Edwin Jackson Is Team USA All The Way | For The Love Of The Game

When it comes to baseball, former major league pitcher Edwin Jackson loves the game too much to walk away from it.

The 37-year-old has not played in the league since 2019 but he still has something left in the tank.

 

Now, Jackson is playing for something much bigger as he is a member of the USA baseball team competing in the Tokyo Olympics.

Jackson already has a World Series title, but he’ll have a shot to win an Olympic Gold Medal, something he’s never done before. 

The USA team is filled with former MLB veterans and players who are in different minor league organizations.

Jackson is considered to be one of the leaders on this team and he’ll look to play a significant role.

When it comes to experience playing baseball, Jackson has a lot of it. 

He played for an MLB record 14 teams between 2003 to 2019. And this MLBbro remembers every single team he played for.

 

The former 2009 All-Star went on to list the revolving door of teams he played for.

“I can, but it won’t be quick,” he told the New York Times as he was getting ready to list the teams. “L.A., Detroit — I mean Tampa Bay!”

Jackson went on to finish listing the teams. “Tampa Bay to Detroit. Detroit to Arizona. Arizona to the White Sox. White Sox to St. Louis. St. Louis to D.C. D.C. to Chicago. Chicago to the Braves.

The Braves to the Marlins. The Marlins to San Diego. San Diego to Baltimore, I believe. Baltimore back to the Nationals. The Nationals to Oakland. Oakland to Toronto. Toronto to Detroit.”

 

Jackson is a nomad in the MLB because he’s constantly been on the move throughout his career. 

Now in 2021, he has a chance to represent the United States in the Olympics and bring stability to a squad with high expectations.

He also wants to make a cultural impact on the game.

“Not only do I want to represent the country, I want to represent my fellow African Americans that play this game of baseball,” Jackson told the New York Times. “I want to be able to go influence a young African American player that’s never played baseball before. They look at me and be like, ‘Damn, maybe I could be like him.’”

This is a once and a lifetime opportunity that Jackson is experiencing and the fact that he has the chance to add Olympian to his resume is not something many MLB players get a chance to do. 

While he’s been out of the league for a few years, when he steps on that mound, he can still bring it.

“He looks electric,” Todd Frazier said, who’s another veteran on the USA team.

And Frazier isn’t the only person who has noticed that Jackson can still dominate out there.

“Don’t worry about what his age says. His body’s like a 26-year-old,” USA manager Mike Scioscia said.

Jackson will be one player you will want to keep your eye on during the Olympics as the USA team will play its first game on Friday, July 31st.

When he takes the mound, make sure you are tuned in, because you don’t want to miss it.