Biographical

Portrait of Jacoby Ellsbury

Jacoby Ellsbury CFYankees

Yankees Player Cards | Yankees Team Audit | Yankees Depth Chart

2019 Projections (Preseason PECOTA - seasonal age 35)
PA AVG HR R RBI SB DRC+ WARP
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Birth Date9-11-1983
Height6' 1"
Weight195 lbs
Age41 years, 2 months, 10 days
BatsL
ThrowsL
0.92015
0.32016
0.82017
2018
0.12019
proj
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

YEAR TEAM AGE G PA H 2B 3B HR BB SO HBP SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ DRAA BRR FRAA BWARP
2007 BOS 23 33 127 41 7 1 3 8 15 1 9 0 .353 .394 .509 103 0.9 1.8 -0.3 0.6
2008 BOS 24 145 609 155 22 7 9 41 80 7 50 11 .280 .336 .394 87 -8.6 6.9 10.9 2.5
2009 BOS 25 153 691 188 27 10 8 49 74 6 70 12 .301 .355 .415 103 4.5 6.8 -13.2 2.0
2010 BOS 26 18 83 15 4 0 0 4 9 1 7 1 .192 .241 .244 70 -2.8 1.1 -0.6 0.0
2011 BOS 27 158 729 212 46 5 32 52 98 9 39 15 .321 .376 .552 144 37.6 3.2 10.6 7.7
2012 BOS 28 74 323 82 18 0 4 19 43 0 14 3 .271 .313 .370 93 -2.4 3.3 -4.9 0.6
2013 BOS 29 134 636 172 31 8 9 47 92 5 52 4 .298 .355 .426 105 4.4 5.3 6.0 3.7
2014 NYA 30 149 635 156 27 5 16 49 93 3 39 5 .271 .328 .419 110 7.3 -1.2 5.3 3.2
2015 NYA 31 111 501 116 15 2 7 35 86 7 21 9 .257 .318 .345 92 -2.7 4.2 -7.9 0.9
2016 NYA 32 148 626 145 24 5 9 54 84 2 20 8 .263 .330 .374 93 -4.0 2.3 -14.5 0.3
2017 NYA 33 112 409 94 20 4 7 41 63 5 22 3 .264 .348 .402 97 -0.1 1.4 -5.8 0.8
Career123553691376241471043997374634371.284.342.41710434.035.1-14.522.2

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G PA oppAVG oppOBP oppSLG BABIP BPF BRAA repLVL POS_ADJ DRC+ DRC+ SD FRAA BRR DRAA BWARP
2005 LOW A- NYP 35 165 .258 .340 .376 .364 103 4.5 3.7 -0.2 145 0 1.2 3.9 8.5 1.7
2006 WIL A+ CRL 61 281 .254 .338 .386 .319 97 6.8 6.8 0.6 97 0 6.8 -0.7 -4.1 0.9
2006 PME AA EAS 50 225 .000 .000 .000 .341 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2007 BOS MLB AL 33 127 .268 .341 .418 .380 103 6.8 3.8 -0.4 103 16 -0.3 1.8 0.9 0.6
2007 PME AA EAS 17 83 .265 .333 .392 .500 108 9.4 2.3 0.2 199 0 0.7 2.9 9.2 1.5
2007 PAW AAA INT 87 401 .270 .338 .408 .337 92 1.3 11.7 -0.1 106 0 -16.0 4.8 2.9 0.3
2008 BOS MLB AL 145 609 .263 .329 .412 .312 107 -6.9 17.6 -2 87 7 10.9 6.9 -8.6 2.5
2009 BOS MLB AL 153 691 .266 .334 .429 .328 111 0.2 19.9 1.8 103 7 -13.2 6.8 4.5 2.0
2010 BOS MLB AL 18 83 .260 .325 .415 .217 113 -6.6 2.3 0 70 11 -0.6 1.1 -2.8 0.0
2010 PME AA EAS 2 8 .288 .353 .418 .429 116 0.7 0.2 0 104 0 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.1
2010 PAW AAA INT 4 18 .260 .319 .406 .471 86 2.4 0.5 -0.2 181 0 -0.4 -0.1 1.6 0.1
2010 RSX Rk GCL 3 11 .230 .306 .336 .250 102 0.4 0.4 0 119 0 0.0 0.7 -0.2 0.1
2011 BOS MLB AL 158 729 .258 .319 .411 .336 108 39.1 19.7 1.6 144 9 10.6 3.2 37.6 7.7
2012 BOS MLB AL 74 323 .252 .314 .411 .304 103 -5.6 8.8 0.7 93 10 -4.9 3.3 -2.4 0.6
2012 PME AA EAS 2 9 .282 .345 .444 .250 102 -0.6 0.2 0 70 0 -0.1 0.1 -0.3 0.0
2012 PAW AAA INT 2 8 .261 .316 .403 .143 93 -1.9 0.2 0 52 0 -0.1 0.2 -0.4 0.0
2012 RSX Rk GCL 4 14 .176 .277 .258 .167 104 0.7 0.4 -0.2 165 0 0.1 -0.5 0.7 0.1
2013 BOS MLB AL 134 636 .257 .318 .410 .341 102 9.3 16.6 1.5 105 9 6.0 5.3 4.4 3.7
2014 NYA MLB AL 149 635 .249 .311 .384 .296 98 11.9 16.3 1.1 110 11 5.3 -1.2 7.3 3.2
2015 NYA MLB AL 111 501 .250 .311 .403 .301 110 -6.8 13.4 1.2 92 9 -7.9 4.2 -2.7 0.9
2015 TAM A+ FSL 4 13 .244 .291 .349 .167 91 -1.8 0.4 0 46 0 -0.3 0.2 -0.9 -0.1
2016 NYA MLB AL 148 626 .257 .320 .415 .295 111 -9.7 17.4 1.6 93 8 -14.5 2.3 -4.0 0.3
2017 NYA MLB AL 112 409 .258 .325 .434 .304 106 1.5 11.8 0.7 97 6 -5.8 1.4 -0.1 0.8
2017 SWB AAA INT 2 8 .237 .311 .358 .375 103 0.6 0.2 -0.1 123 0 0.2 0.5 0.2 0.1

