Jacoby Ellsbury

Infobox MLB player
name = Jacoby Ellsbury

---

width = 300
caption =
team = Boston Red Sox
number = 46
position = Outfielder
birthdate = birth date and age|1983|9|11
birthplace = city-state|Madras|Oregon
bats = Left
throws = Left
debutdate = June 30
debutyear = 2007
debutteam = Boston Red Sox
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .293
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 12
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 65
stat4label = Stolen bases
stat4value = 59
teams =
*Boston Red Sox (by|2007-present)

Jacoby McCabe Ellsbury (first name pronEng|dʒəˈkoʊbi:) (born September 11, 1983 in Madras, Oregon) is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Boston Red Sox. Ellsbury was first drafted, but not signed, by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 23rd round of the 2002 MLB Draft; he was drafted by Boston in 2005, 23rd overall, in the draft, after three years at Oregon State University.

Ellsbury is officially enrolled as a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes [cite web | last = Edes | first = Gordon | | title = Ellsbury a rare talent | publisher = boston.com | url = http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/03/11/ellsbury_a_rare_talent | accessdate = 2007-03-11] and is the first Native American of Navajo descent to reach the Major Leagues. [cite web | last = McPhillips | first = Alex | | title = Ellsbury shows his speed in debut | publisher = mlb.com | url = http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070630&content_id=2058351&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos| accessdate = 2007-07-01]

Professional career

2005

Ellsbury began his professional career on July 14, by|2005, with the Lowell Spinners in the short-season Single-A New York-Penn League. He showed right off that his patience and speed were an asset when he led off the game by walking on a 3-2 pitch, stole second, continuing to third on a throwing error and then scoring on a wild pitch. On September 7, he tied a Lowell team record with 3 stolen bases in a game. He finished the season batting .317 with 23 stolen bases in 35 games.

2006

Ellsbury began the season as the #6 prospect in the Red Sox organization [cite web | last = Callis | first = Jim | | title = Top Ten Prospects: Boston Red Sox | publisher = baseballamerica.com | url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/05top10s/redsox.html | accessdate = 2006-01-06] with the Single-A Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Carolina League where, on July 3, he tied a Wilmington franchise record by stealing four bases in a game. After batting .299 with 25 steals in 61 games and being named to the 2006 Carolina League All-Star team, he was promoted to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League on July 12 [cite web | title = News | publisher = seadogs.com | url = http://www.seadogs.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1152727639 | accessdate = 2006-07-12] .

Soon after his promotion to Portland he was named Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of August 6-13 for batting .400 along with his first Double-A home run and hitting safely in seven straight games. [cite web | title = News | publisher = seadogs.com | url = http://www.portlandseadogs.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1155574176 | accessdate = 2006-08-14] Jacoby finished the Double-A season in Portland batting .308 with 16 steals in 50 games. He was selected by the Red Sox as their minor league Defensive Player of the Year and Baserunner of the Year and given a roster spot on the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League, an offseason developmental league where minor league players play to refine their skill in front of mainly scouts and team executives.

In the AFL, he hit only .276 in 25 games, but his defensive skill was enough to earn him a spot in the AFL Rising Stars All-Star game.

2007

pring training

Ellsbury participated in the Red Sox' mlby|2007 spring training camp in Fort Myers, Florida as a non-roster invitee and was assigned to the minor league camp on March 9, after earning rave reviews for his fielding and speed on the basepaths, in 8 games at the major league camp. He was the #1 prospect in the Red Sox organization, [cite web | last = Callis | first = Jim | | title = Top Ten Prospects Boston Red Sox | publisher = baseballamerica.com | url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/262814.html | accessdate = 2006-11-10] and was rated as the #33 prospect in baseball for 2007 by "Baseball America" [cite web | last = Staff Report | | title = 2007 Top 100 Prospects | publisher = BaseballAmerica.com | url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/263445.html | accessdate = 2007-02-28] and #43 by "Sports Illustrated". [cite web | last = Smith | first = Bryan | | title = 2007 Top prospects: Nos. 45-31 | publisher = SI.com | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/01/19/prospects.partiii/index.html | accessdate = 2007-01-22]

Minor league play

He started the 2007 season as the starting center fielder for the Sea Dogs and was promoted to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox on May 4, 2007 after batting .452 in 17 games at Portland and being named the Eastern League Player of the Month for April. He was chosen to play in the 2007 XM All-Star Futures Game as part of the MLB All-Star festivities at AT&T Park in San Francisco, but was replaced by Matt Tolbert due to his promotion to the Red Sox. After returning to the minors he was reinstated on the US Futures roster to replace the injured Cameron Maybin. [cite web | last = Manual | first = John | | title = Futures Update: Maybin Out, Ellsbury Back | publisher = baseballamerica.com | url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=428 | accessdate = 2007-07-07] He went 0-4 in the game.

