ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 23: Edwin Jackson #22 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches in the second inning during Game Four of the MLB World Series against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on October 23, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
We know that agent Scott Boras likes to shoot high with his clients, and it appears that the situation revolving around free agent pitcher Edwin Jackson is no different. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Boras is seeking an annual salary in the $15-17 million range for Jackson, presumably on a deal that extends for at least four or five seasons.
Heyman notes that Boras has compared Jackson to the likes of A.J. Burnett, Derek Lowe, John Lackey, C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle, all of whom receive at least $14.5 million annually on their current deals. Those comparisons would seem to be obviously favoring Jackson, though, as the former three have struggled during their current contracts while the latter two haven't pitched an inning since signing this off-season.
For the most part, this appears to be some standard framing by Boras. His client is arguably the best pitcher remaining on the market, and there are some very legitimate reasons to compare him to the names listed above. It's unclear how teams are viewing these demands, though, so don't necessarily expect Jackson to walk away with a five-year, $75 million contract.
If you were expecting something like three years at $10 million annually, though, you'll likely be surprised by how much Jackson gets. The New York Yankees are among the teams showing interest, and many teams likely view Jackson as a strong alternative to potentially costly trade candidates like Matt Garza.


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