Statistics For All Levels

Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
Year Team lvl LG PA AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG ISO SF SH
2005 LOW A- NYP 165 139 28 44 3 5 1 60 19 24 20 23 3 .317 .421 .432 .115 0 0
2006 WIL A+ CRL 281 244 35 73 7 5 4 102 32 25 28 25 9 .299 .375 .418 .119 4 4
2006 PME AA EAS 225 198 29 61 10 3 3 86 19 24 25 16 8 .308 .388 .434 .126 0 0
2007 PME AA EAS 83 73 16 33 10 2 0 47 13 6 7 8 1 .452 .518 .644 .192 0 0
2007 PAW AAA INT 401 363 66 108 14 5 2 138 28 32 47 33 6 .298 .360 .380 .083 1 1
2007 BOS MLB AL 127 116 20 41 7 1 3 59 18 8 15 9 0 .353 .394 .509 .155 2 0
2008 BOS MLB AL 609 554 98 155 22 7 9 218 47 41 80 50 11 .280 .336 .394 .114 3 4
2009 BOS MLB AL 691 624 94 188 27 10 8 259 60 49 74 70 12 .301 .355 .415 .114 6 6
2010 RSX Rk GCL 11 8 3 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 .250 .455 .250 .000 0 0
2010 PME AA EAS 8 7 2 3 1 0 0 4 0 1 0 1 0 .429 .500 .571 .143 0 0
2010 BOS MLB AL 83 78 10 15 4 0 0 19 5 4 9 7 1 .192 .241 .244 .051 0 0
2010 PAW AAA INT 18 17 5 8 1 0 0 9 2 1 0 0 0 .471 .500 .529 .059 0 0
2011 BOS MLB AL 729 660 119 212 46 5 32 364 105 52 98 39 15 .321 .376 .552 .230 5 3
2012 RSX Rk GCL 14 10 3 2 1 0 1 6 3 4 3 0 0 .200 .429 .600 .400 0 0
2012 BOS MLB AL 323 303 43 82 18 0 4 112 26 19 43 14 3 .271 .313 .370 .099 1 0
2012 PAW AAA INT 8 8 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .125 .125 .125 .000 0 0
2012 PME AA EAS 9 9 1 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 .222 .222 .333 .111 0 0
2013 BOS MLB AL 636 577 92 172 31 8 9 246 53 47 92 52 4 .298 .355 .426 .128 2 1
2014 NYA MLB AL 635 575 71 156 27 5 16 241 70 49 93 39 5 .271 .328 .419 .148 7
2015 TAM A+ FSL 13 13 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 .154 .154 .154 .000 0 0
2015 NYA MLB AL 501 452 66 116 15 2 7 156 33 35 86 21 9 .257 .318 .345 .088 3 1
2016 NYA MLB AL 626 551 71 145 24 5 9 206 56 54 84 20 8 .263 .330 .374 .111 3 4
2017 NYA MLB AL 409 356 65 94 20 4 7 143 39 41 63 22 3 .264 .348 .402 .138 0 2
2017 SWB AAA INT 8 8 1 3 2 0 0 5 2 0 0 1 0 .375 .375 .625 .250 0 0

