Jacoby Ellsbury
Encyclopedia
Jacoby McCabe Ellsbury; born September 11, 1983) is an American professional baseball
center fielder
with the Boston Red Sox
of Major League Baseball
.
Ellsbury attended Madras High School
, where he was a 4-year letterman in football and baseball, and played varsity basketball his sophomore through senior years. Ellsbury's career batting average of .567 and being caught stealing only once are Oregon High School State Records. He also holds the Oregon record for stolen bases in a game, with 7. Ellsbury was first drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
in the 23rd round of the 2002 MLB Draft, but did not sign. He was then drafted 23rd overall by Boston in 2005, after three years at Oregon State University
. Ellsbury is the only Red Sox player in history to join the 30-30 club
, a feat he accomplished on September 25, 2011, against the Yankees.
Ellsbury is officially enrolled as a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes
and is the first Native American
of Navajo
descent to reach the Major Leagues. As of 2008, he was one of only three active non-Hispanic Native American
players in Major League Baseball, along with Kyle Lohse
of the St. Louis Cardinals
and Joba Chamberlain
of the New York Yankees
. Ellsbury is English
and German
on his paternal side.
in the short season
Single-A New York-Penn League. From the start, he showed that his patience and great speed were an asset when he led off the game by walking
on a 3–2 pitch, stealing
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 three stolen bases in a game. He finished the season batting .317 with 23 stolen bases in 35 games.
Ellsbury was named Red Sox Minor League Base Stealer of the Month for July, when he went a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts.
of the Carolina League
. 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.
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. Ellsbury 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 Base Runner of the Year and given a roster spot on the Peoria Javelinas
of the Arizona Fall League
, an off-season developmental league for top prospects. 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.
camp in Fort Myers, Florida
as a non-roster invitee and was assigned to the minor league camp on March 9. He was rated the number one prospect in the Red Sox organization,, the number 33 prospect in baseball for 2007 by Baseball America
and the number 43 prospect by Sports Illustrated
.
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 All-Star Futures Game
as part of the MLB All-Star
festivities at AT&T Park
in San Francisco. He went 0–4 in the game.
Ellsbury set a new consecutive game hitting streak record for Pawtucket on August 24, 2007, 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
who is now also affiliated with the Boston Red Sox
franchise, and one behind leader Bernie Castro
of the Columbus Clippers
. Although 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.
, 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 hit ninth against the Texas Rangers
at Fenway Park
wearing number 46. He got his first major league hit
against Robinson Tejeda
of the Rangers in the bottom of the third inning of that 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. 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". He was optioned back to Pawtucket on July 5 after appearing in six games for the Red Sox.
On August 17, he was recalled for the second game of a doubleheader where he led off and played center field. He was then optioned back to Pawtucket after the game.
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 fourth inning, 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."
He was named MLB's American League Rookie of the Month for September 2007 and, with fewer than 130 major league at-bats, still qualified as a rookie
for the season.
During the 2007 postseason, with Coco Crisp struggling, Ellsbury got the start in center field for Game 6 of the American League Championship Series
against the Cleveland Indians
, starting every subsequent postseason game. In eleven total postseason games, he hit .360 in 25 at-bats with two 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. After hitting another double off Brian Fuentes in the eighth inning, he became the fourth rookie 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 Freddie Lindstrom in 1924 and Joe Garagiola in 1946. For the World Series, he batted .438 with four doubles and a stolen base.
, Ellsbury was ranked as the #13 prospect by Baseball America, the #16 prospect by Baseball Prospectus
and the #19 prospect by ESPN
Scouts Inc. All ranked him as the #2 prospect in the Red Sox organization behind Clay Buchholz
.
Ellsbury hit .224, with .291 On-base percentage (OBP), and a .347 Slugging Percentage in sixteen spring training games and started in center field for the 2008 Major League Baseball 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, which ended a streak of 25 consecutive stolen bases to begin his career, two shy of the major league record held by Tim Raines
in . 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; ; 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, set 100 years earlier by Amby McConnell
.
He finished the season with 50 steals to lead the American League and put him third on the list of Red Sox all-time stolen base leaders for a single season, behind Tommy Harper
(54) in and Tris Speaker
(52) in . He has also garnered praise for his defense in the outfield, having played 178 games (1,430 innings) without committing an error in his major league career.
Ellsbury finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, behind Evan Longoria
of Tampa Bay and Alexei Ramirez
of the Chicago White Sox
.
, 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. Shortly after, he stole second base.
After going 0–14 in the first three games of the American League Championship Series
against the Tampa Bay Rays
, Ellsbury was benched in favor of Coco Crisp with only a pinch hitting at-bat in game 4. He did not play in games 5, 6 or 7, as the Sox eventually lost the series 4 games to 3.
, breaking Mike Greenwell
’s Red Sox franchise record for outfielders. and on April 15, with six errorless chances, passed Coco Crisp
for most errorless total chances
by a center fielder, setting a new Red Sox franchise record of 433.
On April 26, in a game against the New York Yankees
, Ellsbury stole home while Andy Pettitte
was in his windup
. According to the April 26 edition of SportsCenter
, Ellsbury's was the first steal of home plate by a Red Sox player with no other runners attempting to steal since Jeff Frye
stole home in a game in 1999 and it was the first steal of home plate with no squeeze attempt or other runners attempting to steal (a "pure" steal of home) since Billy Hatcher in 1994. Following his return to the dugout after the steal, Red Sox fans called Ellsbury back for a curtain call for his performance.
