Cards amass huge haul of draft picks

The Cardinals lost free-agent right-hander Edwin Jackson to the Washington Nationals. That they weren't able to sign Jackson was not unexpected but the move meant that the Cardinals will have an unprecedented five picks out of the first 58 in this year's June draft.

Jackson was worth a compensatory pick. The Cards will get two picks for first baseman Albert Pujols and another for right-handed reliever Octavio Dotel to go with their own choice.

Jackson had sought a multi-year contract but signed with Washington for one year and $10 million. The Cardinals had shown more recent interest when agent Scott Boras' tone changed more to a one-year deal than one of several years. But they weren't about to go to $10 million.

The Cardinals at the time were seeking veteran right-hander Roy Oswalt at something considerably less than $10 million.

Jackson was 5-2 with the Cardinals after his acquisition July 27 from the Chicago White Sox in a three-team deal that included the Toronto Blue Jays,

The Cardinals officially are committed to a projected rotation of right-hander Chris Carpenter, right-hander Adam Wainwright, left-hander Jaime Garcia, right-hander Kyle Lohse and right-hander Jake Westbrook. Lohse and Westbrook are entering the final seasons of multiyear contracts that include full no-trade provisos while Carpenter, Wainwright and Garcia will be on the first year of extensions or options that the club agreed to last season.

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