that we need to tone down a little bit." "The homeruns are going to come," Bundy continued. "You look at the line drives, the doubles and the production of runs ... those balls will start to carry and get over the fence as he gets older. An old coach of mine used to tell me that most power hitters don't develop until they're 25 or 26 years old, and Conor just turned 23. He's got plenty of time to do that." Jackson's playing time since moving to the big leagues has been limited, but he recently smacked two homers in one game at Arizona's Bank One Ballpark. He's also made four errors at first base in his first games at the position. Regardless of where he is playing ball, Jackson always takes time out to enjoy other facets of his life. One of his current passions is playing blues guitar, and trying to learn every Eric Clapton lick he can. That's been just as big of a challenge for Jackson as learning to play first base. But he manages to keep every part of his life in perspective. "I'm a pretty big goofball," said Jackson when asked about his personality off the field," ... easy going and laid back. Nothing really bothers me too much. You can't really take this game too seriously." --- Bill Mitchell
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