On May 20, Ellsbury tied a major league record for outfielders with twelve putout
s in a nine-inning game, tying Earl Clark of the Boston Braves
who did it against the Cincinnati Reds
on May 10, 1929 and Lyman Bostock
of the Minnesota Twins
who did it against the Red Sox on May 25, 1977.
On May 27, Ellsbury went 0–3 to snap a 22-game hitting streak.
On June 17, Ellsbury's streak of 232 games and 554 chances without an error ended at Fenway when he had a ball hit by Jorge Cantu
of the Florida Marlins
go off the top of his glove
in the top of the first inning. It was the longest errorless streak by an outfielder in Red Sox history.
On August 21, Ellsbury tied Tommy Harper's
Red Sox single season record for stolen bases (54), in a game against the New York Yankees, again facing Pettitte. Ellsbury then broke the record with his 55th steal on August 25, against the Chicago White Sox
.
Ellsbury led the American League in stolen bases for the second consecutive year in 2009 with 70. He also led the AL in triples with 10.
Ellsbury won Defensive Player of the Year in MLB.com's annual This Year in Baseball Awards 2009.
(with permission from the Red Sox and MLB) from 46 to 2. The number 2 had belonged to Brad Mills, the Red Sox' former bench coach, who left the organization to become the manager of the Houston Astros
. Ellsbury has also worn number 23 in the past, but not in the majors.
With the Red Sox signing free agent center fielder Mike Cameron
and not re-signing left fielder Jason Bay
, Ellsbury was moved to the starting left field position from center field. Ellsbury spent a considerable amount of time playing left field during the 2007 playoffs in late innings when players were being substituted, before earning the primary job in center field over Coco Crisp
. The move was made as the result of Cameron's experience in center and inexperience in left. Ellsbury tends to play more flexibly and can thus be moved. Manager Terry Francona
expressed excitement over the prospect of playing a true center fielder in left field, creating a larger fielding range and more aggressive style.
On April 11, Ellsbury collided with Red Sox third baseman Adrián Beltré
, in a game against the Kansas City Royals
. The collision resulted in hairline fractures to four of his left ribs. He was put on the 15-day disabled list
on April 20. Ellsbury returned to the Red Sox on May 22.
On May 28, Ellsbury returned to the 15-day DL after playing in only three games due to residual soreness in his left ribs from the collision with Beltré. He met with a thoracic specialist, who advised him that his ribs should be further along in the healing process before he would be able to play. On July 26, Ellsbury started his rehab assignment with Single-A Lowell Spinners
. He rejoined the Red Sox on August 4. On August 9, he was the first baserunner since 1998 to steal four bases against the Yankees.
On August 14, Ellsbury was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the third time in 2010 after re-injuring himself in a game against the Texas Rangers
. He did not play again in 2010.
, a single off Vinnie Pestano
and a home run off Joe Smith. On August 6, Ellsbury hit a three-run home run and drove in a career-high six runs in Boston's 10-4 win over the rival New York Yankees
. On September 25, Ellsbury hit 2 home runs during the first game of a double header against the Yankees to become the first member of the Boston Red Sox to join the 30-30 club
(with 30 home runs and 38 stolen bases), he then hit a 3 run HR in the 14th inning of the second game of the double header to give the Red Sox the win. Ellsbury finished the season with a career highs in home runs (32), hits (212), RBIs (105), runs (119), and batting average (.321). Ellsbury was also recognized as one of the elite defensive center fielders in the game, winning his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award. He finished as one of only two qualifying players to complete the season with a perfect fielding percentage
of 1.000. Ellsbury was later awarded a Silver Slugger
for his hitting, joining teammate Adrian Gonzalez
as the only American League players to win both a Gold Glove and Silver slugger in 2011. He was also voted the American League Comeback Player of the Year. He was the highest scored position player on the 2011 AL MVP ballot, with 242 points, beaten only by Tigers ace Justin Verlander
(280 points).
Ellsbury was one of the victims of the $8 billion fraud perpetrated by wealth manager Allen Stanford
; although Ellsbury had some assets frozen, it did not cause him any significant hardship, like those suffered by Johnny Damon
and Xavier Nady
.
wine called ZinfandEllsbury through Charity Wines with 100% of his proceeds donated across three charities: The Navajo Relief Fund, Project Bread: The Walk for Hunger, and Ellsbury Read Project. The wine launched alongside a charity wine by Boston Red Sox
teammate Josh Beckett
, called Chardon-K.
Through End of 2011 Season (September 28, 2011)
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Ellsbury attended Madras High School
Madras High School
-Academics:In 2008, 71% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 231 students, 165 graduated, 36 dropped out, 3 received a modified diploma, and 27 are still in high school....
, where he was a 4-year letterman in football and baseball, and played varsity basketball his sophomore through senior years. Ellsbury's career batting average of .567 and being caught stealing only once are Oregon High School State Records. He also holds the Oregon record for stolen bases in a game, with 7. Ellsbury was first drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
in the 23rd round of the 2002 MLB Draft, but did not sign. He was then drafted 23rd overall by Boston in 2005, after three years at Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
. Ellsbury is the only Red Sox player in history to join the 30-30 club
30-30 club
The 30–30 club is a grouping of Major League Baseball players who have reached the 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases plateaus in the same season....
