- 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 run s
stat2value = 12
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 65
stat4label =Stolen base s
stat4value = 59
teams =
*Boston Red Sox (by|2007-present)Jacoby McCabe Ellsbury (first name pronEng|dʒəˈkoʊbi:) (born
September 11 ,1983 inMadras, Oregon ) is aMajor League Baseball outfielder for theBoston Red Sox . Ellsbury was first drafted, but not signed, by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 23rd round of the2002 MLB Draft ; he was drafted by Boston in 2005, 23rd overall, in the draft, after three years atOregon 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 theLowell Spinners in the short-season Single-ANew 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 awild pitch . OnSeptember 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 theCarolina League where, onJuly 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-APortland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League onJuly 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-Ahome 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 thePeoria Javelinas of theArizona 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 inFort Myers, Florida as a non-roster invitee and was assigned to the minor league camp onMarch 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-APawtucket Red Sox onMay 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 2007XM All-Star Futures Game as part of the MLB All-Star festivities atAT&T Park inSan Francisco , but was replaced byMatt 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 injuredCameron 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 bothDave Stapleton and Dave Berg at 19 consecutive games. His streak ended at 25 games onAugust 31 with an 0-4 outing.Ellsbury finished the Triple-A season with 33 stolen bases, tied for second in the
International League withDarnell McDonald of theRochester Red Wings , and one behind leaderBernie Castro of theColumbus 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 onJune 30 , 2007, where he made his MLB debut in center field and batted 9th against the Texas Rangers atFenway 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 againstRobinson Tejeda of the Rangers in the bottom of the thirdinning of his debut game. His first career stolen base came offpitcher Brandon McCarthy andcatcher Gerald Laird of the Rangers onJuly 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 memberJohnny 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 onJuly 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 onSeptember 2 , he hit his first Major League home run offDaniel Cabrera of theBaltimore Orioles in the bottom of the 4th inning. It was a solo shot which landed in the Red Soxbullpen ."
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-bat s, he still qualified as arookie 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 theCleveland 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 offJosh Fogg in top of the third inning of Game 3 of theWorld Series , he became the first rookie to hit two doubles in the same inning of aWorld Series game; Matt Williams in mlby|2001 is the only other player to duplicate the feat. After hitting another double offBrian 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 andFreddie 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 behindClay 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 onMarch 25 at theTokyo Dome inTokyo ,Japan . He hit his first home run of the season onApril 6 offRoy Halladay of theToronto Blue Jays at theRogers Centre leading off the top of the 3rd inning. He stole his first base of the season onApril 12 offMike Mussina andJose Molina of theNew York Yankees in the bottom of the first inning.On
April 22 , Ellsbury had his first career multi-home run game against theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim . He hit one solo shot off aJered Weaver pitch in the first inning, and another off aDarren O'Day pitch in the sixth.On
May 18 against theMilwaukee 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 byTim 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] OnMay 30 with three steals against the Baltimore Orioles, he became the first Red Sox player to steal more than two bases in a game sinceJerry Remy stole four onJune 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 byAmby 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 in1973 andTris Speaker 52 in1912 .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 andTorii 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 leaderReferences
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]
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