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The Red Sox have taken flak this offseason because of their lack of major moves. Apparently, it hasn’t been for a lack of trying. According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, Boston recently had a proposed Jacoby Ellsbury-for-Cliff Lee trade squashed by the Philadelphia Phillies.

“According to multiple sources,” wrote Salisbury, “the Red Sox approached the Phillies and a Jacoby Ellsbury for Cliff Lee deal and were told Lee was not available.” He went on to explain that the Phillies want to see what their three-headed pitching monster of Lee, Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels can do this upcoming season.

The Phillies had been in dire need of a center fielder, but were able to acquire Ben Revere from the Minnesota Twins earlier this week. Having just completed his second full season in the majors, Revere made only $492,500 last season and represents a significantly cheaper option than Ellsbury.

In addition to wanting to maintain their pitching strength, the Phillies may have been turned off by a couple of major issues with Ellsbury.

Despite his enormous talent, Ellsbury has struggled mightily with injuries throughout his career, averaging just 83 games per season over the past three years. He was the 2011 AL MVP runner-up but played in just 74 games last season, and his .271 batting average and .682 OPS were big disappointments.

Trading for Ellsbury may have also wound up being just a one-year rental for the Phillies. He is arbitration eligible this offseason and will likely make in the neighborhood of $10 million in 2013 before heading into free agency. Since he is represented by Scott Boras, he will be looking for a major payday when he hits the market, something the Phillies may not have wanted to become involved in.

For their part, the Red Sox would have assumed major risk of their own if they had taken on the left-handed Lee. He has three years and $75 million remaining on his current contract. In 2016 he can have an additional year vested if he pitches 200 innings in 2015 or a guaranteed $12.5 million buyout if he combines for more than 400 innings between 2014-15.

Lee’s 6-9 record in 2012 may look like he slipped in his performance, but his secondary stats tell a different story. He had a 3.16 ERA and struck out 207 batters in 211 innings, clearly maintaining his status as one of the best pitchers in baseball.

The Red Sox may not have been able to land Lee, but their pursuit of Lee shows how serious they are about making a significant upgrade to their starting pitching. It will be interesting to see if they continue to use Ellsbury as a trade chip and, if so, where they might next set their sights.

Statistics via BaseballReference 

Follow @historianandrew

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With ESPN reporting the signing of OF Shane Victorino tonight, it gives the Boston Red Sox a ton of flexibility moving forward with their outfield.

One of the options might be to trade Jacoby Ellsbury for pitching, something that I tweeted out in the wake of the deal.

“Is a Ellsbury trade coming after this?” was what I sent out.

Victorino‘s contract seems too big on the surface and the only way Victorino‘s deal makes sense is if the Sox have a deal in mind for Ellsbury.

The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham reports that the Sox are open to trading Ellsbury and ESPN’s Buster Olney has since tweeted out that other teams believe that the Sox have something lined up for Ellsbury.

The Sox still need to address their pitching staff in a major way heading into 2013. Obviously the clubhouse culture was a bigger issue than the team was willing to admit since Boston has been collecting good-character player after good-character player.

David Ross, Jonny Gomes, Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino all have similar reputations around baseball: good players, quality people, hard workers and good examples for younger players.

Ellsbury has been a good player for the Sox, but he has never quite lived up to the expectations that the team has had for him except for his near-MVP season in 2011.

His injury history is something that might make the Red Sox pause before talking about an extension with him.

It is also a potential problem that the Sox might want to trade before the season starts. The Sox have had two different seasons derailed by bad Ellsbury injuries. The Sox struggled during both seasons to replace him and last season he didn’t seem like the same guy when he returned.

They may have decided to cut their losses and move on.

Who could the Sox talk to? Seattle seems to be aggressively looking for offense and Ellsbury is from that area of the country. The Phillies are still looking for a center fielder. Texas may need to replace Josh Hamilton. The Diamondbacks might be involved in some three-way trades.

If Victorino is the bridge to Jackie Bradley Jr. for a season and then slides into a platoon with Jonny Gomes or another player, his signing and flexibility makes a lot more sense.

If the Sox are still looking to get Josh Hamilton on a short three-year or four-year deal, it makes sense as well. They don’t need to trade Ellsbury, but they have options.