, a feat he accomplished on September 25, 2011, against the Yankees.
Ellsbury is officially enrolled as a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes
Colorado River Indian Tribes
The Colorado River Indian Tribes is a geo-political unit consisting of the four distinct tribes associated with the Colorado River Indian Reservation: the Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi and Navajo. The combined tribe is governed by a council of nine members and overseen by a tribal Chairman, Secretary...
and is the first Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
of Navajo
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
descent to reach the Major Leagues. As of 2008, he was one of only three active non-Hispanic Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
players in Major League Baseball, along with Kyle Lohse
Kyle Lohse
Kyle Matthew Lohse is a right-handed starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in , Lohse was traded to the Minnesota Twins in in a deal involving Rick Aguilera. Lohse made his MLB debut with the Twins on June 22, .Lohse is a member of the Nomlaki...
of the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Joba Chamberlain
Joba Chamberlain
Justin Louis "Joba" Chamberlain is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.-Early life:Chamberlain was born and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. Chamberlain's parents, Harlan Chamberlain and Jackie Standley, were never married and split up when Joba was 18 months old...
of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. Ellsbury is English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
on his paternal side.
Early life
Ellsbury was born September 11, 1983, in Madras, Oregon, to Jim and Margie Ellsbury, the oldest of four children. Growing up with Little League Baseball, he often played on teams with kids up to three years older than he was, though he was still the fastest and best player on the team. In high school, Ellsbury lettered in football and baseball for four years and in basketball for three. He hit .681 and had 82 stolen bases his senior year in baseball and averaged 15.6 points per game and had an average of 3.4 blocks per game in basketball. He finished his football career with 12 interceptions and 5 kickoff returns for touchdowns.2005
Ellsbury began his professional career on July 14, 2005, with the Lowell SpinnersLowell Spinners
The Lowell Spinners are a Short-Season A minor league baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.-History:Founded in 1996 after Clyde Smoll moved the Elmira Pioneers to Lowell, Massachusetts, the Spinners play in the New York - Penn League, which has a Short-Season A classification with 76 games a...
in the short season
Short season
Short season refers to a form of class A minor league baseball in which only about 75 games are played each season, as opposed to the typical 140 games for an affiliated minor league team at a higher level...
Single-A New York-Penn League. From the start, he showed that his patience and great speed were an asset when he led off the game by walking
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
on a 3–2 pitch, stealing
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
second, continuing to third on a throwing error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
and then scoring on a wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
. On September 7, he tied a Lowell team record with three stolen bases in a game. He finished the season batting .317 with 23 stolen bases in 35 games.
Ellsbury was named Red Sox Minor League Base Stealer of the Month for July, when he went a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts.
2006
Jacoby Ellsbury began the season as the number six prospect in the Red Sox organization with the Single-A Wilmington Blue RocksWilmington Blue Rocks
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:...
of the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. 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
Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League....
of the Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
on July 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
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
and hitting safely in seven straight games. Ellsbury 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 Base Runner of the Year and given a roster spot on the Peoria Javelinas
Peoria Javelinas
The Peoria Javelinas, established in 1992, are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Javelinas play their home games in the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, which is a spring training site for both the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners.For...
of the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
, an off-season developmental league for top prospects. 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.
Spring training
Ellsbury participated in the Red Sox spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
camp in Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
as a non-roster invitee and was assigned to the minor league camp on March 9. He was rated the number one prospect in the Red Sox organization,, the number 33 prospect in baseball for 2007 by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
and the number 43 prospect by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
.
Minor league play
He started the 2007 season as the starting center fielderCenter fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
for the Sea Dogs and was promoted to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
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 All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
as part of the MLB All-Star
2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 78th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10, 2007, at AT&T Park, the home of the NL's San Francisco Giants...
festivities at AT&T Park
AT&T Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
in San Francisco. He went 0–4 in the game.
Ellsbury set a new consecutive game hitting streak record for Pawtucket on August 24, 2007, besting the mark that had been held by both Dave Stapleton and Dave Berg
Dave Berg (baseball)
David Scott Berg is a former Major League Baseball utility player. Originally selected by the Florida Marlins in the 38th round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft, Berg last played for the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks in the Texas Rangers organization...
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
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
with Darnell McDonald
Darnell McDonald
Darnell Tyrone McDonald is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-Professional career:...
of the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
who is now also affiliated with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
franchise, and one behind leader Bernie Castro
Bernie Castro
Bernabel "Bernie" Castro is a Major League Baseball second baseman. He has played two major league seasons, one with each the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles.-Career:...
of the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
. Although 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.
Major league play
With an injury to Coco CrispCoco Crisp
Covelli Loyce "Coco" Crisp is an American professional baseball center fielder. Crisp is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed...
, 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 hit ninth against the Texas Rangers
2007 Texas Rangers season
The Texas Rangers' 2007 season began with the team trying to win an AL West title for the first time since , when they were swept by the New York Yankees in the ALDS.-Preseason:*Manager Buck Showalter was fired with three years remaining on his contract...
