Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page C13

FLASHES OF BRILLIANCE SUNDAY, SEPT.23,2012 WWW.FREEP.COM 13C TIGERS SPORTS A spring training a couple of years ago, Tigers centerfielder Austin Jackson shook hands with a man he had never before met but had come to know through the textured storytelling of Tigers great Willie Horton. His encounter with Jake Wood was meaningful for someone else that day, though. Little did Jackson know of the impression that he made on Wood. For the 75-year-old former Tigers infielder who played with the team from 1961-67 meeting Jackson that first time stayed with him, like a melody you get out of your head. introduced me to him as the first African American to make it through the Tigers organization to the big Wood said.

had this gigantic smile, and it looked like a genuine smile. It gave me joy. He addressed me as Mr. Wood, and that was heartwarming. That told me about his upbringing.

said to him, have to know within your mind who you are. Your mind and how you think, paramount to what you do. God gives you talent, but baseball, not easy. Remember, the biggest asset is your Wood and Jackson became linked in the baseball record books two years ago when Jackson finished the 2010 season with 181hits, breaking the record for a Tigers rookie set by 171in 1961. Now connected another way, thanks largely to Horton and his clubhouse strolls the times when he pulls up a stool to chat with current Tigers such as Jackson about some of the most-revered figures.

Jackson has become one of his favorite listeners. know too much about the Detroit tradition, really, until I got Jackson said. he opened me up to it, every time you step onto the field, you feel like part of something that goes back further than you. It feels good. It gives you that motivation.

When you walk around the clubhouse and you see a lot of pictures of players like Al Kaline, Mr. Horton, it makes you want to become part of that At 25 and in his third year with the Tigers, Jackson has proved he has not only made it, but that he belongs. His reworked batting stance during the off-season which mostly boils down to no more leg kick has raised his batting average, along with his confidence. Jackson has shown flashes of brilliance, both as a leadoff hitter and in the outfield. But he has also learned to better accept the growing pains, mistakes and errors that happen from time to time the human side of being an everyday player.

In a season powered by Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, the Tigers believe that Jackson been in their shadows but rather has been a key to the success. Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon calls him the new Austin Jackson. The player disagree. you compare last year and this year, definitely a big difference I think what he (McClendon) means when he says Jackson said. had to go through that learning curve the second year, just being able to make some adjustments and go out and put it all together on the So the mantra go? Jackson knows.

It starts with the mind. it all out With 12 games to goand the Tigers locked in a battle with the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central title, Jackson said his goal is no different than anyone get into the playoffs. through that whole experience last year, just different he said of the postseason. leaving it all out there on the line. just a different atmosphere and you love it.

The crowd is into every pitch, into every play. It brings the best out of me, and what you want; you want to be in those tough Anative of Denton, Texas, Jackson has been a regular player for the Tigers since they acquired him from the New York Yankees in December 2009 as part of the Curtis Granderson trade. Although his batting average this year has dropped to .302 (heading into game) after hitting .332 in the first half of the season, Jackson remains one of the most improved players. He leads the American League with 10 triples, and stands fifth with 95 runs scored, and sixth with a .386 on-base percentage. settling down now to be the player we think going to be and even Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

a terrific centerfielder, we all know that. The best thing about him is, he shown any signs of taking his hitting into the outfield, whether it be good or bad, so a big plus. got a perfect disposition for playing baseball. one of those guys not too high, not too low. really seen him down one time over the three years that been here, and that was last year.

You could see some frustration come out. But overall, I think his mental approach. really superior to most This season, Jackson has struck out 123 times in 122 gamesafter fanning an American League-high 170 times as a rookie, and 181last season. Last winter, at suggestion, Jackson altered his approach at the plate, losing the high- leg kick that was so successful in 2010 but led to timing issues and hitting woes his sophomore season. had a tendency last year to swing at a lot of pitches out of the zone because I just on Jackson said.

high-leg kick caused me to swing at a lot of pitches I recognize. a humbling game and last year, a lot of times, start pressing a little bit, trying to do too much, and it ended up putting me in the hole a little bit and it was tough, mentally, to dig my way out of Because Jackson was committed to making a change, success came more easily for him, McClendon said. have to be honest with you, he picked it up real quick, extremely fast so fast I was blown away by his the hitting coach said of refined batting stance. one thing that I really like about what doing, able to repeat; he has a very repetitious swing. He can take 100 swings and all of them look alike, which is really important.