Having productive outfielders is a good problem to have, especially on short contracts.

The Red Sox might have a big splash in mind after all.

Statistics used from Baseball Reference.

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If you have a pulse and have read anything baseball related on the Internet over the last few weeks, you probably already know that the Kansas City Royals are in the market for a top-flight starting pitcher.

While recent rumors have suggested that they may take a run at Tampa Bay Rays’ right hander James Shields—which is very possible—I’m more intrigued by the news that the Royals and Red Sox have discussed a potential deal for Jon Lester, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.

In return, it’s presumed that the Royals would be forced to part with top prospect Wil Myers. The outfielder is fresh off a breakout campaign in which he batted .314/.387/.600 with 37 home runs and 109 RBI in 134 games between Double and Triple-A, and nearly big-league-ready. 

Why the Trade Makes Sense

Headed into the offseason only Jacoby Ellsbury and the recently-acquired Jonny Gomes are locks to see significant playing time in the Red Sox’s outfield in 2013. Beyond that, however, is seemingly endless uncertainty as there’s a host of replacement-level (at best) outfielders who will battle for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

According to MLBDepthCharts.com, the leading candidates are Daniel Nava, Ryan Kalish and Ryan Sweeney, though Jerry Sands could also receive consideration. If the Red Sox plan to be a player in the fiercely-competitive American League East, then none of the aforementioned players can be considered a viable short-term option.

While Nava’s ascent to the major leagues is a great narrative, his career .730 OPS in 148 big-league games speaks for itself. Kalish, 24, has posted a .644 OPS in 89 career games and missed significant time due to various injuries.

The 27-year-old Sweeney has the most experience of them all with 535 career big-league games, but has seemingly been on the disabled for a portion of each season and owns a career .715 OPS. Sands, 24, has played in 70 big-league games over the last two years with the Dodgers and posted a .701 OPS.

Internal Options

To their credit, the Red Sox do have a pair of outfield prospects who are on pace to make their big-league debut in 2013. Bryce Brentz, the Red Sox’s first-round draft pick in 2010, posted an .814 OPS with 17 home runs last season and reached Triple-A Pawtuckett. However, the 23-year-old has holes in his swing (131/46 K/BB) and many question how his game will translate to the major leagues.

The other option, Jackie Bradley, just completed an impressive full season in which he batted .315/.430/.482 with 55 extra-base hits (42 doubles) and 24 stolen bases in 128 games between high-A and double-A. At the same time, the left hander’s lack of power and questionable arm strength make him more projectable and valuable as a centerfielder.

Free Agent Market

As usual, the Red Sox will likely be in the mix for a top free-agent outfielder this winter, and may try to land either Josh Hamilton or Shane Victorino. Both players are on the wrong side of 30 and would almost assuredly have a high price tag. Myers, on the other hand, has just one year of minor-league service time and would be a steal given his relatively high ceiling.

Because the organization began re-stocking its farm system last season, they lack the impact prospects needed to pull off a major trade.

Wil Myers: Background and Potential Impact

Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the game following the conclusion of the 2012 season, Myers nearly reached the major leagues late last year after raking at two minor-league stops. Coming off an injury-plagued season in 2011 in which he batted .254/.353/.393 with only 32 extra-base hits, the 21-year-old quieted skeptics with a monster offensive campaign in 2012—easily the top among all prospects.

At 6’3”, 205 pounds, the right hander has an explosive swing thanks to plus bat speed and above-average bat-to-ball skills. Exploding from an upright, slightly-open stance, Myers has a leveraged swing that yields plus raw power to all fields. He hits his share of towering home runs, too, a trait that would bode well at Fenway Park.

However, as he demonstrated last season, he’s willing to sacrifice his plate discipline (140/61 K/BB) for loud contact. But that’s something that will likely improve with more experience at advanced levels, including the major leagues.

Drafted as a catcher, the Royals moved him to the outfield prior to the 2011 season with the hope of expediting his arrival in the major leagues. So far it’s proven to be a wise decision. Not only has his bat flourished, but Myers has also developed into an above-average defensive outfielder with good instincts, decent range and an accurate, plus arm. Although he’s seen time at all three outfield positions over the last three years, he profiles best at either corner spot.