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
wearing number 46. He got his first major league hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
against Robinson Tejeda
Robinson Tejeda
Robinson Garcia Tejeda is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Philadelphia Phillies:...
of the Rangers in the bottom of the third inning of that game. His first career stolen base came off pitcher Brandon McCarthy
Brandon McCarthy
Brandon Patrick McCarthy is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:He graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2001....
and catcher Gerald Laird
Gerald Laird
Gerald Lee Laird III is an American professional baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers. He graduated La Quinta High School in 1998, and played college baseball at Cypress College...
of the Rangers on July 2, and he also impressed in that game when he scored from second base on a wild pitch. Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of former Boston Red Sox baseball players. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, past and present media personnel, and representatives from The Sports Museum of New England and the...
member Johnny Pesky
Johnny Pesky
John Michael Pesky , nicknamed "The Needle" and "Mr. Red Sox", was a Major League Baseball shortstop, third baseman, and manager. During a 10-year career, he played in 1942 and from 1946-1954 for three different teams. He missed all of the 1943, 1944, and 1945 seasons while serving in World War...
described the play as "the greatest single play I've ever seen in all my years in baseball". He was optioned back to Pawtucket on July 5 after appearing in six games for the Red Sox.
On August 17, he was recalled for the second game of a doubleheader where he led off and played center field. He was then optioned back to Pawtucket after the game.
On September 1, when the Major League rosters
Major League Baseball rosters
A Major League Baseball roster is a roster of players able to play for their respective Major League team. There are two types of rosters, the 25-man roster and the 40-man roster.-25-man roster:...
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
Daniel Cabrera
Daniel Alberto Cabrera Cruz is a Major League Baseballright-handed starting pitcher who is currently a free agent. He is one of the taller pitchers in the league, standing at 6' 9" and 270 lb....
of the Baltimore Orioles
2007 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles' 2007 season involved the Orioles finishing with a record of 69 wins and 93 losses and fourth place in the AL East. On June 18, 2007 manager Sam Perlozzo was fired and replaced with bullpen coach Dave Trembley as interim manager. Trembley was named full-time manager on August...
in the bottom of the fourth inning, a solo shot which landed in the Red Sox bullpen.
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described him in a September 2007 article as a "cult hero" who brings "speed, improved defense, and unbridled enthusiasm."
He was named MLB's American League Rookie of the Month for September 2007 and, with fewer than 130 major league at-bats, still qualified as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
for the season.
During the 2007 postseason, with Coco Crisp struggling, Ellsbury got the start in center field for Game 6 of the American League Championship Series
American League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
against the Cleveland Indians
2007 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians' 2007 season saw the Indians win the AL Central title for the first time since 2001 and play for American League title before losing to the Boston Red Sox in seven games....
, starting every subsequent postseason game. In eleven total postseason games, he hit .360 in 25 at-bats with two 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. After hitting another double off Brian Fuentes in the eighth inning, he became the fourth rookie 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 Freddie Lindstrom in 1924 and Joe Garagiola in 1946. For the World Series, he batted .438 with four doubles and a stolen base.
2008
Heading into the 2008 season2008 Major League Baseball season
The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the...
, Ellsbury was ranked as the #13 prospect by Baseball America, the #16 prospect by Baseball Prospectus
Baseball Prospectus
Baseball Prospectus is an organization that publishes a website, BaseballProspectus.com, devoted to the sabermetric analysis of baseball. BP has a staff of regular columnists and provides advanced statistics as well player and team performance projections on the site...
and the #19 prospect by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Scouts Inc. All ranked him as the #2 prospect in the Red Sox organization behind Clay Buchholz
Clay Buchholz
Clay Daniel Buchholz pitches for the Boston Red Sox of major league baseball. On September 1, 2007, in just his second major league start, he recorded a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the third MLB pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second start...
.
Ellsbury hit .224, with .291 On-base percentage (OBP), and a .347 Slugging Percentage in sixteen spring training games and started in center field for the 2008 Major League Baseball season
2008 Major League Baseball season
The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the...
opener against the Oakland Athletics
2008 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics' season marked their 40th year in Oakland, California, after the franchise move from Kansas City, Missouri in 1968.-Potential free agents:...
on March 25 at the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
in Tokyo, Japan. He hit his first home run of the season on April 6 off Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
of the Toronto Blue Jays
2008 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays season, the team's 32nd year of existence, saw the Blue Jays finish in fourth place in the American League East with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses for a .531 winning percentage, thus making this season the third consecutive winning season for the Jays, as well as being...
at the Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
leading off the top of the 3rd inning. He stole his first base of the season on April 12, off Mike Mussina
Mike Mussina
Michael Cole Mussina , nicknamed Moose, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played for the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees ....
and Jose Molina of the New York Yankees
2008 New York Yankees season
The 2008 New York Yankees season was the 106th season for the New York Yankees franchise. The Yankees hosted the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday July 15, 2008. It was the 83rd and last season at Yankee Stadium prior to the team's move to a new ballpark just north of the current...
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
2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season
The 2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season was the 48th season for the franchise. The regular season ended with the Angels winning their seventh American League West division title and setting a franchise record for single-season wins...
. He hit one solo shot off a Jered Weaver
Jered Weaver
Jered David Weaver , is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim...
pitch in the first inning, and another off a Darren O'Day
Darren O'Day
Darren Christopher O'Day is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball. He played college baseball for the University of Florida, and has played professionally for the Los Angeles Angels, New York Mets, and Texas Rangers...
pitch in the sixth.