Ellsbury set a new consecutive game hitting streak record for Pawtucket on August 24, 2007, [cite web | last = Hickling | first = Dan| | title = Ellsbury sets hitting-streak record for PawSox | publisher = projo.com | url =http://www.projo.com/pawsox/content/sp_bb_pawsox25_08-25-07_OK6SORQ.366d72c.html |accessdate = 2007-08-25] besting the mark that had been held by both Dave Stapleton and Dave Berg at 19 consecutive games. His streak ended at 25 games on August 31 with an 0-4 outing.

Ellsbury finished the Triple-A season with 33 stolen bases, tied for second in the International League with Darnell McDonald of the Rochester Red Wings, and one behind leader Bernie Castro of the Columbus Clippers. But while Castro had 34 steals in 118 games, and McDonald 33 steals in 134 games, Ellsbury's 33 steals came in just 87 games.

For the second consecutive season, the Red Sox selected Ellsbury as their minor league Defensive Player of the Year and Baserunner of the Year. [cite web | title = Press Release | publisher = redsox.com | url = http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070926&content_id=2231230&vkey=pr_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2007-09-26]

Major league play

With an injury to Coco Crisp, Ellsbury had his contract purchased and received a call-up to the Red Sox on June 30, 2007, where he made his MLB debut in center field and batted 9th against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park [cite web | last = McPhillips | first = Alex | | title = Ellsbury gets called up to The Show | publisher = mlb.com | url = http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070630&content_id=2058351&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2007-06-30] wearing number 46. He got his first major league hit against Robinson Tejeda of the Rangers in the bottom of the third inning of his debut game. His first career stolen base came off pitcher Brandon McCarthy and catcher Gerald Laird of the Rangers on July 2, and he also impressed in that game when he scored from second base on a wild pitch. [cite web | last = Malloy | first = Daniel | | title = Fast becoming a real favorite | publisher = boston.com | url = http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2007/07/03/fast_becoming_a_real_favorite/ | accessdate = 2007-07-03] Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame member Johnny Pesky described the play as "the greatest single play I've ever seen in all my years in baseball". [cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/sports/1206154501137210.xml&coll=7|title=The 'second coming' of Jacoby Ellsbury|accessdate=2008-03-23] He was optioned back to Pawtucket on July 5 after appearing in 6 games for the Red Sox. [cite web | title = Press Release | publisher = redsox.com | url = http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070706&content_id=2070746&vkey=pr_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2007-07-06 ]

On August 17, he was recalled for the second game of a doubleheader where he led off and played center field. [cite web | last = Lefort | first = David| | title = Ellsbury in Game 2 lineup | publisher = boston.com | url =http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2007/08/ellsbury_in_gam.html |accessdate = 2007-08-17] He was then optioned back to Pawtucket after the game. [cite web | title = Press Release | publisher = redsox.com | url = http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070818&content_id=2156353&vkey=pr_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2007-08-18 ]

On September 1, when the Major League rosters expanded to 40 players he was again recalled to the Red Sox, and on September 2, he hit his first Major League home run off Daniel Cabrera of the Baltimore Orioles in the bottom of the 4th inning. It was a solo shot which landed in the Red Sox bullpen.

"The New York Times" described him in a September 2007 article as a "cult hero" who brings "speed, improved defense, and unbridled enthusiasm." [cite web | last = Curry | first = Jack| | title = Attention Being Paid to Red Sox Rookie | publisher = nytimes.com | url =http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/sports/baseball/15redsox.html |accessdate = 2007-09-15]

He was named MLB's American League Rookie of the Month for September [cite web | title = Press Release | publisher = mlb.com | url = http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20071001&content_id=2244079&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb | accessdate = 2007-10-01 ] and with fewer than 130 Major League at-bats, he still qualified as a rookie for the mlby|2008 season.

2007 postseason

During the 2007 postseason, with Coco Crisp slumping, Ellsbury got the start in center field in Game 6 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians and started in every subsequent postseason game. In 11 total postseason games, he hit .360 in 25 at-bats with 9 hits and 2 stolen bases.