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr% CSAA
2008 2102 0.5152 0.4225 0.8761 0.5633 0.2728 0.9279 0.7626 0.1239 0.0138
2009 2592 0.5220 0.3985 0.8742 0.5432 0.2405 0.9374 0.7181 0.1258 0.0018
2010 309 0.5502 0.3948 0.9180 0.5294 0.2302 0.9444 0.8438 0.0820 -0.0029
2011 2803 0.5223 0.4356 0.8485 0.5990 0.2569 0.9054 0.7035 0.1515 0.0063
2012 1248 0.5288 0.4447 0.8541 0.6167 0.2517 0.9091 0.7027 0.1459 0.0020
2013 2438 0.5029 0.4541 0.8726 0.6281 0.2781 0.9234 0.7567 0.1274 -0.0028
2014 2321 0.5032 0.4558 0.8544 0.6370 0.2723 0.9194 0.7006 0.1456 -0.0043
2015 1866 0.5000 0.4807 0.8272 0.6356 0.3258 0.8836 0.7171 0.1728 -0.0035
2016 2306 0.4952 0.4614 0.8336 0.6384 0.2878 0.9204 0.6448 0.1664 0.0000
2017 1558 0.4820 0.4255 0.8160 0.6072 0.2565 0.9079 0.6135 0.1840 0.0000
Career195430.50910.44050.85370.60470.27030.91670.70740.14630.0015

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2014-09-20 2014-09-29 DTD 9 9 Right Thigh Strain Hamstring -
2014-08-31 2014-08-31 DTD 0 0 Left Ankle Sprain -
2014-06-13 2014-06-13 DTD 0 0 Right Hip Tightness -
2014-06-09 2014-06-10 DTD 1 0 - Hip Soreness -
2014-05-16 2014-05-18 DTD 2 1 - General Medical Illness - -
2014-04-28 2014-05-01 DTD 3 1 Left Hand Soreness - -
2014-03-15 2014-03-31 Camp 16 0 Right Lower Leg Strain Calf - -
2013-09-06 2013-09-25 DTD 19 16 Right Foot Fracture Navicular From Foul Ball - -
2013-08-29 2013-08-29 DTD 0 0 Right Foot Contusion Foul Ball - -
2013-07-08 2013-07-10 DTD 2 2 Left Wrist Soreness - -
2013-05-31 2013-06-06 DTD 6 5 Left Groin Strain - -
2013-03-25 2013-03-28 Camp 3 0 Right Foot Contusion Heel - -
2013-03-05 2013-03-07 Camp 2 0 - General Medical Illness - -
2012-09-21 2012-09-29 DTD 8 6 Left Shoulder Strain Latissimus Dorsi - -
2012-09-02 2012-09-03 DTD 1 1 Right Wrist Soreness - -
2012-04-14 2012-07-13 60-DL 90 79 Right Shoulder Subluxation Landed on At Second Base - -
2011-08-20 2011-08-23 DTD 3 3 - Back Contusion HBP - -
2011-07-01 2011-07-02 DTD 1 1 - General Medical Illness -
2011-05-13 2011-05-13 DTD 0 0 Right Knee Contusion -
2011-05-11 2011-05-11 DTD 0 0 - General Medical Illness - -
2011-05-02 2011-05-02 DTD 0 0 Left Knee Contusion -
2011-02-24 2011-02-25 Camp 1 0 General Medical Illness Respiratory Illness -
2010-08-14 2010-10-04 60-DL 51 45 Left Trunk Fracture Ribs -
2010-05-25 2010-08-04 15-DL 71 61 Left Trunk Fracture Rib Posterior Aspect -
2010-04-12 2010-05-22 15-DL 40 37 Left Trunk Fracture 4 Non Displaced Fractures Ribs -
2010-04-01 2010-04-02 Camp 1 0 Left Shoulder Soreness -
2010-03-17 2010-03-20 Camp 3 0 General Medical Illness Virus -
2009-09-18 2009-09-18 DTD 0 0 Groin Soreness Mild -
2009-08-27 2009-08-27 DTD 0 0 Left Ankle Sprain Mild -
2009-07-17 2009-07-19 DTD 2 2 General Medical Illness Virus -
2009-06-07 2009-06-12 DTD 5 4 Right Shoulder Separation AC Joint -
2009-05-05 2009-05-08 DTD 3 3 Right Thigh Soreness Hamstring -
2009-03-11 2009-03-13 Camp 2 0 Thigh Soreness Hamstring -
2008-06-06 2008-06-07 DTD 1 1 Right Wrist Strain -
2008-05-12 2008-05-13 DTD 1 1 Right Knee Contusion HBP -
2008-04-28 2008-05-02 DTD 4 3 Groin Strain -
2007-09-27 2007-09-27 DTD 0 0 Right Lower Leg Cramp Calf -
2007-07-22 2007-08-05 Minors 14 0 Groin Strain -
2006-04-27 2006-05-22 Minors 25 0 Right Thigh Strain Quadriceps -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2021 NYA $5,000,000
2020 NYA $21,142,857
2019 NYA $21,142,857
2018 NYA $21,142,857
2017 NYA $21,142,857
2016 NYA $21,142,857
2015 NYA $21,142,857
2014 NYA $21,142,858
2013 BOS $9,000,000
2012 BOS $8,050,000
2011 BOS $2,400,000
2010 BOS $496,500
2009 BOS $449,500
2008 BOS $406,000
YearsDescriptionSalary
14 yrPrevious$173,802,000
14 yrTotal$173,802,000