On May 18 against the Milwaukee Brewers
2008 Milwaukee Brewers season
The 2008 Milwaukee Brewers season opened with optimism as the team attempted to build on the success of the 2007 season - their first winning season since 1992....
at Fenway Park, Ellsbury was caught stealing on a pitch-out in the fourth inning, which ended a streak of 25 consecutive stolen bases to begin his career, two shy of the major league record held by Tim Raines
Tim Raines
Timothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...
in . On May 30 with three steals against the Baltimore Orioles
2008 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles entered the 2008 season led by Dave Trembley, now starting his first full season as manager. President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail continued the rebuilding process...
, he became the first Red Sox player to steal more than two bases in a game since Jerry Remy
Jerry Remy
Gerald Peter "Rem Dawg" Remy is a Major League Baseball broadcaster and former Major League Baseball second baseman. Remy grew up in Somerset, Massachusetts.-Playing career:...
stole four on June 14; ; 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, set 100 years earlier by Amby McConnell
Amby McConnell
Ambrose Moses McConnell , born in North Powell, Vermont, was a professional baseball player for Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox...
.
He finished the season with 50 steals to lead the American League and put him third on the list of Red Sox all-time stolen base leaders for a single season, behind Tommy Harper
Tommy Harper
Tommy Harper is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and third baseman. He played with the Cincinnati Reds , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Pilots , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Oakland Athletics , and the Baltimore Orioles .-High School...
(54) in and Tris Speaker
Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
(52) in . He has also garnered praise for his defense in the outfield, having played 178 games (1,430 innings) without committing an error in his major league career.
Ellsbury finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, behind Evan Longoria
Evan Longoria
Evan Michael Longoria is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays. Formerly, Longoria was a star infielder for the Long Beach State University baseball team, the Cape Cod League MVP, and the Big West Co-Player of the Year.He made his major league debut for the Rays in , and...
of Tampa Bay and Alexei Ramirez
Alexei Ramírez
Alexei Fernando Ramírez is a Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop for the Chicago White Sox...
of the Chicago White Sox
2008 Chicago White Sox season
The 2008 Chicago White Sox Season is the organization's 109th season in Chicago and 108th in the American League. The White Sox won the American League Central division title for the first time since 2005. They finished the regular season tied with the Minnesota Twins and won a one-game playoff...
.
2008 postseason
Ellsbury hit .333, with a .400 OBP and a .567 Slugging Percentage with three stolen bases in the American League Division Series2008 American League Division Series
-Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox:-Game 1, October 1:Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CaliforniaIn a re-match of last year's ALDS, starters Jon Lester and John Lackey were sharp early on, each tossing a couple of scoreless innings. The Angels finally got on the board in the third, when...
, in which the Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season
The 2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season was the 48th season for the franchise. The regular season ended with the Angels winning their seventh American League West division title and setting a franchise record for single-season wins...
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
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
in postseason history when Howie Kendrick
Howie Kendrick
Howard "Howie" Joseph Kendrick III is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Early life:...
and Torii Hunter
Torii Hunter
Torii Kedar Hunter is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Hunter has taken away many home runs throughout his 13-year major league career by "climbing the fence" in the outfield. He has won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder.Hunter resides...
let a pop-up fall to the ground between them. Shortly after, he stole second base.
After going 0–14 in the first three games of the American League Championship Series
2008 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Friday, October 10, 2008 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FloridaBoston won a pitcher's duel on a sac fly by Jed Lowrie in the fifth and an RBI double by Kevin Youkilis in the eighth. Starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was nearly unhittable in Game 1 of the 2008 ALCS. He held the Rays hitless...
against the Tampa Bay Rays
2008 Tampa Bay Rays season
The Tampa Bay Rays' 2008 season, the 11th season in franchise history, marked the change of the team's name from the "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" to the "Tampa Bay Rays", as revealed on November 8, 2007. The change in name also came with a change in logo and uniforms, with new team colors of Columbia...
, Ellsbury was benched in favor of Coco Crisp with only a pinch hitting at-bat in game 4. He did not play in games 5, 6 or 7, as the Sox eventually lost the series 4 games to 3.
2009
On April 12, Ellsbury played his 179th straight regular-season game without an errorError (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
, breaking Mike Greenwell
Mike Greenwell
Michael Lewis Greenwell is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire MLB career with the Boston Red Sox . He briefly played a few games for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan , before retiring. Greenwell was nicknamed "The Gator." He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
’s Red Sox franchise record for outfielders. and on April 15, with six errorless chances, passed Coco Crisp
Coco Crisp
Covelli Loyce "Coco" Crisp is an American professional baseball center fielder. Crisp is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed...
for most errorless total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
by a center fielder, setting a new Red Sox franchise record of 433.
On April 26, in a game against the New York Yankees
2009 New York Yankees season
The 2009 New York Yankees season was the 107th season for the New York Yankees franchise. The Yankees opened their new Yankee Stadium on April 3, 2009, when they hosted an exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs...
, Ellsbury stole home while Andy Pettitte
Andy Pettitte
Andrew Eugene Pettitte is a retired American left-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher.In his major league career, he played for the New York Yankees from 1995–2003. He then signed with the Houston Astros, and played for them from 2004 through 2006. In 2007, Pettitte rejoined the Yankees...
was in his windup
Pitching position
In baseball, there are two legal pitching positions: the windup, and the set. Each type of pitching position has its strengths and weaknesses. Compared to the set, the windup takes a relatively slower execution, so therefore is better suited for situations in which there are no baserunners, or when...