He do that before because the leg kick put him in so many different During that time, Cabrera said that when he spoke to Jackson, he avoided talking to him about hitting. because everybody (was) talking to him about the same thing, about that he strikes out too Cabrera said. He smiled. Look at him now. one of the reasons why fighting right now for a spot in the Cabrera said.

Alift on defense Because able to keep his head whenever things go well at the plate, Jackson knows that he can give his team a psychological lift when he makes a crucial defensive play. Jackson said his quick first step through years in basketball (he almost went to Georgia Tech on an athletic scholarship to play baseball and basketball before signing with the Yankees) is critical to making any difficult catch in outfield. One of his most spectacular snags this season happened last month, when his diving catch on Anthony fly to right-center with a man on second in the 10th inning kept the game tied. The Tigers eventually won the game, 3-2, on Alex RBI single with two outs in the 11th. Pitcher Justin Verlander, who started that game, said play this season is deserving of a Gold Glove.

a Verlander said. a great athlete. We got spoiled with Curtis (Granderson) here for years, and I was a little worried when he (Jackson) came over here, not knowing much about him. But he stepped in right away and did a great job. This is not an easy field to roam out there, so much room.

But been one of the Catcher Gerald Laird said: gets to balls that you see guys get to. And he gets to them with ease. had a couple of game-saving, pull-back home runs. Afew times like, I believe how high he can get Added McClendon: baseball players are baseball players; Austin Jackson is an athlete. He displays it in everything that he does on a baseball field.

made some tremendous catches up and over the fence, running balls down in the gap. The ability to take his eye off the ball and get to his spot. You teach those things. But Jackson, obviously, is far from perfect. Among the most recent miscues happened a few days ago, when he was a victim of bad luck in the sixth inning during the 12-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.

His misplayed line drive off the bat of George Kottaras turned into a two-run triple for the The ball of to his left, Jackson told reporters, sailing over his outstretched glove before rolling to the warning track. The triple gave Oakland a 6-3 lead and prevented the Tigers from sweeping the series. takes pride in all facets of his said Brennan Boesch, one of closest friends. not just his defense, but his hitting and baserunning. really a complete player this year.

He also loves other hitters seeing their faces after he makes catches in the outfield. Guys think hit a double or a home run, and he catches it. He enjoys robbing hits from other Leyland said the next phase in development is to learn to become a better basestealer. know a little bit self-conscious, maybe, of getting thrown out, or not getting quite enough Leyland said. I think that will be the next step for him to continue his Cherishing playing days Wood said he continues to get periodic updates from Horton on Jackson and the Tigers.

All these years later, Wood who at 75 is so fit the starting second baseman for Aluminum, asenior softball team in Pensacola, Fla. said he continues to cherish his playing days and he hopes Jackson will do the same. a season, a team becomes more of a family, like Wood said. On the Tigers this year, Jackson has become in the clubhouse and on bus trips to the ballpark, Laird said. Jackson can do impressions of seemingly half of the players on the team; their favorite is his imitation of infielder Jhonny Peralta when mad.

look at him when he plays he plays the game so hard you think that such a serious Laird said. behind closed doors, man, a funny And a good listener, according to Horton, who refers to Jackson as the of the Tigers. doing his thing, the team Horton said. CONTACT JO-ANN BARNAS: 313-222-2037 OR FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER DIANE FREE PRESS Tigers centerfielder Austin Jackson leads off the first inning Saturday with a home run against Minnesota at Comerica Park. JO-ANN BARNAS WRITES OF AUSTIN GROWTH AS BALLPLAYER DETROIT FREE PRESS Jake Wood, a former Tiger, said of meeting Jackson: addressed me as Mr.

Wood, and that was heart- SO FAR, SO GOOD Tigerscenterfielder Austin career statistics: YEARGABRHHRRBIBBSOSBAVG 20101516181031814414717027.293 20111535919014710455618122.249 20121254969515014626412511.302.