It's Simple. Ellsbury Too Valuable For Red Sox To Include Him In A Trade For ANYONE!
That's right. Pure and simple. Jacoby Ellsbury, who while batting mostly leadoff, hit .301, stole 70 (!!) bases and scored 94 runs. He can take the extra base on a single even when it isn't given to him. It rarely is. That's why the San Diego Padres drool over him and would be willing to part with Adrian Gonzales if Jacoby is included in the distantly possible trade. Here's a unnamed NL scout...
“Boy, I’ll tell you, guys like Ellsbury are rare,’’ said one veteran National League executive. “That’s rare talent and athleticism in a baseball uniform. Believe me, I completely understand the Padres needing to get him in a deal for Gonzalez, but I’d think of another player or two to include if I were the Red Sox.’’
DAMN RIGHT. We, Red Sox Nation and the Fenway Faithful, have been treated to watching a still very young Jacoby Ellsbury improve every year. Ya know what? He will continue to do so. That's why if Red Sox general Manager Theo Epstein was on the phone with me right now, I would BEG him to substitute someone, anyone else. If the Padres have their hearts and souls set on Mr. Ellsbury, tough! That's just one guy's opinion but that guy happens to be me. Listen to this quote I just stumbled upon...
"...it's not likely we trade Ellsbury,'' one Red Sox person said.
I hope that is an accurate statement. Boy, do I !
Mike Cameron and John Lackey were introduced to Red Sox Nation yesterday and donned their new Boston uniforms...well, at least half of them, the top half. Cameron will switch from his normal centerfield position and slide over to left. Jacoby? Boston manager Terry 'Tito" Francona was non-commital, suggesting some kind of blockbuster trade might be on the horizon, a trade that would give the Red Sox one more POWER bat...at a huge cost. My goodness, their starting rotation of Beckett, Lackey, Lester, Buchholz and Matsuzaka, with Timmy Wakefield available to spot start anytime, anywhere, is as good as anyone in baseball. Rotation...solid. Bullpen...almost solid. Bench...pretty darn good. Defense...extraordinary. So the big question in my mind is this...where will Jacoby be playing in 2010? I hope Theo uses his head. So far so good on that.
Please click on this post's title for the latest on what has been (so far) a very busy and productive off season for the Boston Red Sox, the team I love. Thank you for stopping by. I will be back as soon as I hear ANYTHING, and as always, BE WELL.
posted by Peter N @ 5:45 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Really? You wouldn't include Elsbury in a trade for Adrian Gonzalez? Elsbury will be arbitration eligible after 2010. And his agent is Boras, so you can pretty much kiss him goodbye after he hits the market.
A-gone is sigend for $10MM for the next two years. Only slightly more than Jacoby will make.
Don't get me wrong. I love Jacoby. But he is streaky. and want, now we need, a middle of the order bat.
I love Ellsbury but he should have scored a lot more than those 94 runs. he refuses to take a walk and grounds out too much. Don't get me wrong, I hope we keep him but we need a middle of the order at bat. I'm hoping they can give up Buchholz and a prospect in the trade but I think the Padres are going to want more than that.
Hello to you, X. I respectively disagree with you. Ells is a game-changer with his speed. His average, which is over .300 and hopefully going up, puts him on the base paths often. Hey, thanks for the comment.
Hello to you, PP. Yes, more pop in the order is sorely needed, as you BOTH suggested. I hope Theo figures out a way to keep Ells and add that pop. (AG?)
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