On October 27, with his two doubles off Josh Fogg in top of the third inning of Game 3 of the World Series, he became the first rookie to hit two doubles in the same inning of a World Series game; Matt Williams in mlby|2001 is the only other player to duplicate the feat. After hitting another double off Brian Fuentes in the 8th inning, he became one of four rookies ever to hit three doubles in a World Series game. His four hits, including a single in the first inning, made him only the third rookie to ever accomplish the feat in the World Series, after Joe Garagiola in mlby|1946 and Freddie Lindstrom in mlby|1924.

For the World Series, he batted .438 with 4 doubles and a stolen base.

2008

Heading into the 2008 season, Ellsbury was ranked as the #13 prospect by "Baseball America", [cite web | last = staff report | | title = Top 100 Prospects | publisher = baseballamerica.com | url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2008/265655.html | accessdate = 2008-02-25] the #16 prospect by "Baseball Prospectus" [cite web | last = Goldstein | first = Kevin | | title = Top 100 Prospects | publisher = baseballprospectus.com | url = http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7092 | accessdate = 2008-01-31] and the #19 prospect by "ESPN Scouts Inc". [cite web | last = Law | first = Keith | | title = Top 100 prospects of 2008 | publisher = ESPN.com | url = http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=3221365 | accessdate = 2008-02-01] All rank him as the #2 prospect in the Red Sox organization behind Clay Buchholz.

Ellsbury hit .224/.291/.347 in 16 spring training games and started in center field for the 2008 MLB season opener against the Oakland Athletics on March 25 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. He hit his first home run of the season on April 6 off Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre leading off the top of the 3rd inning. He stole his first base of the season on April 12 off Mike Mussina and Jose Molina of the New York Yankees in the bottom of the first inning.

On April 22, Ellsbury had his first career multi-home run game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He hit one solo shot off a Jered Weaver pitch in the first inning, and another off a Darren O'Day pitch in the sixth.

On May 18 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park, Ellsbury was caught stealing on a pitch-out in the fourth inning. That ended a streak of 25 consecutive stolen bases to begin his career, two shy of the major league record held by Tim Raines in mlby|1979. [cite web | title = Brewers swipe Ellsbury's history attempt | publisher = redsox.com | url = http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080518&content_id=2725318&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2008-05-18] On May 30 with three steals against the Baltimore Orioles, he became the first Red Sox player to steal more than two bases in a game since Jerry Remy stole four on June 14, mlby|1980; [cite web | last = Edes | first = Gordon | title = It's just a throwaway, but Red Sox take it | publisher = boston.com | url = http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/05/31/its_just_a_throwaway_but_red_sox_take_it/ | accessdate = 2008-05-31] he then stole another three bases in the next game, and one more in the third game of the series, for a total of seven.

On June 15, Ellsbury stole his 32nd base of the season, breaking the Red Sox rookie record of 31 steals, set 100 years earlier by Amby McConnell. [cite web | last = Kay | first = Joe | title = Red Sox homer 4 times in 9-0 win over Reds | publisher = boston.com | url = http://boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/06/15/red_sox_homer_4_times_in_9_0_win_over_reds/ | accessdate = 2008-06-14 ] .

He finished the season with 50 steals to lead the American League and put him 3rd on the list of Red Sox all-time stolen base leaders for a single season behind Tommy Harper 54 in 1973 and Tris Speaker 52 in 1912.

He has also garnered praise for his defense in the outfield, playing 178 games (1,430 innings) without committing an error in his Major League career (as of the end of the 2008 regular season).

2008 postseason

Ellsbury hit .333/.400/.567 with three stolen bases in the American League Division Series, in which the Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3-1 in the best-of-five series.

In the second inning of Game 3 of the ALDS, Ellsbury hit the first three-run single in postseason history when Howie Kendrick and Torii Hunter let a pop-up fall to the ground between them. [cite web | title = Ellsbury single makes playoff history | publisher = mlb.com | url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081005&content_id=3593654&vkey=ps2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb | accessdate = 2008-10-06]

Career statistics

Amateur career

*2007 American League Rookie of the Month - September
*2008 Red Sox rookie single season stolen bases record
*2008 American League stolen base leader

References

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb=453056 |espn=28637 |br=e/ellsbja01 |fangraphs=4727 |cube=E/Jacoby-Ellsbury
* [http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=4378 Minor League Stats]