. According to the April 26 edition of SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
, Ellsbury's was the first steal of home plate by a Red Sox player with no other runners attempting to steal since Jeff Frye
Jeff Frye
Jeffrey Dustin Frye is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball with the Texas Rangers, the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and the Colorado Rockies for parts of 1992-2001. He is 5'9 and 165 lbs. and he bats and throws right-handed...
stole home in a game in 1999 and it was the first steal of home plate with no squeeze attempt or other runners attempting to steal (a "pure" steal of home) since Billy Hatcher in 1994. Following his return to the dugout after the steal, Red Sox fans called Ellsbury back for a curtain call for his performance.
On May 20, Ellsbury tied a major league record for outfielders with twelve putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s in a nine-inning game, tying Earl Clark of the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
who did it against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
on May 10, 1929 and Lyman Bostock
Lyman Bostock
Lyman Wesley Bostock, Jr. was an American professional baseball player. He played Major League Baseball for four seasons, as an outfielder for the Minnesota Twins and California Angels...
of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
who did it against the Red Sox on May 25, 1977.
On May 27, Ellsbury went 0–3 to snap a 22-game hitting streak.
On June 17, Ellsbury's streak of 232 games and 554 chances without an error ended at Fenway when he had a ball hit by Jorge Cantu
Jorge Cantú
Jorge Luís Cantú Guzmán is an American professional baseball first baseman.Cantú bats and throws right-handed. He was born in McAllen, Texas, went to Sharyland High School, but was raised and makes his home in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico.-Tampa Bay Devil Rays:Cantú was spotted by a scout while...
of the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
go off the top of his glove
Baseball glove
A baseball glove or mitt is a large leather glove that baseball players on the defending team are allowed to wear to assist them in catching and fielding balls hit by a batter, or thrown by a teammate.-History:...
in the top of the first inning. It was the longest errorless streak by an outfielder in Red Sox history.
On August 21, Ellsbury tied Tommy Harper's
Tommy Harper
Tommy Harper is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and third baseman. He played with the Cincinnati Reds , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Pilots , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Oakland Athletics , and the Baltimore Orioles .-High School...
Red Sox single season record for stolen bases (54), in a game against the New York Yankees, again facing Pettitte. Ellsbury then broke the record with his 55th steal on August 25, against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Ellsbury led the American League in stolen bases for the second consecutive year in 2009 with 70. He also led the AL in triples with 10.
Ellsbury won Defensive Player of the Year in MLB.com's annual This Year in Baseball Awards 2009.
2010
During the offseason, Ellsbury changed his uniform numberSquad number
In team sports, the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, uniform number or simply a number is the number worn on a player's uniform, to identify and distinguish each player from others wearing the same or similar uniforms...
(with permission from the Red Sox and MLB) from 46 to 2. The number 2 had belonged to Brad Mills, the Red Sox' former bench coach, who left the organization to become the manager of the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. Ellsbury has also worn number 23 in the past, but not in the majors.
With the Red Sox signing free agent center fielder Mike Cameron
Mike Cameron
Michael Terrance Cameron is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, and Florida Marlins.Cameron has won 3...
and not re-signing left fielder Jason Bay
Jason Bay
Jason Raymond Bay is a Canadian professional baseball player. An outfielder, he currently plays for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...
, Ellsbury was moved to the starting left field position from center field. Ellsbury spent a considerable amount of time playing left field during the 2007 playoffs in late innings when players were being substituted, before earning the primary job in center field over Coco Crisp
Coco Crisp
Covelli Loyce "Coco" Crisp is an American professional baseball center fielder. Crisp is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed...
. The move was made as the result of Cameron's experience in center and inexperience in left. Ellsbury tends to play more flexibly and can thus be moved. Manager Terry Francona
Terry Francona
Terry Jon Francona , nicknamed "Tito," is a former Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He was a first baseman and outfielder in the majors from 1981 to 1990. After retiring as a player, he managed several minor league teams in the 1990s before managing the Philadelphia Phillies for...
expressed excitement over the prospect of playing a true center fielder in left field, creating a larger fielding range and more aggressive style.
On April 11, Ellsbury collided with Red Sox third baseman Adrián Beltré
Adrián Beltré
Adrián Beltré Pérez is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Texas Rangers.The youngest player in the National League when he made his major league debut, he has also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , the Seattle Mariners , the Boston Red Sox , and the Texas Rangers . He bats and...
, in a game against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. The collision resulted in hairline fractures to four of his left ribs. He was put on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
on April 20. Ellsbury returned to the Red Sox on May 22.
On May 28, Ellsbury returned to the 15-day DL after playing in only three games due to residual soreness in his left ribs from the collision with Beltré. He met with a thoracic specialist, who advised him that his ribs should be further along in the healing process before he would be able to play. On July 26, Ellsbury started his rehab assignment with Single-A Lowell Spinners
Lowell Spinners
The Lowell Spinners are a Short-Season A minor league baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.-History:Founded in 1996 after Clyde Smoll moved the Elmira Pioneers to Lowell, Massachusetts, the Spinners play in the New York - Penn League, which has a Short-Season A classification with 76 games a...
. He rejoined the Red Sox on August 4. On August 9, he was the first baserunner since 1998 to steal four bases against the Yankees.
On August 14, Ellsbury was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the third time in 2010 after re-injuring himself in a game against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. He did not play again in 2010.