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
12 y 37 dBoras Corp.7 years/$153M (2014-20), 2021 option

Details
  • 7 years/$153M (2014-20), plus 2021 option. Signed by NY Yankees as a free agent 12/13/13. 14-20: $21,142,857 annually. 21:$21M club option, $5M buyout. Full no-trade protection. Perks: may purchase six Legends Suite tickets per year. NY Yankees released Ellsbury 11/20/19 after converting his contract to a non-guaranteed deal and refusing to pay remaining $26,142,857. The Yankees contend Ellsbury violated the terms of his contract when he saw a physician without the club's consent. The MLBPA has filed a grievance on Ellsbury's behalf.
  • 1 year/$9M (2013). Re-signed by Boston 1/18/13 (avoided arbitration).
  • 1 year/$8.05M (2012). Re-signed by Boston 1/17/12 (avoided arbitration).
  • 1 year/$2.4M (2011). Re-signed by Boston 1/18/11 (avoided arbitration). Performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 600, 700 PAs.
  • 1 year/$0.4965M (2010). Re-signed by Boston 3/8/10.
  • 1 year/$0.4495M (2009). Re-signed by Boston 3/10/09.
  • 1 year/$0.406M (2008). Re-signed by Boston 3/6/08.
  • 1 year (2007). Contract purchased by Boston 6/30/07. Optioned to Triple-A 7/5/07. Recalled 8/17/07. Optioned to Triple-A 8/18/07. Recalled 9/1/07.
  • Drafted by Boston 2005 (1-23) (Oregon State). $1.4M signing bonus.

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ VORP FRAA WARP
90o 94 12 26 5 1 2 10 9 13 4 1 .313 .387 .470 122 7.9 0.8
80o 73 9 19 4 1 1 7 7 10 3 1 .292 .370 .431 114 5.1 0.5
70o 58 7 14 3 0 1 6 5 8 2 1 .269 .345 .385 108 3.5 0.4
60o 45 5 11 2 0 1 4 4 7 2 0 .275 .341 .400 103 2.3 0.2
50o 33 4 7 1 0 1 3 3 5 1 0 .233 .303 .367 98 1.5 0.2
40o 21 2 4 1 0 0 2 2 3 1 0 .211 .286 .263 93 0.8 0.1
30o 8 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 .143 .250 .143 88 0.2 0.0
Weighted Mean384920143620.265.324.4121001.80.2

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BP Annual Player Comments

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BP Articles

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BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2020-09-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)We've all read about the speed & defense of Cristian Pache, but the guesses on where the bat winds up are always vague. In a full, peak season, where do you see Pache's HRs, doubles and BA/OBP winding up?
(The Colonel from Pasadena, CA)
I am not really that kind of prognosticator, especially for isolating a peak season without context. I mean, Jacoby Ellsbury's peak season is wildly out of line with the rest of his career. Is there value in going out on a limb for that rather than giving you the expected contribution and acknowledging that variance will do what it may? There might be, but I struggle to see it.

I think Pache is generally an 8-12 HR type, with a .270s average and a .330 type OBP. (Craig Goldstein)
2017-10-03 20:00:00 (link to chat)Have the Yankees done the Twins a favor by starting Aaron Hicks and DHing Jacoby Ellsbury? They seem to have really limited their bench use, given that they will PH for Ellsbury with someone they cannot use in the field.
(InsightsHound from St. Paul, Minnesota (go Twins!))
You can make an argument that putting the best defense out there is important given that the Twins aren't really a feast-or-famine team, but yeah. I imagine Chase Headley may pinch hit for him at some point. We shall see. - Nick Stellini (AL WC Game Chat)
2016-12-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)The direction the Yankees are taking now with getting younger and developing their own talent is a new leaf considering the last decade+ of the opposite. They've done a fine job thus far. Do you see any more moves they make between now and the deadline that would add to their deepening farm system?
(Jonah from Redwood)
I could see them trading Gardner and maybe even Chapman a second time depending on how things work out for them. But that's about it. I don't think Jacoby Ellsbury is very appealing to rival general managers. (Kenny Ducey)
2016-07-19 14:00:00 (link to chat)Who would win in a bike race, Peter Sagan, Mark Cavendish, or Jacoby Ellsbury?
(Sean from NJ)
Ozzie Smith (Nicolas Stellini)
2016-04-22 13:00:00 (link to chat)At this point it seems pretty much guaranteed Bryce Harper is going to garner a mammoth contract when he hits free agency. Realistically, where do you think he could sign? How shocked would you be if he *didn't* sign with the Yankees? Or if he stayed with the Nationals?
(Brendan from Hoboken)
I would be pretty surprised if he doesn't sign with the Yankees, frankly. They'll open up their checkbook, they should have a spot open in the outfield alongside Jacoby Ellsbury (yep, he'll still be there) and Aaron Judge, and in the order right behind Ellsbury (still there!) and Judge. He might hit 40 dingers to right field alone.

