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Jackson Looks Good

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The Associated Press

Published: March 14, 2009

LAKELAND - Edwin Jackson is setting himself up for a chance to be the Detroit Tigers' Opening Day starter.

All he cares about is getting the ball every five days.

Jackson, acquired in an offseason trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, pitched into the fifth inning for the Tigers in a 9-3 loss to the New York Mets on Friday and gave up homers to Cory Sullivan and Jose Valentin.

"Whatever they tell me," Jackson said. "It would be great, but I just want the ball whenever I can get it."

Jackson threw three hitless innings before giving up the homers in the fourth. Tigers manager Jim Leyland sent Jackson out for the fifth, the first Tigers pitcher to go that far this spring, then pulled him after his 60th pitch.

"He threw the ball fine," Leyland said. "Sometimes he gets a little fastball happy, but I liked the way he threw. He walked a couple of batters, but his control was fine. He was great with his pitch count so we wanted to give him another inning."

Mets starter Freddy Garcia, competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, was shaky in his fourth outing of the spring. He is recovering from reconstructive shoulder surgery and was hit hard in his first two starts, but threw two shutout innings against the University of Michigan on Sunday.

Friday, Garcia worked 21/3 innings and allowed two runs.

ATHLETICS: The Athletics are rebuffing Oakland's efforts to propose a ballpark that would keep the team in the city.

In a statement released Friday, owner Lew Wolff said the A's had "fully exhausted" stadium discussions with the city and had no interest in going over "old ground."

Wolff's statement came a day after Oakland city officials asked Commissioner Bud Selig for help with developing a new stadium after the A's recently scrapped plans to move to Fremont.

BREWERS: Center fielder Mike Cameron could be swinging a bat as soon as today and is expected to return in a few days from a strained ribcage muscle.

LEGAL: A woman filed a complaint against former Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams for allegedly hitting her at a San Juan, Puerto Rico, night club early Thursday while she took his picture.

MARLINS: Outfielder Jay Gibbons was released, a setback in his bid to revive his career after admitting he used human growth hormone.

NATIONALS: Right-hander Julian Tavarez has agreed to a minor-league contract.

TWINS: Catcher Joe Mauer will see a doctor in Baltimore today to get a second opinion on his ailing back. Mauer has not played at all in spring training. He had surgery on Dec. 22 to remove a blockage from his kidney.

YANKEES: Second baseman Robinson Cano and reliever Damaso Marte are scheduled to be examined by doctors today and won't immediately play after rejoining New York following the World Baseball Classic.

Cano has tightness in the back of his right shoulder. Marte has tightness in the left side of his chest.

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