2011
Ellsbury had a huge year in 2011, and a very surprise power stroke. Ellsbury started the year hitting .314 with 25 home runs and 90 RBIs. On August 2-3, 2011, Ellsbury had walk-off hits in back-to-back games against the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, a single off Vinnie Pestano
Vinnie Pestano
Vincent William Pestano , is an American professional baseball player. A pitcher, Pestano plays for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball....
and a home run off Joe Smith. On August 6, Ellsbury hit a three-run home run and drove in a career-high six runs in Boston's 10-4 win over the rival New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. On September 25, Ellsbury hit 2 home runs during the first game of a double header against the Yankees to become the first member of the Boston Red Sox to join the 30-30 club
30-30 club
The 30–30 club is a grouping of Major League Baseball players who have reached the 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases plateaus in the same season....
(with 30 home runs and 38 stolen bases), he then hit a 3 run HR in the 14th inning of the second game of the double header to give the Red Sox the win. Ellsbury finished the season with a career highs in home runs (32), hits (212), RBIs (105), runs (119), and batting average (.321). Ellsbury was also recognized as one of the elite defensive center fielders in the game, winning his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award. He finished as one of only two qualifying players to complete the season with a perfect fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
of 1.000. Ellsbury was later awarded a Silver Slugger
Silver Slugger
The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
for his hitting, joining teammate Adrian Gonzalez
Adrián González
Adrian Gonzalez is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.Gonzalez was the first overall pick in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft by the Florida Marlins. He was traded to the Texas Rangers, and later to the San Diego Padres, where he...
as the only American League players to win both a Gold Glove and Silver slugger in 2011. He was also voted the American League Comeback Player of the Year. He was the highest scored position player on the 2011 AL MVP ballot, with 242 points, beaten only by Tigers ace Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander
Justin Brooks Verlander is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball....
(280 points).
Personal life
Jacoby Ellsbury was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), but as reported in the Boston Globe in 2008, he and his three brothers stopped attending services when Jacoby was a teenager. He said, "I try not to get Him too involved in baseball. What I wish for is good health."Ellsbury was one of the victims of the $8 billion fraud perpetrated by wealth manager Allen Stanford
Allen Stanford
Robert Allen Stanford is a former prominent financier and sponsor of professional sports who is in prison awaiting trial on charges his investment company was a massive Ponzi scheme and fraud. Stanford was the chairman of the now defunct Stanford Financial Group of Companies. A fifth-generation...
; although Ellsbury had some assets frozen, it did not cause him any significant hardship, like those suffered by Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon
Johnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...
and Xavier Nady
Xavier Nady
Xavier Clifford Nady VI is a Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman, who is a free agent.-Amateur career:The St. Louis Cardinals originally drafted Nady in the 4th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft after he was named Northern California Player of the Year in his senior...
.
Philanthropy
In 2010, Ellsbury released a ZinfandelZinfandel
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia , where it was introduced in the 18th century...
wine called ZinfandEllsbury through Charity Wines with 100% of his proceeds donated across three charities: The Navajo Relief Fund, Project Bread: The Walk for Hunger, and Ellsbury Read Project. The wine launched alongside a charity wine by Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
teammate Josh Beckett
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award with the Florida Marlins, and received the 2007 ALCS MVP award with the Red Sox.-Florida Marlins :A...
, called Chardon-K.
Amateur career
| Season | Team – | League | Age | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Bend Bend Elks The Bend Elks are an amateur baseball team from Bend, Oregon.The team is a founding member of the wooden-bat West Coast League, a collegiate summer baseball league in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia that began play in 2005. The Elks play their home games at Vince Genna Stadium. The team... |
Pacific International League | 18 | .357 | 31 | 82 | 19 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 7 | .463 | .500 |
| 2003 | Oregon State Oregon State University Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the... |
NCAA | 19 | .230 | 53 | 206 | 56 | 47 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 33 | 14 | 4 | 26 | 33 | .427 | .510 |
| 2003 | Anchorage Anchorage Glacier Pilots The Anchorage Glacier Pilots are a college summer baseball team in Anchorage, Alaska. They are part of the Alaska Baseball League, and a member of the National Baseball Congress.... |
Alaska Baseball League Alaska Baseball League The Alaska Baseball League is an amateur collegiate summer baseball league, with six teams located in four Alaskan cities. Players in the league must have attended one year of college and must have one year of NCAA eligibility remaining.... |
19 | .338 | 39 | 145 | 24 | 49 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 12 | .421 | .427 |
| 2004 | Oregon State | NCAA | 20 | .352 | 49 | 196 | 56 | 69 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 20 | 4 | 30 | 17 | .464 | .459 |
| 2004 | Falmouth Falmouth Commodores The Falmouth Commodores are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Falmouth, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Western Division. Falmouth currently plays its home games at Arnie Allen Diamond at Guv Fuller Field, one of 6 ballparks in... |
Cape Cod League | 20 | .245 | 28 | 110 | 20 | 27 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 17 | 25 | .376 | .345 |
| 2005 | Oregon State | NCAA | 21 | .406 | 58 | 244 | 56 | 99 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 48 | 26 | 8 | 36 | 21 | .495 | .582 |
- 2002 Pacific International League All-Star
- 2003 Freshman Second Team NCAA All-American
- 2004 Pac-10 Conference All-Star
- 2005 Pac-10 Conference Co-Player of the Year
- 2005 Pac-10 Conference All-Star
- 2005 First Team NCAA All-American
Minor League career