I also think he fits the city of New York incredibly well. You need a guy with his attitude (sort of like Matt Harvey). He'll welcome the attention, and become a mega star. Don't see where else he would go other than New York if he decided to leave Washington. (Kenny Ducey)
2016-01-14 20:00:00 (link to chat)I'm having a hard time trying to determine what to expect from Jacoby Ellsbury. Think his bad 2h had more to do with the knee injury/time off or a prediction of things to come?
(Trevor from Baltimore)
It was injury related but the problem is that players with Ellsbury's injury history and speed/defense profile tend to have more of these problems as they get into their 30s. I see a bounce back but I also don't quite see him being the elite option that he has been in the past. (Mike Gianella)
2015-06-18 13:00:00 (link to chat)What's up RJ. How high are you on guys like ( and specifically) Anthony Alford? Is there any track record of extremely athletic, baseball limited guys becoming truly successful? Or do most of them just because lost heart throbs? Thanks
(ssauve25 from SF)
1) I don't have any opinion on Alford.
2) Yeah, absolutely. I don't know how their stories compare to Alford, but Carl Crawford, Todd Helton, Gabe Gross, Tony Gwynn, etc. were all multi-sport guys. Teams like multi-sport guys because it's a sign of greater athleticism and/or competitiveness. Heck, I just read last week about how the Red Sox became sold on Jacoby Ellsbury based on him dunking the ball during a random basketball session.
3) I would guess most of his ilk bust, but that's true of all prospects. (R.J. Anderson)
2014-05-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Thanks for the chat, Jeff, really enjoy these. What would be a solid comp for Brandon Nimmo? A Shin-Soo Choo type as a leadoff guy with average speed but high on-base, or do you think he can fill out more and be a middle of the order bat eventually? Also, do you think he has present power that he just hasn't learned how to utilize in games yet, or he still needs to put on significant muscle or improve his bat speed.
(Ron Mexico from Cedar Rapids)
Nimmo is a great example of why comps can get us in trouble but why they can also be valuable tools. I've seen Nimmo four times this season already and I'm still not sure who he's going to be like. He has some Choo-ish qualities, most notably his plate discipline. The real question for Nimmo is how much power he develops. I don't see him becoming a middle of the order bat, though he's built like a guy who could be one. He has a leadoff man's game, though, and I think that's where he ends up. I don' know if he's Grady Sizemore, or Choo or a slightly slower Jacoby Ellsbury or what. That's why I won't make a comp on him just yet. At this point, pick a left-handed hitting center fielder with plus plate discipline and you've got a shot to be correct. (Jeff Moore)
2014-01-29 19:00:00 (link to chat)From a fantasy perspective, what is Byron Buxton's floor? Is it B.J. Upton with maybe a better avg? In general, people seem to be against giving up good MLB talent for him, but if that's his floor, and his ceiling is best in baseball, then why not? Smart baseball people are saying he's a generational talent and even if he only reaches 75% talent that's better than most players out there. If a whiff on him still produces pre-2013 B.J. Upton there's a ton of guys already in the MLB I'd be willing to trade for his upside.
(The Dude from Office)
I think his floor is higher than Upton - he has a much better hit tool, and he's faster. I'm beginning to wonder if his floor is Andrew McCutchen or 2011 Jacoby Ellsbury or something. He's absurd. (Ben Carsley)
2014-01-23 12:00:00 (link to chat)Any players come to mind that you expect a happy healthy return to his peak such as we enjoyed from Jacoby Ellsbury last year?
(John Carter from home office)
Jose Reyes didn't miss the whole season but I expect he'll be the same dynamic force he usually is. You didn't ask, but I'm expecting a big season out of Ellsbury too. The Yankees gave him a lot of money and years, but at least over the next few seasons I don't think they'll regret it. I think you'll see a power spike from Ellsbury this season. Maybe not 30 homers again, but 20 wouldn't surprise me at all. (Matthew Kory)
2013-11-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Do the Mariners have a legitimate need to sign Jacoby Ellsbury, or do they have an answer from within the organization?
(José from Portland)
Seems like the Mariners have a fair amount to figure out -- not sure Ellsbury should be their top concern. (Nick J. Faleris)
2013-10-07 18:00:00 (link to chat)Sandy Alderson's seat is going to start getting warm this winter. Realistically, what can he do to improve that awful team?
(Matt M from Ray Brook, NY)
A lot depends on how much money Alderson is going to be able to spend in the next couple of years. There have been rumors linking the Mets to Shin-Soo Choo and Jacoby Ellsbury, but it's hard to say how realistic this is given the Mets money problems. Mets fans and some Mets watchers don't like to hear this, but the Mets are on a five-year plan. An emergence of some of the arms the Mets have in their system would be a big help. Wheeler, Montero, Gee, and Niese isn't a bad rotation. The question is whether or not the team will be able to field a decent enough offense to run with the big boys. My suspicion is that 2015 is the year the Mets will start looking to contend again. (Mike Gianella)
2013-03-19 13:00:00 (link to chat)From the Red Sox offseason so far, I can't tell if they are rebuilding, punting, or going for it on 4th and 4 at the 50 yd line. What do you think they are doing?
(BobcatBaseball from Athens, OH)
I think they're building a bridge to their prospects, like Bradley, Bogaerts, Allen Webster, etc. They had a ton of holes on the roster because of the Nick Punto trade with the Dodgers and because they had a ton of holes on the roster. They brought in good players on short-term contracts to fill those holes. You may not like Shane Victorino on a three year deal, but before Bradleyapalooza this spring the Red Sox had spent two of the last three seasons without a center fielder due to Jacoby Ellsbury running into things or having pianos fall on him or what have you. If/when Ellsbury leaves as a free agent or they trade him at the deadline they have a major league ready CF to move there. Anyway, I'm off the point. You asked me what the Red Sox are doing and I think they're trying to win while not blocking or trading off their prospects. That's it in a nutshell. (Matthew Kory)
2013-03-06 20:00:00 (link to chat)The SP I will roster most this year is ________ because I see him as a breakout candidate relative to his ADP. The Hitter most rostered for same reasons is: _______?
(Donald Loria from Milwaukee)
I see myself owner lots of Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner shares this year. Jacoby Ellsbury will also end up on a lot of my squads it seems. (Paul Singman)
2012-12-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Thanks for the chat today. Anyway the Reds could package a deal starting with Drew Stubbs and Homer Bailey / Mike Leake for something involving either Dexter Fowler or Jacoby Ellsbury? If not, what else would they need to include?
(Tommy from Flowmont)
I know that Fowler and Ellsbury have both been dangled, but I'm not sure what kind of return each team is looking for. Personally I'm not a Fowler fan -- his approach at the plate is a total disaster, and he either hasn't been able or willing to make adjustments. Still not sure what kind of player Ellsbury is long-term, so if I'm a GM, i'm reticent to make a move for him.

