Former Blue Devil relishes role as Durham Bull

Ryan Jackson strolled to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday evening with runners on first and third, no men out and his team trailing by one run. It was the type of situation that, had he still been playing in the big leagues, would surely have thrust the former Blue Devil star onto television screens nationwide. Instead, it was in front of 9,531 anxious fans that the 31-year-old Jackson was trying to push his Triple-A Durham Bulls into the playoffs on the second-to-last day of the season.

 He didn't take long to deliver. The left-handed Jackson roped the first pitch he saw down the right field line, bringing the winning run all the way home and launching raucous celebrations on the field and in the clubhouse: the Bulls were playoff-bound.

 Jackson's professional career has taken him to points far and wide since he was drafted in the seventh round by the Florida Marlins in 1994, but following three separate stints in the big leagues as well as stops in such exotic places as Elmira, New York and Toledo, Ohio, the first baseman finds himself in much the same place he started: launching home runs in the Bull City, in search of elusive big league success.

 The all-time Duke career home run leader and 1994 Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year, Jackson's pro career has seen its share of highlights; to be fair, making the major leagues for even a single day as a seventh-round draft choice defies the odds. In 1998, following a breakout campaign in Class AA, Jackson was penciled in as the opening day starter for a Marlins squad that had been dismantled following its World Series championship.

 "That was the biggest day for me. Just being able to not trip as I'm going out to line up on the first-base line for the opening day introductions [was great]," Jackson said with a chuckle.

 Jackson wasn't able to maintain his starting job as well as his balance, however, hitting just .250 with five home runs in 111 games and spending some time back down at Triple-A Charlotte. It was the beginning of Jackson's career-long struggle with major league pitching; while he's hit .301 with 93 home runs in 3,225 minor league at-bats, crushing Triple-A pitchers with regularity, Jackson has batted only .239 with 7 home runs in his 452 major league at-bats. Since '98 the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Jackson has had spells with the Mariners and Tigers, but now finds himself back in Triple-A in his second stint with the Bulls.

 Regardless, for a man who's shared a clubhouse with Ken Griffey, Jr. and Edgar Martinez, Jackson remains incredibly enthusiastic about Durham, the Bulls, and the International League playoffs.

 "You learn to appreciate it all a little more, really," Jackson said. "You want to go to the playoffs, win a championship, earn an extra paycheck, too--every little bit counts. I'd say I definitely haven't been jaded by the big league experience."

 Jackson has also grown to further appreciate his career by having baseball put in perspective in recent years. Once a man who brooded over on-field frustrations, Jackson now has a one and a half year old son, Jakob, to put a smile on his face following an 0-for-4 night at the plate.

 "It takes a little of the pressure off, if anything," Jackson said.

 "You're not thinking so much about baseball. You have a bad game and come home to the family and you tend to forget all that. How can you possibly be mad after you see the little one smiling at you?" Thus far, he's managed to resist the temptation to thrust bat, ball and glove into Jakob's small hands--though it's clear that the father wouldn't mind seeing his son take up the family business.

 "I don't want to be like psycho baseball dad or anything like that," Jackson says, laughing. "I'll let him go at his own pace, whenever he wants to start doing it."

 Meanwhile, Jackson knows that while Jakob awaits his first ever ballgame, his own time on the diamond is nearing its end. "I know I'm not that far from retirement," Jackson said. "I'm getting up there age-wise in baseball years, but I would like to play a couple more years.... I guess when they don't give me a uniform and a contract, that'll pretty much tell the tale."

 After the conclusion of his playing career, Jackson hopes to stay in the game as a coach, be it in the professional or college ranks. He also wants to finish the last few credits he needs to finally complete his Duke degree--meaning a major league veteran may be roaming main quad, rather than a baseball diamond, some spring to come.

 Which brings to mind a few memories from the Gothic Wonderland...

 "One time the team went out all night before a Carolina game that was supposed to be canceled, because it was supposed to rain [the next day]," Jackson recounted with a grin on his face. "Obviously, when we woke up in the morning the sun was shining and it was 85 degrees, but we ended up going out there and beating Carolina [in both ends of a doubleheader], which was pretty exciting."