Patience pays off for Jackson, Chicago White Sox
Unless you were a premier name like Jason Heyward, Alex Gordon, Yoenis Cespedes or Justin Upton, this was not a good winter to be a free-agent position player.
Austin Jackson watched spring training open in February and spill into March from his off-season home in the Dallas area.
On Sunday, the 29-year-old outfielder finally landed a job with the Chicago White Sox.
"You're kind of just waiting your turn," Jackson told the media Monday after reporting to Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. "There's a pecking order, so you just kind of see what's going on.
"You're informed of what's going on, but most likely those guys are going to have to get signed before you do. That's just how it is. Once you get to this point in spring training, teams start to see maybe what else they might need, depth and things like that. I think I kind of fell into that category."
Looking for another outfield piece, the Sox appear to be a good fit for Jackson. The two sides agreed on a one-year, $5 million contract.
"The move with Jackson provides us with another alternative to have in the outfield, whether it's because of underperformance or injury to any of the outfielders or at the DH spot," general manager Rick Hahn said. "We simply felt this was a move that gave us more versatility and depth and improved us overall."
Primarily a center field over six major-league seasons with the Tigers, Mariners and Cubs, Jackson is expected to spent most of his time with the White Sox at the same position.
That means Adam Eaton, the Sox' starting center fielder the past two years, is likely to move to right field, left or designated hitter when Jackson's in the lineup.
Eaton is still recovering from October shoulder surgery and is unable to throw well enough to play anywhere in the outfield.
Saying he expects the shoulder to be good to go by the April 4 season opener at Oakland, Eaton has no problem switching spots to make room for Jackson.
"I'll do anything," Eaton told reporters. "It doesn't matter where you play me, left, center or right, DH, doesn't matter. I just want to win. If it makes the team better, that's all I care about."