Jacoby Ellsbury finished the first half by swiping his 40th base yesterday, joining Hall of Famer Tris Speaker as the only players in Red Sox history to steal at least 40 bases in back-to-back seasons. Ellsbury is also just 15 steals away from breaking the Red Sox's single-season record of 54 steals, which was set by Tommy Harper in 1973.
Ellsbury is on pace for 73 steals, which would make him just the third player this decade to top the 70 mark along with Jose Reyes in 2007 and Scott Podsednik in 2003. Of course, with 44 steals already Carl Crawford may join the club before Ellsbury. The last time two players stole at least 70 bases in the same season was way back in 1991, when Marquis Grissom swiped 76 and Otis Nixon swiped 71.
Before that Rickey Henderson and Vince Coleman both topped 70 in 1988 and Henderson, Coleman, Tim Raines, and Eric Davis all did it in 1986. In fact, with Henderson, Coleman, and Raines all in their primes at least two players stole 70 bases in 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1988. Incidentally, Ellsbury was born in 1983 and Crawford was born in 1981.
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Throw BJ Upton (31 steals) in the mix and you've got a shot at three players being over 70 steals for the season.
Great! Awsome!
Probably the most dramatic moment of the Red Sox season in the first half---and there is a lot to choose from---was the Ellsbury seal of home!
Tom G.
That was a great moment. Funny too, because he more or less fell over home plate, he tripped right before he was going to start sliding. Nyak nyak nyak, woo woo.
Where is Willie Wilson's name in this. 1980 79 stolen bases. One other thing that none of those guys have done is have 13 in-side the park home runs like Mr Wilson. I asked the late Great Buck O'Neil who was the fastest guy he has ever seen in baseball. His number answer was Cool Papa Bell and number 2 was Willie Wilson. Willie would blow these guys away.