Aggie Flashback with former A&M pitcher Zach Jackson

Key quotes from Zach Jackson interview:

“I went down and played winter ball in the Dominican this past off-season and I have just been praying for clarity. I wanted to go down there and either be backing up bases and giving up taters and have the writing on the wall that it is time to hang it up and move on, or go down there and put myself in a position where I can throw the ball well enough to get a job. It was that in between phase, I couldn’t have thrown the ball any better but just haven’t had the interest. I am completely prepared for the next chapter whether that means I play another five, six years of professional baseball or I’ve played my last game. I’m at peace with it.”

“The no-hitter I threw on opening day was 11 years ago, but it feels like yesterday. The nerves and adrenaline were pumping. You want to give the team a chance to win and do your best, but you don’t want to let anyone down. To have the honor of throwing on opening day, looking back I guess it was a lot more pressure than I thought. I think I was more worried about staying within myself and control my emotions. I wanted to channel that energy and knew I would need that energy because it was so cold. That is probably why it worked so well, I was numb out there because of the nerves and the cold.”

“That LSU game at Alex Box was such an incredible experience. Once the crowd decided they were going to get loud, it wasn’t just one or two sections, it was every single person in the place. That was one of two places at any level where I’ve been on the mound and thought, 'Wow, this is so loud I can’t concentrate or think.' In 2009 I was with Cleveland and we were playing the White Sox and they were basically in a win and you’re in scenario. That is exactly what it reminded me of.”

“When I was at Louisville, it just wasn’t a good fit. The coach there now is doing unbelievable things but at the time it just wasn’t a good fit. I was very fortunate to get an opportunity there and very thankful for that opportunity I got, but ultimately it just wasn’t the fit for me. I just needed a change and wanted a change of scenery. If somebody had told me that I would have ended up at a school in Texas, I would have laughed at them. You talk about the lord’s plan and making it clear where you’re supposed to be. That was hands down the best decision I could have made for my career. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without Texas A&M. You have no idea how much I appreciate what Texas A&M means to me and what it has done for me.”

“That Rice regional in 2004 was one of the best games, if not the best game I have ever been a part of and I wasn’t even a part of it. I had pitched the game before so I was just a spectator. You talk about having your heart in it, that game was just an emotional roller coaster. Without each individual effort, it wouldn’t have come together. I’m sure LSU said the same thing about winning their regional, it could not have been written more perfectly. It is something I’ll remember forever and tell my kids about.”