In following up on yesterday's article about the pitchers the Nationals were targeting at the upcoming Winter Meetings, (at least according to Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin, who wrote, in an article entitled, "Nats aren't expecting hot stove fireworks", that Washington was interested in the Braves' Javier Vazquez, the Marlins' Ricky Nolasco and the Tigers' Edwin Jackson), I thought I'd look into what sort of return the Detroit Tigers were looking to get for right-hander Edwin Jackson, and Jackson in particular, only because I continue to read articles every day about how eager the Tigers reportedly are to cut payroll by dealing either Jackson or outfielder Curtis Granderson, if not both...

In YahooSports.com's Jeff Passan's article a few weeks back (11/24/09) on the clubs interested in Cuban left-hander Noel Arguelles (who signed Saturday with Kansas City) entitled, "Cuban defector Arguelles attracts suitors", Mr. Passan seemed astonished by, as he put it, "The level to which Detroit is foisting right-hander Edwin Jackson on anybody who will listen – 'It's like they want to give him away,' one executive said, 'and I don’t really understand why.'" 

On November 30th, SI.com's Jon Heyman sent out a Tweet which read:

"#tigers sought young pitchers brandon morrow and shawn kelley for edwin jackson. #mariners apparently said no."

Seattle Times' Mariners Blog writer Geoff Baker wrote the next day in an article entitled, "Report: Mariners turned down deal for Edwin Jackson", that his initial reaction to the offer was that, "...those two arms would have been too high a price to pay for Jackson alone. After all, Jackson will be a free agent in two years and his pricetag is considerably higher than Morrow and Kelley put together," and MLive.com writer James Schmehl wrote in an article entitled, "Seattle Mariners reject Tigers offer...", that he understood why the Mariners would be loath to include Morrow in any deal with Detroit:

"It's understandable why the Mariners backed out on dealing for Jackson. Morrow would come very cheap for the Tigers after he fell 50 days shy of Super Two status." 

Morrow, the Mariners' '06 1st Round pick, taken 5th overall, was the top-ranked pitcher in Seattle's system in 2006. The then-22-year-old right-hander (now 25) debuted in the Majors in April 2007, and over his first 3 major league seasons, he's moved back and forth between starting and relieving, putting together an (8-12) career record thus far, with a 3.96 ERA in 131 G, (15 GS), over which he's pitched 197.2 innings, collecting 16 saves, 204 K's (9.3 K/9) and posting a 1.47 WHIP, (+1.7 WAR, 5.05 FIP). Shawn Kelley's a 25-year-old right-hander taken in the 15th Round of the '07 Draft, who debuted with Seattle last season and was (5-4) with a 4.50 ERA in 40 relief appearances in which he allowed 45 hits, 23 runs, 9 HR's and 9 BB (1.8 BB/9), while recording 41 K's (8.0 K/9).

It doesn't sound like the Tigers are looking for a Josh Willingham in return...What, if anything, would you be willing to give up to get Edwin Jackson from Detroit?

Speaking Of Willingham...

MLB.com's Bill Ladson (twitter.com/washingnats) sent out a twitter message this morning, before he boarded a plane for Indiana and the Winter Meetings, which read simply, "The Mets have interest in Josh Willingham. I'll have more on Nationals.com," and later in the afternoon, MLB.com's Mr. Ladson published an article entitled, "Nationals' Willingham on Mets' radar", wherein Mr. Ladson wrote that according to a "baseball source" we can, "Add the Mets as one of the teams who have interest in Nationals left fielder Josh Willingham," along with the Giants, Mariners and Braves. 

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi wrote about Atlanta's interest in acquiring Willingham in a mid-November update of their, "MLB Offseason buzz", report entitled, "Nats Drawing interest in Willingham", where one or both of the authors questioned why the Nationals would want to, or if they could afford to trade their left fielder before noting that, "The Braves, looking for a right-handed power hitter, like Willingham but harbor concerns about his defense and past back troubles." 

So unless Mr.'s Ladson, Rosenthal, Morosi and the Boston Globe's Nick Carfado all have the same sources, those are the four teams in the market for the Nationals' left fielder. Mr. Ladson, back in his article "Nationals' Willingham on Mets' radar", cautions the teams seeking to work out a deal that they shouldn't, "...look for the Nats to give Willingham away. Washington would most likely want pitching in return. Who it wants from New York is not known, though." 

• Check Out what the Mets fans at the SB Nation's Mets blog, Amazin' Avenue, think of a deal for Josh Willingham.