Jackson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With the Milwaukee Brewers in the thick of the National League Central Division race, Zach Jackson could scratch his head and wonder, "What if?"

Instead, he prefers to think about what can be.

The pitcher recently wrapped up his season with the Nashville Sounds, the Class AAA affiliate of the Brewers, but he wasn't called up to Milwaukee.

Jackson, a graduate of Seneca Valley High, had a short stint with the parent club last season and went 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA but spent all of this season with the Sounds.

"I was able to finish strong," said the left-handed Jackson, who went 11-10 with a 4.46 ERA. "Before this season, our pitching coach and I sat down and we agreed to do things his way. Right, wrong, indifferent.

"He said not to worry about the results. He didn't care if I was 0-15 with a 10.00 ERA. We wanted to go for the big picture.

"Overall, it was a great learning experience. I learned to throw all of my pitches. Last year, I had just a fastball and cutter. Now, I have five or six pitches in my arsenal," he added.

Jackson struck out 123 and walked 64 in 169X\c innings during the regular season. He started 28 games and pitched in long relief in another.

At one point, Jackson was 9-4, but went 0-5 in a six-game stretch despite striking out 30 and walking 10.

Jackson finished second in the Pacific Coast League in innings pitched, was third in strikeouts and in the top 10 in ERA.

"Sometimes you get a lot of run support and sometimes you hit a stretch where you don't get a lot of runs," said Jackson. "I had probably one of the best games I've pitched and I lost 1-0 (nine strikeouts, one walk and one run over eight innings). You'll have those games."

Jackson did go 2-1 over the final four games and started Game 4 of the PCL semifinals Sept. 8 against New Orleans, which won 6-0 to advance to the PCL championship series.

Jackson allowed four runs — three unearned — on seven hits. he struck out six and walked one over 4X\c innings.

Despite the season Jackson and the Sounds had, he said not getting a chance to help the Brewers was disappointing.

"Sitting here at the end of August, I knew with the numbers I wasn't deserving, but I did what they wanted," said Jackson. "I knew I could have had a better year statistically, but I did the things the coaches wanted me to work on and make sacrifices. I just hope the reports are good."

There were times during the season when Jackson would privately question the coach's decisions, but he still stuck with the plan.

"Sometimes I'd wonder what the heck they were doing," said Jackson. "But I'm the pitcher I am now because of that. ... I want to build up my consistency and put it all together next year. I want to let it loose and let them mold me into the pitcher I can become."