[July 06, 2009] Edwin Jackson will be managed by Maddon on AL team Tweet MINNEAPOLIS, Jul 06, 2009 (Detroit Free Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Joe Maddon admires Edwin Jackson, and now he'll get to manage him again. Maddon, the Tampa Bay manager, will be the AL skipper for the All-Star Game in St. Louis next week. On Sunday, Jackson made his first All-Star team. "I'm really happy, you have no idea," Maddon told the St. Petersburg Times on Sunday. "I'm so pleased for Edwin. He was very maligned with us actually a couple years ago when we were working him through his early professional moments. "And last year he put up the wins but still had some inconsistencies about him, but we always thought that this guy could be good, really good." Maddon then spoke about why the Rays traded Jackson to the Tigers in December for Matt Joyce, the outfielder whom the Rays think will be a big-time power hitter. Joyce has played little with Tampa Bay this season and is now in the minors. Maddon said the Rays "really like" Joyce. "You've got to wait a bit, because we think Matt Joyce is going to be an impact player in the major leagues, too," Maddon said. "Having said all that, I could not be happier for Edwin Jackson. He's a wonderful young man, and he did great service for us here with the Rays, and I'm really pleased and will be happy to see him in St. Louis." Jackson said he looked forward to his reunion with Maddon, his manager for the last three seasons. "It's going to be a lot of fun to play with him managing again," Jackson said. Language barrier? Fu-Te Ni's translator isn't allowed in the dugout or on the field during games. So the rookie left-hander from Taiwan was listening to English on his own when manager Jim Leyland visited him on the mound during his scoreless two-inning outing Sunday. Ni said that he got Leyland's message. It was about throwing strikes. Ni answers some questions from reporters in English. He said through his translator that he studies English vocabulary every night before he goes to bed. Today, Ni will put on the Tigers' home white uniform for the first time in the regular season. "It's an honor to wear the home jersey," Ni said through the translator. "I will show my ability to the fans and the coaches." Guillen on the mend: Carlos Guillen, who was the Tigers' lone All-Star last season, is due to resume taking batting practice with the team today, Leyland said. But the manager cautioned that Guillen's return to the lineup isn't imminent. Leyland said that because Guillen has been out a while -- two months -- he will need a rehab assignment in the minors. Contact JOHN LOWE: 313-223-4053 or [email protected]. To see more of the Detroit Free Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.freep.com Copyright (c) 2009, Detroit Free Press Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]