Also, I still believe in Stubbs and wouldn't necessarily want to sell low on him. I always worry about trading big-league starters, too. You can never have enough pitching! (Ian Miller)
2012-11-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)Jacoby Ellsbury: discuss!
(Matty the K from Portland, OR)
One of my favorite fantasy sleepers this year! From a real baseball standpoint, it'll be interesting to track Jackie Bradley Jr.'s progress in the upper minors. The Red Sox might be tempted to field an elite defensive outfield with the two of them playing side-by-side, but there are enough holes in the roster to at least consider trading Ellsbury before he hits free agency. (Daniel Rathman)
2012-07-30 13:00:00 (link to chat)Looking ahead, who are your Top 5 SS for next season? (And, if you feel like it, Top 5 CF as well)
(sitdancer from DC)
Right now, I'd rank the shortstops
1- Troy Tulowitzki
2- Jose Reyes
3- Starlin Castro
4- Elvis Andrus
5- Ian Desmond

I struggled to rank 3-5, and an argument could be made for shuffling them up in any order. Hanley Ramirez could throw a wrench into these rankings if he sees time at SS in Dee Gordon's absence. As for the CF position, I'm much less comfortable ranking them at the moment. Matt Kemp has missed time due to injury, as has Jacoby Ellsbury. Josh Hamilton has been streaky as hell, and I just want to see a bit more from others. As it stands, though, my top 3 would be Trout, Kemp, McCutchen in that order. (Josh Shepardson)
2011-10-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)Jim Callis said in one of his chats back in the summertime, that Matt Szczur has a very similar skillset to Jacoby Ellsbury. He might not have expected the power outburst from Ellsbury over the last couple months, but for you does Szczur have Ellsbury upside?
(ShaeTrimmen from Cambellsville, GA)
Not quite, but I agree with Jim that the skill-set is similar. Szczur has crazy athleticism and that propels his ceiling beyond what is really possible. Lots of questions about how much he is actually going to hit, and from that, how much power is going to translate to game action. I really like the player, but he's not the baseball player Ellsbury is (Jason Parks)
2011-09-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)This season's 1st round by ADP: Pujols, Hanley, Miggy, Longoria, Tulo, CarGo, Votto, Wright, AGon, Cano, Teixeira, and Braun. Who falls out next season? Who are candidates to enter the 1st round?
(Andrew from Las Vegas)
I'm surprised Matt Kemp didn't make that list this year, and he'll definitely be on it next year. I think we also see Jose Bautista join the ranks as people finally buy into him. Jacoby Ellsbury seems fairly likely, and you might be able to make a case for Curtis Granderson. I think the best bets to fall out to make room include Wright, Teixeira, Longoria, and maybe a CarGo or Hanley. (Derek Carty)
2011-06-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)Gardner on the basepaths looks like he's afraid to break the eggs in his pockets, while Carl Crawford seems to have forgotten he can steal bases....which condition will last longer???
(Youpi from Winnipeg)
Probably the latter, because the Red Sox have rarely cared much about steals in recent years, if ever. Until Jacoby Ellsbury came along, their single-season list was Tommy Harper '73 and a bunch of Deadball-era guys. Your comment on Gardner reminds me of Casey Stengel's explanation of why Paul Waner was so good at sliding--he had to be graceful to avoid breaking the flask in his hip pocket. (Steven Goldman)
2011-04-18 13:00:00 (link to chat)Not a prospect question but what's up with Jacoby Ellsbury's power this year?
(Jay from Madison)
I'm pretty shocked myself. (Kevin Goldstein)
2011-04-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)In 1000 words or less, explain why Jacoby Ellsbury is an up-and-coming star and Brett Gardner is a placeholding OF? Seems to me they have similar skill sets and are similar ages, with Ellsbury commanding a sliver more power and speed, and Gardner a little more plate discipline.
(PS from NJ)
