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October 20, 2007
By JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON -- Jacoby Ellsbury emerged from the tunnel underneath the dugout at Fenway Park early Saturday evening oozing with confident.
The Red Sox rookie was penciled into the lineup to play center field and bat eighth in the order, replacing the struggling Coco Crisp as Boston prepared to face the Cleveland Indians in Game Six of the ALCS.
Not exactly the time of the season to give a 24-year-old his first postseason start, not when your club trails in the series three games to two and one loss means elimination.
But it was indicative of the confidence the Red Sox have in their young players . . . and symbolic of how much things have changed in recent years.
The ability to incorporate young players into this roster in Boston is a little more challenging than it is some places because of the stakes, according to vice-president of player personnel Ben Cherington.
Kevin Youkilis was the very first of the farmhands to arrive, in 2004. He's still around and has played an important role for this club. So, this season, have Pedroia, Brandon Moss, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen, Ellsbury, Jon Lester and, before they were traded to Texas, Kason Gabbard and David Murphy.
''All of them have been great,'' said Pedroia. ''A lot of us played together in the minor leagues and we’ve all gone the same route. It’s huge when you have home-grown guys coming up. If you look at a lot of teams, like the Indians and Twins, they rely on their home-grown guys. It’s huge for the Red Sox to start doing that and with our payroll it makes us that much better.''
Obviously, talent and hard work are the main factors why young players reach this level. But staying and being accepted by the players, coaches and the manager, also factor into rookies being able to contribute.
''Our veteran players get it,'' said Cherington. ''They understand how to win and understand that they were young once, too and needed a hand with certain things. We have guys who go out of their way to do that.''
Cherington feels another aspect of the organization’s successful formula lies with the club’s manager and the entire coaching staff in Boston.
Manager Terry Francona, pitching coach John Farrell, bullpen coach Gary Tuck, first-base coach Luis Alicea, hitting coach Dave Magadan, third-base coach De Marlo Hale and bench coach Brad Mills all have one thing in common.
''Every single one spent time in the minor leagues as either a coach or manager,'' said Cherington. ''So they really understand what development is all about, and it doesn’t necessarily stop when a guy gets to the big leagues. We’re fortunate to have veteran players and a coaching staff that gets it and helps along the way.''
The players the Red Sox have drafted and brought up through the organization are not your typical run-of-the-mill developmental players, according to Moss, who was a September call-up but is not on the playoff roster.
''All these guys have special talent,'' he said. ''To come up in a system like this, and make it to the major leagues with a team like this, it takes a little more than just your everyday player. Because when you come up and play for a team like this, you’re expected to perform right away.''
That’s not exactly how every organization treats its young guys, but fortunately for the Red Sox, all the players they draft very quickly get accustomed to how the things work in Boston.
''A lot of guys have that rookie cushion a little bit,'' said Moss. ''Not here. It says a lot about these guys.''
All the aforementioned players have been successful when called up, so the future appears bright for the Red Sox.
''It definitely shows now that they are going to give guys opportunities,'' said Pedroia. ''It’s another way to make the organization that much better.''
And Saturday night, it was Ellsbury’s chance.
He served as a sparkplug during the season and posted a .353 average with three homers and 18 RBI. Every time he’s played, he’s contributed in a big way. So with Crisp struggling at the plate, Francona felt he needed to make a change.
''Tito is trying to put the best lineup together that he can,'' said Cherington. ''The lineup he thinks gives the team the best chance to win the game. I understand that’s very generic answer, but it’s true in this particular case.''
Prior to the game Ellsbury appeared to be in complete control of his emotions, knowing this is a tremendous opportunity for him.
''I'm feeling good," he said during batting practice. "I've been preparing for this since the start of the postseason. I'm just happy to get the start. I feel ready. . . On the days we don't play we take batting practice just like everybody else, so I'm ready.''
Nervous?
''I’m anxious,'' he said. ''There’s a nervousness but that’s good. It’s keeps you on your toes.''
Even though Francona has said during the postseason that he was not going to deviate from his lineup, from the players who helped the team reach the postseason, Ellsbury proved during the regular season that he can handle any situation. He has the ability to take control of the game in every aspect.
''I don’t like talking about tools,” said Pedroia. ''I see him as a baseball player. He does a lot of things well. He obviously runs well and plays great defense, and being able to run the way he does, he’s an offensive threat all the time. If he’s not swinging the bat well, he’s still a threat. With the ability he has, he can take over a game in an instant with his speed.''
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