Will Yankees Regret Trading Austin Jackson?

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May 15, 2010

Will Yankees Regret Trading Austin Jackson? Curtis Granderson is a very, very good player, but what kind of player will Austin Jackson be?

That much, we don't know yet, and that's probably why the Yankees shipped Jackson to Detroit in the three-team trade that sent Granderson to the Bronx. Given the way Jackson's looked so far for the Tigers, it's worth wondering whether the Yanks will come to regret the move.

That's not to say it's because of Granderson's injury — that is never fair — but it is to simply marvel at what the 23-year-old Jackson has done in his first month in the majors. Heading into this weekend's series with the Red Sox, Jackson was batting .345 with nine doubles, three triples, one homer and 10 RBIs. He's shown big league patience as well, drawing 11 walks, and he's been speedy on the basepaths with 11 steals in 12 attempts.

"I think in time, we've got a real dandy on our hands," veteran skipper Jim Leyland told The Detroit News. "He's got a chance to be real good."

With the good comes the bad. In Jackson's case, that means the strikeouts. His 43 strikeouts were third most in the majors, and he struck out in nine of 11 May games heading into the weekend. He even went through a stretch in April in which he struck out 20 times in 10 games. Yet strikeouts aren't the worst thing in the world, and they're better than double plays (Jackson's grounded into two thus far).

It's obviously too early to say whether it was a good or bad deal for the Yankees, but when a team trades away one of its most-prized prospects, it will always be questioned.

The Yankees also had to give up Phil Coke and Ian Kennedy in the deal, with the former going to Detroit and the later going to Arizona, but neither pitcher looks to be causing Brian Cashman any sleepless nights.

Neither will Jackson — not after the last four games against the Yankees, anyway. In 16 at-bats against New York this week, Jackson had just two singles, one RBI and six strikeouts. Still, the question will always remain, even with Jackson himself.

"You never know what would have happened if I would have still been playing for the Yankees," he told nj.com. "It’s one of those things where everything happens for a reason."

So now that you've had a look at the young Jackson, do you think the Yankees will regret their trade?

Share your thoughts below.

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