I've known some folks in Boston who would sooner drink hot lye than call Ellsbury a star. He hits less than you would think even at .300 and takes some spectacularly poor routes in the outfield, and he's 27. I'd take Gardner over him every time, assuming Gardner remembers the plate discipline he had as recently as last week in Florida. (Steven Goldman)
2010-08-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)After an abysmal first half, Josh Reddick has been on fire since the break -- 368/396/647 -- is it time for Boston to give him another look?
(Nick from Allston, MA)
He'll get a call in September, and given Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury are both out of commission, he'll get some at-bats. Ryan Kalish passed him on the depth charts and prospect lists this year, but as Boston reminded us this year, there's no such thing as too much depth, and they are as curious as we are as to what they have in Reddick. (Marc Normandin)
2010-08-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)Marc, thanks for the chat. Assuming, as it seems relatively safe to do, that the Red Sox miss the playoffs, what do you do this winter if you're Theo Epstein?
(mattymatty2000 from Portland, OR)
Re-sign Beltre, let Victor walk (picks!), install Saltalamacchia as the starting catcher, pick up Ortiz' option for 2011 rather than signing him to a longer deal with fewer dollars, try to convince Bill Hall to stay for something less than the $7.5M Milwaukee was just paying him, trade Jacoby Ellsbury for a front line relief pitcher + prospect, sign Carl Crawford, shift Kalish to center and hope he doesn't put on any more bulk that will push him to a corner, examine the trade market for Jonathan Papelbon in the off chance someone is willing to give up top prospects for his services. If Papelbon goes, sign Heath Bell. (Marc Normandin)
2010-08-02 13:30:00 (link to chat)will kalish play every day in Boston?
(ryan from boston)
Until they bring Jacoby Ellsbury back, of course, but that's the obvious answer. The question is whether the Cameron mess festers, forcing a DL move. If Cameron lands on the DL while Ellsbury comes back up, leaving Kalish alone in left field in the meantime makes sense. (Christina Kahrl)
2009-07-01 14:00:00 (link to chat)My co-worker keeps trying to convince me that Brett Gardner is the same player as Jacoby Ellsbury. He can't be right, can he?
(Sam from Boston)
While at first blush that might sound like the sort of deliberately noxious proposition to put people off their feed, it's closer than you might think. (Christina Kahrl)
2009-06-03 15:00:00 (link to chat)Jacoby Ellsbury: is this it? Is this as good as he's gonna be? He's looking eerily like Michael Bourn, except about 9 months younger.
(johnpark99 from Boston)
Oh, I'm sorry. You were expecting him to hit .353 again? That's not going to happen.

While he's got speed galore, right now it seems rather apparent that he lacks the power and plate discipline to live up to the early Johnny Damon comparisons. He's walked in less than six percent of his plate apperances, for crying out loud. He's the Juan Pierre of the AL East! (Jay Jaffe)
2009-05-04 14:00:00 (link to chat)Jacoby Ellsbury: Is this all there is?
(dcarroll from WI)
I think so. He'll hit for a higher average some years, but there's no power, and in part because of that, not enough walks. The plus defense in CF makes him a fair starter, but he's no leadoff hitter. (Joe Sheehan)
2009-03-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)Many people consider Jacoby Ellsbury's season a dissapointment last year, however looking at his minor league stats it really should have been somewhat close to what people should have expected. If not a budding superstar, what do you see Jacoby eventually developing into?
(mattdi02421 from Lexington, MA)
I thought our comment on him in this year's annual did a good job of covering the Ellsbury issues:

[Snip] This season was a learning experience for the speedy 24-year-old: he started out hot, but pitchers quickly figured out that he lacked the muscle or the swing to be a power threat, and began to bust him inside. The result was an awful run through June and July during which he hit .246/.271/.308. He did finally adjust, hitting .314/.352/.463 over the final two months by switching to an all-fields approach. The Red Sox believe he\'s turned a corner.