If the Red Sox ultimately land Myers, I would assume he’d receive consideration for a spot on the Opening Day roster as the team’s right fielder. If he doesn’t break camp with the team, it shouldn’t take long for him to reach the major leagues. Either way, if the Royals are willing to part with their highly coveted prospect, the Red Sox would be wise to jump at the opportunity.

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In December 2010, the Red Sox acquired Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. Shortly after, they signed Gonzalez to a seven-year, $154 million deal and Crawford to a seven-year, $142 million deal.

The following year, the Red Sox missed the playoffs, finishing third in their division after a September collapse, despite a 90-72 final record. Gonzalez played well, but Crawford batted just .255 with career lows in stolen bases and runs scored. They followed that up with a complete breakdown in 2012, and they shipped both players to Los Angeles.

There is cause for hope in Boston. They re-signed David Ortiz and still have Dustin Pedroia along with young starting pitching and talented prospects who could make an impact in the coming season. What will be different about the 2013 Red Sox? Read on to find out.

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Here are 10 under-26 prospects (in alphabetical order) who are tearing it up in the minor leagues.

Whether any of these talents gets promoted to the majors soon is unknown, but if their numbers are called sometime between late June and early September, be ready to scoop ’em up in 12- 14- or 16-team leagues.

Pitchers

SP Trevor Bauer, Reno Aces (Triple-A)
Age: 21
Parent Club: Arizona Diamondbacks
2012 Stats: 11-1, 2.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 104/42 K-BB
Skinny: There’s no time like the present in splurging for a Justin Verlander/Clayton Kershaw/Stephen Strasburg-esque prospect who’s been nearly unstoppable at every level of the minors. (Bauer was recently promoted to Triple-A Reno.) Given the Diamondbacks’ patient approach with super prospects (Justin Upton would be a rare exception), there’s no guarantee Bauer will see a major league ballpark before Sept. 1. However, he could easily force Arizona’s hand with a few more dominant starts in Reno.

SP Tony Cingrani, Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Double-A)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Cincinnati Reds
2012 Stats: 6-2, 1.45 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 91/17 K-BB
Skinny: Cingrani went 13 starts (and 60-plus innings) before allowing more than two runs in an outing. That alone should garner Cingrani (the Reds’ No. 10 prospect) prime consideration to be Cincinnati’s next big callup to the majors, among pitchers. At the very least, Cingrani may be evolving into the organization’s No. 1 pitching stud (fractionally ahead of Donnie Joseph/Robert Stephenson).

SP Jose Fernandez, Greensboro Grasshoppers (Single-A)
Age: 19
Parent Club: Miami Marlins
2012 Stats: 7-0, 1.59 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 99/18 K-BB
Skinny: In recent years, the Marlins haven’t been afraid to promote teenagers in the majors. Of course, Miguel Cabrera and Edgar Renteria were hitters, but Fernandez, a pitcher in the mold of Felix Hernandez, might be too great a force to ignore during the pennant chase.

SP Danny Hultzen, Jackson Generals (Double-A)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Seattle Mariners
2012 Stats: 8-3, 1.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 79/32 K-BB
Skinny: It may be just a matter of time before Hultzen—the Mariners’ No. 1 prospect—punches a permanent ticket to Seattle. In his last seven appearances (spanning 44.2 innings), Hultzen has allowed a microscopic two runs (0.41 ERA in that span), while collecting six wins and 45 strikeouts. In the fantasy realm, Hultzen projects to be a high-end No. 2 starter in the majors.

SP Jake Odorizzi, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Kansas City Royals
2012 Stats: 8-2, 2.89 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 81/20 K-BB
Skinny: Odorizzi, who headlines the Royals’ next wave of big-time prospects to Kansas City, would be a welcome sight upon earning an MLB promotion. Since April 23 (covering 10 appearances), Odorizzi has surrendered just 15 runs (2.21 ERA in that span) while racking up seven wins and 74 strikeouts. In the fantasy realm, Odorizzi could evolve into Kansas City’s No. 1 pitcher throughout the decade.

