The Red Sox spring surge has had many heroes- Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz on the mound, Mike Napoli, Dustin Pedroia, Daniel Nava, and David Ortiz at the plate, and, of course, John Farrell in the dugout. But let us not forget Jacoby Ellsbury, who still leads the majors in steals from the leadoff spot, and is hitting .279 with 12 rbi's. He covers lots of ground in center and has not committed an error. Despite his success, however, there is a small cloud over Ellsbury's head. It involves his contract status as a free agent at the end of 2013.
It is easy to forget that the boyish-looking Ellsbury is 29 years old and is in his seventh year at Fenway. He has already accomplished a lot, but established stardom seems to always elude him. His career has already had a number of milestones. In his first postseason, he hit .360 in 25 at bats. In game 3 of the 07 World Series, he became the first rookie to hit two doubles in the same inning of a Series game. In 08, he had a stolen base streak of 25 games and ended up leading the AL with 50. The next year, he tied a major league mark with 12 putouts in a nine-inning game. His 70 steals not only led the league, but also broke the Sox record, which had stood at 54. After an injury-riddled 2010 campaign, Ellsbury exploded into near-superstardom in 2011. His 212 hits included 46 doubles, 5 triples, 32 homers and 105 rbi's. He still found time to steal 39 bases and batted .321. Though the season ended in a team collapse, he won his first Gold Glove, was voted AL Comeback Player of the Year, and was second to Justin Verlander in MVP voting.
Like the rest of the Sox, Ellsbury had a pretty much lost year in 2012. A shoulder injury limited him to 74 games. His power numbers plummeted and he swiped only 14 bases. Despite his speed, he failed to hit even one triple.
In 2013 spring training, Jackie Bradley Jr seemed to emerge as the Sox center-fielder- in-waiting in case Ellsbury did not re-sign. But when the season began Bradley faltered and was sent to Pawtucket with an .097 average. Though his future is bright, he still must prove himself at the major league level. He is an excellent fielder, but does not seem to have Ellsbury's speed on the bases.
As the season progresses, Sox management faces a dilemma. Though his 2011 power stats may have been a fluke, he is the only member of the team that is a true base-stealing threat. His defense is excellent, and he is a .296 career hitter. As a Scott Boras client, will the Sox open the bank for him despite his rather up-and-down career?
If Bradley Jr returns and hits well, do they try to get something for Ellsbury with a deadline trade? Or do they let him walk, risking a return to Fenway in a Yankees or Orioles uniform? It is a huge question, but over the years lack of speed has cost many a Sox team. They must keep that in mind.
