Projo Sox Blog

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- Red Sox speedster Jacoby Ellsbury stole two bases on Tuesday to reach 40 on the season. With 35 regular-season games remaining, he's now 14 swipes shy of the club record 54 held by Tommy Harper in 1973.

Ellsbury, who is leading the American League in stolen bases, is the sixth player in Red Sox history to reach 40. With his two swipes on Tuesday, he now has 12 multi-steal games, which is the most by a Red Sox player since 1956.

While Ellsbury is more concerned with reaching base and scoring runs to help the club win, he does believe he can reach Harper's mark before the end of the season.

"It's definitely possible," he said. "I can get them quick. I need 14 and I could get that in a week. I'm not really thinking about it, though. My main thing is to get on base and give myself an opportunity to score a run."

Ellsbury has worked with Harper in the past and the two do talk on occasion. In fact, Harper has said Ellsbury will be the one to break his record.

"It would be neat," said Ellsbury.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona acknowledges Ellsbury's speed, but he's not about to focus on any records.

"Forty is an arbitrary number," said Francona. "Everybody is slide-stepping when he's on and he hasn't run into many outs. How that's effecting their command, we've got to believe it's helping. It's like David Ortiz. You're not going to throw him a fastball on strike one anymore. But, that's a lot of stolen bases and not a lot of thrown outs for a young player. He's done a good job."

When asked if he thought Ellsbury would break Harper's record, Francona professed disinterest.

"I don't care," he said. "It means nothing. I just want him to help us win. That's what is cool about some of those things, in my opinion. It's like a hitting streak. If you do it in the course of a normal game, and not do it to reach stats or milestones. If you play the game correctly and wherever you end up, that's what makes it neat."

 Tags  Jacoby Ellsbury Red Sox

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