...I'd like to think he's turned a corner, too. His #4 PECOTA comp is Johnny Damon, and I still lean in that direction. (Steven Goldman)
2009-03-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)How many of the "female" posters here are just guys trying to get into the chat, do you figure? I read a comparison of Carlos Gomez to Jacoby Ellsbury the other day? Is that: a. true? b. complimentary to Gomez (meaning both have value)? c. insulting to Ellsbury (meaning neither has much worth)?
(Dude Looks Like a Lady from The 80s)
(A) No way. One of them could steal 40 bases and suck and the other could steal 40 and be pretty good elsewhere.

(C) I'm telling Jacoby, and he's going to have his people talk to that author's people so that his image can stop being ripped apart. (Marc Normandin)
2008-10-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)It's south park, right? the cubs have 3 years and a lot of money invested in fukudome. sunk cost? salvageable? move him to CF? Bench? Iowa? Never saw a guy go from two really good months to not being able to hit anything ever so fast.
(mike from chicago)
Our own John Perrotto seems to think it's likely Fukudome will be dealt this offseason, and with the money he's owed, chances are good we can file this under the "sunk cost" category, at least for Chicago. I'm interested in seeing how he performs in year two; maybe a Hideki Matsui-esque turnaround, though without the power?

I didn't get to see a lot of Fukudome this year, certainly not enough to make this canon without further evidence, but I get the sense that pitchers started to challenge him more and take away his walks, much like they did to Jacoby Ellsbury.

You don't know how much I want to type "Tacoby Shellsbury" every time I mention his name. (Marc Normandin)
2008-06-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who will be the best out of these three: Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Gomez, Adam Jones?
(Mike from Minnesota)
Jones. More power. (Dayn Perry)
2008-05-29 13:00:00 (link to chat)Joe, I am the one Red Sox fan in the universe who doesn't think Jacoby Ellsbury is a future Hall of Famer - what am I missing?
(Bits_of_Real_Panther from SF, CA)
Nothing. He doesn't have the power to be a future HoF, and he's not going to be a monster CF. He's a very good player, probably a bit like Johnny Damon. That guy doesn't go to the Hall. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-05-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)A while back I asked Joe Sheehan who he'd choose between Melky Cabrera and Jacoby Ellsbury. He said Cabrera. Who would you take?
(mattymatty from Philly, PA)
I think "awhile back" I would have given the same answer Joe did, because Melky is younger and Ellsbury seemed to have been playing over his head in the majors. All the growth potential seemed to be with the Yankees guy. It's very easy to believe that, too, when Cabrera gets going on one of his hot streaks, as he did this April. After a miserable May, I'm beginning to wonder if Cabrera will ever be consistent at his best, or it will always be this mediocre summation of his good and bad days. Also, Ellsbury has been a lot more patient than I expected he would be. (Steven Goldman)
2008-05-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who would you rather have, Adam Jones or Jacoby Ellsbury?
(TGisriel from Baltimore)
Jones on youth and power--IE that superior growth potential I talked about before. If Ellsbury proves to peak as a Johnny Damon type with better on-base, defense, and baserunning abilities, there won't be a lot of difference... (Steven Goldman)
2008-05-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)Some friends and I are having the argument, who would you rather have long term, Melky Cabrera or Jacoby Ellsbury?
(Joe from Tewksbury, MA)
Good one. I'll say Cabrera, who's younger, has more experience, and will hit for more power while being in a comparable OBP zone. Both are flawed CFs with one outstanding defensive skill (Cabrera's arm, Ellbury's speed). I think Cabrera eventually moves to right field, though. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-02-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)Melky Cabrera's got a pretty interesting set of comparables: Carlos Beltran, Coco Crisp, Pete Rose, and Hal McRae. Some good-looking players but (besides Beltran) nobody with too much power. What's the outlook on him? Is he the Yankee CFer of the future?
(Jim Leyritz from Florida)
It's confusing, isn't it? This is what I meant about the occasional inscrutability of the comps. If I recall correctly, at Cabrera's age, Beltran had the one bad year of his career... If Coco Crisp is your worst-case scenario, that's not bad, but the Yankees don't have a Jacoby Ellsbury to come along and rescue them... My suspicion is that Crisp is closer to the mark than Beltran or even McRae. The power just isn't there right now, might not ever be there. That leaves us with what... A player who might peak at something pretty decent without rising to the level of the All-Star game. That's not bad, you enjoy it... And then you trade Roberto Kelly for Paul O'Neill. (Steven Goldman)


BP Roundtables

DateRoundtable NameComment
2008-10-10 13:30:00Friday LCSRandom fact #2: When I first interviewed Jacoby Ellsbury, in July 2005, one of the things he told me was that he once chased down a deer in high school. Some Red Sox fans will know that, as it's also been reported elsewhere, but many of you may not have heard the story. Regardless, he's fast. (David Laurila)
 

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