Hitters

OF Jackie Bradley, Salem Red Sox (Single-A Advanced)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Boston Red Sox
2012 Stats: 3 HR, 34 RBI, 53 R, 16 SB, .359 BA, .480 OBP, 1.006 OPS
Skinny: According to The Roanoke (Va.) Times, Bradley will earn a promotion to Double-A ball this week, a nod to his consistent success over the last two months. But with outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford likely rejoining the Boston lineup in the next 30-45 days, Portland, Maine, may be Bradley’s last destination for the season. That aside, he could provide three-category production if given the chance to succeed in the majors.

C Travis d’Arnaud, Las Vegas 51s (Triple-A)
Age: 23
Parent Club: Toronto Blue Jays
2012 Stats: 15 HR, 48 RBI, 42 R, 1 SB, .335 BA, .385 OBP, .987 OPS
Skinny: The Blue Jays already have a solid, young catcher in J.P. Arencibia (nine homers, 32 RBI). But the club can only stash a great prospect like d’Arnaud in the minors for so long. In the last two seasons, d’Arnaud (36 homers, 126 RBI, .319 batting) has separated himself from the pack of under-25 prospects. He’s also built up expectations to the point where he could be a top-10 catcher to open the 2013 season. But that distinction is based on him getting quality at-bats in the majors this season—hopefully in the next three weeks.

2B Jake Elmore, Reno Aces (Triple-A)
Age: 25
Parent Club: Arizona Diamondbacks
2012 Stats: 1 HR, 48 RBI, 60 R, 23 SB, .395 BA, .473 OBP, 1.007 OPS
Skinny: In the course of his 26-game hit streak (May 20-June 17), Elmore has 14 multiple-hit games, 15 steals and a whopping .420 batting average. Hopefully, it’ll be enough to motivate the Diamondbacks to give Elmore a look in the coming weeks, although Aaron Hill just hit for the cycle on June 18.

OF Wil Myers, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A)
Age: 21
Parent Club: Kansas City Royals
2012 Stats: 24 HR, 61 RBI, 59 R, 5 SB, .337 BA, .408 OBP, 1.127 OPS
Skinny: Check out this run of statistical success from May 31-June 17: In that span, Myers notched eight homers, 18 RBI, 23 runs and batted at a .358 clip. As hitters go, Myers could be Kansas City’s next big target to burst onto the scene. As fantasy leagues go, there’s a chance Myers will have outfield and catcher eligibility whenever he breaks through to the bigs. If that’s the case, he’ll definitely be worth rostering in 16-team leagues.

1B Anthony Rizzo, Iowa Cubs (Triple-A)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Chicago Cubs
2012 Stats: 23 HR, 59 RBI, 46 R, 2 SB, .364 BA, .426 OBP, 1.170 OPS
Skinny: Of the prospects listed here, Rizzo is the odds-on favorite to garner the next big-league promotion. In fact, the Cubs recently placed first baseman Bryan LaHair in the outfield, a move that could precipitate Rizzo’s permanent relocation to Chicago in the coming days or weeks.

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.

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Jacoby Ellsbury hit the 15-day disabled list today with a subluxation (dislocation) of his right shoulder, incurred when Reid Brignac fell on it in Friday’s game. There is no sure return date for Ellsbury, or what condition he will be in when he does, but recall that Derek Jeter incurred the same injury under similar circumstances on Opening Day in 2003 and came back in good form almost exactly six weeks later.

It was the top of the sixth inning in Toronto. Jeter had drawn a walk off of Roy Halladay. Jason Giambi tapped back to the mound. Halladay threw to first baseman Carlos Delgado at first for the out, but Jeter was still running towards third, which was uncovered. Blue Jays catcher Ken Huckaby raced up the line to take the throw. Delgado fired.

The throw was high, and Huckaby, in full gear, leaped for it just as Jeter was diving into the bag. What goes up must come down, and Huckaby’s knees, shin guards and all, landed on Jeter’s left shoulder.

The key to Jeter’s quick return was that he had done only slight damage to his labrum and had not torn the rotator cuff. That meant no surgical intervention was necessary. Had it been required, Jeter would have missed most of the season.