| Season | Team | League | Age | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Lowell Lowell Spinners The Lowell Spinners are a Short-Season A minor league baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.-History:Founded in 1996 after Clyde Smoll moved the Elmira Pioneers to Lowell, Massachusetts, the Spinners play in the New York - Penn League, which has a Short-Season A classification with 76 games a... |
A | 21 | .317 | 35 | 139 | 28 | 44 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 23 | 3 | 24 | 20 | .418 | .432 |
| 2006 | Wilmington Wilmington Blue Rocks The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:... |
A Carolina League The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth... |
22 | .299 | 61 | 244 | 35 | 73 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 32 | 25 | 9 | 25 | 28 | .379 | .418 |
| 2006 | Portland Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League.... |
AA Eastern League (U.S. baseball) The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League... |
22 | .308 | 50 | 198 | 29 | 61 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 24 | 25 | .387 | .434 |
| 2006 | Peoria Peoria Javelinas The Peoria Javelinas, established in 1992, are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Javelinas play their home games in the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, which is a spring training site for both the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners.For... |
Arizona Fall League Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes... |
23 | .276 | 25 | 105 | 18 | 29 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 16 | .342 | .371 |
| 2007 | Portland | AA | 23 | .452 | 17 | 73 | 16 | 33 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 7 | .518 | .644 |
| 2007 | Pawtucket Pawtucket Red Sox The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League... |
AAA International League The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States... |
23 | .298 | 87 | 363 | 66 | 108 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 28 | 33 | 12 | 32 | 47 | .360 | .380 |
- 2006 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
All-Star - 2006 Eastern LeagueEastern League (U.S. baseball)The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
Player of the Week – August 6–13 - 2006 Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year
- 2006 Red Sox Minor League Base Runner of the Year
- 2006 Arizona Fall LeagueArizona Fall LeagueThe Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
Rising Stars - 2007 Eastern League Player of the Month – April
- 2007 XM All-Star Futures GameAll-Star Futures GameThe All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
- 2007 Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year
- 2007 Red Sox Minor League Base Runner of the Year
Major League career
| Season | Team | League | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 2007 Major League Baseball season The 2007 Major League Baseball season, began on April 1 with a rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series; the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets played the first game of the season at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, which was won by the Mets, 6–1... |
Boston 2007 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox' 2007 season began with the Boston, Massachusetts-based Major League Baseball team trying to rebound after a disappointing 2006 season, in which they finished third in the American League East behind the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, and missed the postseason for... |
AL American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major... |
.353 | 33 | 116 | 20 | 41 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 67 | .394 | .509 |
| 2008 2008 Major League Baseball season The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the... |
Boston 2008 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox' 2008 season began on March 25, in Tokyo, Japan for the MLB Japan Opening Day 2008. The Red Sox were attempting to become the first repeat World Series Champions since the 1999–2000 New York Yankees and also be the first repeat Champions of the 21st century. They also tried to... |
AL | .280 | 145 | 554 | 98 | 155 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 47 | 50 | 11 | 41 | 80 | .336 | .394 |
| 2009 2009 Major League Baseball season The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to... |
Boston 2009 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox' 2009 season is the 109th in the team's history. The Red Sox came in off a loss in the American League Championship Series during their 2008 season. The team is in the 97th season at Fenway Park, the oldest active ballpark in Major League Baseball.-Roster:-Regular season:The Red... |
AL | .301 | 153 | 624 | 94 | 188 | 27 | 10 | 8 | 60 | 70 | 12 | 49 | 74 | .355 | .415 |
| 2010 2010 Major League Baseball season The 2010 Major League Baseball season began Sunday, April 4, when the Boston Red Sox defeated their long-time rivals, the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at Fenway Park, 9–7; the regular season ended on October 3. The 2010 All-Star Game was played on July 13 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim... |
Boston 2010 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox' 2010 season was the 110th in the team's history. The Red Sox opened and closed the season at home at Fenway Park against the New York Yankees... |
AL | .192 | 18 | 78 | 10 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 9 | .241 | .244 |
| 2011 2011 Major League Baseball season The 2011 Major League Baseball season began on Thursday, March 31, and ended on Wednesday, September 28. This marked the first time a season began on a Thursday since , and the first time a regular season ended on a Wednesday since... |
Boston 2011 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox 2011 season was the 111th in the team's history. The Red Sox opened their 2011 season playing away from Fenway Park against the Texas Rangers. Breaking from the traditional opening day of Sunday or Monday, Major League Baseball opened in 2011 on a Thursday, March 31, and the Red... |
AL | .321 | 158 | 660 | 119 | 212 | 46 | 5 | 32 | 105 | 39 | 15 | 52 | 98 | .376 | .552 |
| 5 Years | – | – | .301 | 507 | 2032 | 341 | 611 | 106 | 23 | 52 | 235 | 175 | 15 | 154 | 276 | .354 | .452 |
Through End of 2011 Season (September 28, 2011)
- 2007 American LeagueAmerican LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Rookie of the Month – September - 2008 Red Sox rookie single season stolen bases record
- 2008 American League stolen base leader
- 2009 All time Red Sox single season stolen bases record
- 2009 MLB Stolen Base Leader
- 2011 American League Comeback Player of the Year