GRAND RAPIDS — You ever go back and look at old photographs or videos and think: What the heck was I thinking? What was I doing?
For me, it was the college years (and, yes, probably the high school ones, too).
For Jackson Jobe, it was 2022.
Jobe, the Detroit Tigers‘ 2021 first pick, has a hard time watching video of himself pitching last summer.
“It’s funny going back to watch videos from last year, just how much I’ve learned,” Jobe said. “I’m just like, watching back, so mad at myself.”
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Because he didn’t know what he didn’t know.
“I just understand the game better,” Jobe said Thursday afternoon. “Mechanically, I’m in a better place, which affects my command.”
Jobe is the first to admit that he was less than pleased with his performance in 2022, pitching mainly for Lakeland, the Tigers’ Low-A affiliate. He had a 4.52 ERA and a 1.362 WHIP in 18 appearances against Florida State League competition, followed by three starts for High-A West Michigan.
“I didn’t have the year that I wanted to, but it could have been a lot worse, with what I had going on,” Jobe said.
Or rather, with what he didn’t know.
This is the sound of a young player who has grown tremendously in one year, since the Tigers took him with the No. 3 overall pick.
These are the words of someone who has dealt with an injury and grown from it.
Back in March, while throwing his third or fourth bullpen in spring training, he felt something strange.
“Came out of nowhere,” he said. “I had one throw where something kind of just snapped and I was like, well, this doesn’t feel right.”
He got an MRI.
“I didn’t think it was anything serious,” he said. “Was really shocked to hear that and disappointed.”
The Tigers announced that he had lumbar spine inflammation. He was expected to be out 3-6 months.
“They drew up a really good program for me, and I think I made it back a little quicker than everyone anticipated,” he said. “So really, really grateful for that.”
After making seven rehab starts in Lakeland, Jobe has earned a promotion; he is expected to start Saturday night for West Michigan, the Tigers’ High-A affiliate.
“Feels great,” he said. “Better than ever, honestly. Spent some time in Lakeland getting it figured out, so definitely feel really good right now. Happy to be out here and ready to get going.”
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A year of growth, maturing
So, how has he grown?
Let me tell you a story that sums it up.
Jobe’s best pitch is his slider.
But at times, he has a hard time controlling it, especially when he throws it in the low 80s. At that speed, he has so much spin and the ball kind of turns into a wiffle ball, seemingly moving on its own whim.
So, during a recent bullpen, he started messing around with it.
“I decided to shorten it up a little bit and throw it harder,” he said.
He discovered something important. The harder he throws it, the more command he gets.
“It definitely worked,” he said. “So I’m gonna keep rolling with it. It felt really comfortable. “
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This is growth and development in real time.
In his last outing, he was throwing his slider 85-89 mph, with a spin rate around 3,000 revolutions per minute.
As far as his fastball?
“I think that was 95 to 98, maybe hit 99 or so,” he said.
Yep, that’ll work.
Learning to make adjustments
Jobe has never had an injury before, and the recovery process was tough for him.
“I think mentally and physically, I’m stronger now because of it,” he said. “So, obviously disappointed that it happened, but I think I came out better in the end.”
He had so much free time in Lakeland that he got a chance to learn how to make adjustments on his own, studying videotape by himself.
“It’s such a long season, you’re gonna run into bad habits here and there,” he said. “Being able to make those adjustments on the fly is huge.”
This, too, is the sound of a young pitcher who is starting to figure things out.
The more you talk to Jobe, the more you get a sense that he is finding some understanding. How to be a pitcher. Everything that goes into success. How to tweak his mechanics, getting everything moving toward home plate. And understanding that he doesn’t have to be perfect.
“Trusting the stuff and trusting the work I’ve done and going out there and just attacking guys,” Jobe said.
But he learned another important lesson while recovering in Lakeland.
While he sat on the sideline, as he watched others climb through the system, he realized something.
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“I figured out how much I love this game,” he said. “I’m in a really good spot now. So we got a couple more months left, I’m gonna try to take advantage of it.”
“What are you hoping to achieve in the second half?” he was asked.
“I want to dominate every outing,” he said, without a hint of cockiness — just extreme confidence and determination. “That’s kind of where I’m at.”
Yep, that will work, too.
Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.