Match points tonight for Milwaukee and Philly, as the Diamondbacks and Cardinals face double-elimination (and not the kind they'd hope). Two deadline trade dandies face off in the early game, Oswalt and Jackson. Oswalt came to the Phillies from the Astros in July 2010; Jackson left the White Sox - by way of Toronto - in July 2011.
If you count this year's three-way trade as two separate deals, Jackson has been traded no less than SIX TIMES in his nearly-10 year professional career. As already noted by Grant Brisbee, Edwin Jackson is basically the nexus/Kevin Bacon of the playoff baseball universe this season, considering the following:
- He was traded away from the Rays for Matt Joyce
- He was sent to the Diamondbacks in a trade that put Curtis Granderson on the Yankees, brought Max Scherzer, Phil Coke, Austin Jackson and Daniel Schlereth to the Tigers and Ian Kennedy to the Diamondbacks
- He was traded by the Diamondbacks to the White Sox in exchange for Daniel Hudson
- He joined the Cardinals at the trade deadline this season, helping to improve the team (with his arm and bat) just enough in concert with the Braves' collapse to make the playoffs
In the late game, I noticed that Joe Saunders and Randy Wolf are essentially the same pitcher (I've never seen them photographer together), both this season and over their careers.
PHI @ STL
6pm, Busch Stadium
Roy Oswalt vs. Edwin Jackson
TBS, Postseason.tv
MIL @ ARI
9:30pm, Chase Field
Randy Wolf vs. Joe Saunders
TBS, Postseason.tv
Prediction fodder:
Final scores for both games
IP for each starter
Total number of pitchers used by each team