The Red Sox can only hope for such an outcome. They called up confirmed non-hitter Che-Hsuan Lin to replace Ellsbury on the roster, but he’s no real help. They can only hope Carl Crawford returns quickly and that he hits the way he did as a Ray (unlikely, for various environmental reasons). Should he do so, that may solve some of the team’s offensive shortfalls but will still leave the team without a top center fielder.

The Red Sox were just off to a slow start before. Now they’re in trouble.

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Jacoby Ellsbury seemed to fall victim to a freak Friday the 13th accident yesterday afternoon.

Ellsbury was at first base, and Dustin Pedroia was at the plate. On a hit-and-run situation, Ellsbury took off for second as Pedroia simultaneously swung at the pitch from right-hander Burke Badenhop.

The ball was directly hit to second base, where it was fielded by Reid Brignac. Brignac stepped on second, and as he attempted to complete the double play by throwing the ball to first, Ellsbury slid into Brignac’s legs, which caused him to fall and land on Ellsbury’s extended arm, near his shoulder.

Ellsbury immediately grabbed his shoulder and began to grimace in pain. According to boston.com, Ellsbury told teammates that he “felt something move in his shoulder.” He left the game with what was believed to be a dislocated shoulder—an injury that will cost him at least six weeks of the season.

If the injury turns out to be a tear, Ellsbury could possibly require surgery, which would mean BoSox fans could be without their star center fielder for a good portion of the regular season.

The Red Sox will have a few options when it comes to replacing Ellsbury in center field.

Cody Ross has had experience at the position throughout his career, but he is a natural left fielder. Going down to the farm system, the Sox could call up either Che-Hsusan Lin or Jason Repko. Lin is struggling at the plate in Triple-A with a .150 batting average and has never played a major league game during his brief professional baseball career. The 30 year-old Repko is also struggling in Triple-A, but he does have major league experience.

When it comes down to it, the center field job will probably come down to Ross and Repko while Ellsbury is out. The Red Sox should receive X-ray results within the next couple days.  

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Here are five ways to recover the numbers lost from Jacoby Ellsbury‘s six- to eight-week absence from the Red Sox lineup (dislocated shoulder)…without necessarily gutting your fantasy roster.

(That may be a lie.)  

Option No. 1: Grab Cody Ross off waivers

OK, so this isn’t the most exciting way to start a column, but with Carl Crawford (hand) still nursing his way back into the lineup, Ross will undoubtedly be granted full-time at-bats for the foreseeable future.

For the 2008-09 seasons with the Marlins, he combined for 46 homers, 163 RBI and 132 runs. Given his age (31) and the cozy dimensions of Fenway Park, Ross has a chance to replicate the numbers of years past—at least on a per-game basis.

Since the Red Sox are already thin with starting pitching and the bullpen, I doubt club execs will make a substantial trade for an outfielder in Ellsbury’s stead. The team’s best minor-league option may be Bryce Brentz…but even that seems like a short-term step down from Ross and his 22-homer potential.

Option No. 2: Target Jason Bay, Mike Carp, Will Venable, Brandon Belt or Jon Jay in free-agent waivers

All five outfielders certainly have their warts—Bay and Belt are slumping, Carp’s been hurting and Venable and Jay are routinely overlooked in fantasy circles—but hey, that’s why they’re free agents in most leagues.

Astros center fielder Jordan Schafer would have been the best available Ellsbury clone earlier in the week, but you’ll never go unwanted in fantasyland after collecting five steals in a 48-hour period. He’s gone.

Look, unless you’re playing in a 12-team league full of absentee borderline moronic owners, it’s going to be a tough road without Ellsbury. We’re talking about a top-six outfielder (although no one should expect 32 homers again) and top-15 overall asset. It’s nearly impossible to flourish in his absence.

But in short bursts, Bay (four-category factor), Carp (25-75 guy in the minors), Venable (20-steal potential), Jay (poor man’s Martin Prado) and Belt (future NL batting champion) can bring a level of fantasy respect to anyone’s team.
 

Option No. 3: Grab Chone Figgins off waivers, or trade for Mark Trumbo

Before Opening Day, Figgins was only 3B-eligible and one of baseball’s more anemic corner-infield options. But with a seemingly permanent spot in the outfield (left or center field) after just nine games, Figgins (.270, 4 RBI, 1 SB) should garner full outfield eligibility sometime in the next 10 days, making him attractive to owners who crave modest three-category success and dual-position versatility.

Regarding the 1B-eligible Trumbo, he should have full 3B eligibility sometime around April 25. Depending on how the Angels handle the Mike Trout and Vernon Wells situations, Trumbo (29 HRs in 2011) could see up to 30 games in the outfield this season.

For owners of Ellsbury (105 RBI, 119 runs, 32 steals last year) and Emilio Bonifacio (2B-3B-OF eligibility), a sneaky Trumbo acquisition would subsequently bump Bonifacio to the outfield spot in Ellsubry’s place.

As a secondary move, I highly endorse the act of grabbing Trout (baseball’s No. 1 prospect) off waivers ASAP, in anticipation of a May call-up that will be permanent (and enriching).

Bottom line: Replacing Ellsbury’s eight-week production doesn’t necessarily demand the plug-and-play addition of an outfielder. It can also come from a simple redistribution of current assets, prompted by a modest trade.

And for those with grander thoughts… 

Option No. 4: Trade your Round 1 superstar

During spring training, Ellsbury had an Average Draft Position value of 15, meaning the majority of his owners also grabbed Joey Votto, Robinson Cano, Justin Verlander, Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez or Prince Fielder with their low Round 1 selection.

The quickest way to overhaul the composition of your roster involves a simple six-word email/message-board dictum to the rest of the league: “(Superstar’s name) is on the block!” This should draw immediate responses, in the general form of four trade proposals:

• 1-for-1 value: Jon Lester, Dan Haren, Nelson Cruz, Hunter Pence or Starlin Castro
• 1-for-2 value: Melky Cabrera and Bud Norris
• 3-for-2: (Round 1 star)/Yovani Gallardo/Jordan Schafer for Ian Kennedy/Matt Holliday
• 2-for-3: (Round 1 star)/Matt Moore for Jason Heyward/Jason Kipnis/Max Scherzer 

Option No. 5: Put Ellsbury on the trade block

The final solution requires certain fantasy owners to perform an honest assessment of their rosters and prospects for the entire season.

1. Can my team endure/absorb the two-month loss of Ellsbury?
2. What are the chances I’ll be in ninth, 10th, 11th or 12th place overall on June 10?
3. What other areas (outfield aside) are in need of significant help?
4. What categories or positions could not sustain a key injury?

If the above answers are roundly negative, it may be time to make the early executive decision of selling Ellsbury to the highest bidder, as a means of fortifying the outfield and one other area of concern.

After all, if your club was barely a pennant contender before Ellsbury’s right shoulder had a fluke encounter with Rays shortstop Reid Brignac, then perhaps it’s time to cut your April losses…and hope for a profitable return in May and June.

This is where it pays not to get too attached to original draftees. Very few teams can win a roto championship without disrupting the core, via trade, at some point; and whether these hard decisions occur in mid-April or late July, change is inevitable.

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.

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Every year, without skipping a beat, a fantasy baseball manager will find disappointment in his early first or second round pick. When drafting, consistency is the key but it is easy to be swayed by the flashy numbers.

A bust is not a player you expect to succumb to regression due to age as he enters the uncomfortable “past his prime” stage of his career. Any decent fantasy baseball owner expects this when drafting. A bust, as I will predict, are players on the rise that have become so popular, that their expectations far exceed their potential outcome.

Here are players from each division who are sure to upset the willing manager that drafts them.

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Boston Red Sox fans are wondering what Bobby Valentine’s Opening Day lineup is going to look like, and while the skipper isn’t talking yet, there is speculation that Jacoby Ellsbury will vacate the leadoff spot. If he does, he’ll be a tough No. 1 man to top.

The Sox were a major disappointment in 2011, but Ellsbury—already a proven hitter and two-time stolen base champ—emerged as a superstar. The fleet center fielder batted .321 with 32 homers, 39 steals and 105 RBI, great numbers for anybody but outstanding for someone who spent 144 of his 158 games atop the batting order.

Throw in his Gold Glove, and it’s no wonder Ells was runner-up to Justin Verlander in the MVP voting. 

How does Ellsbury’s season rank among the best by a Red Sox hitter batting primarily leadoff? Let’s take a look.  

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