Jacoby Ellsbury tied a record for most putouts, 12, by a centerfielder in a nine inning game, last night in Boston versus the Blue Jays. Ellsbury now shares this record with the late, Minnesota Twins Lyman Bostock, May 25, 1977, and Boston Braves Earl Clark, May 10, 1929.
Marco Scutaro, the first batter of the game, jumped on the second pitch he saw, lining it to Jacoby Ellsbury in center. Aaron Hill drove the first pitch he saw to the warning track, where Ellsbury hauled it in with an impressive over the shoulder catch. Before his night was through, Jacoby would snare a dozen flyballs, including the last out of the game.
“I could feel it a little bit in the legs. It’s just a day’s work, I guess,” said Ellsbury. “I’ll be feeling just the same tomorrow—feeling good.”
There used to be a time when “Made in Japan” meant inferior quality, not anymore, just ask the Red Sox. The Red Sox just added Takashi Saito, former Dodgers closer, who first became a closer in Japan when his predecessor, Kazuhiro Sasaki came to the Mariners. In Japan Saito had a tendency to give up alot of home runs, 15 off the bat of Hedeki Matsui, which should be interesting. The Red Sox are hoping the 38 year old Saito can bounce back from an elbow injury, which landed him on the disabled list for much of 2008. Junichi Tazawa, a 22 year old, righthander, who idolizes Daisuke Matsuzaka, signed with Boston, in early December. The 5’11” Tazawa was 6-1 with a 1.00 ERA, striking out 56 in 54 innings in 2008, with Nippon. In signing two more Japanese hurlers, the Bosox are hoping for the same type of success they’ve had with Daisuke Matsuzaka & Hideki Okajima. Daisuke and his gyroball were only 15-12 in his first year with Boston, but he had a breakout 18-3 record last year. While lefthanded reliever Hideki Okajima has been solid in his two seasons with the Red Sox, more than 60 games & 60 innings pitched, & a sub 3.00 ERA, each year. 
When Rocco Baldelli first came to the big leagues with Tampa Bay in 2003 as a 21 year old kid, he was compared to Joe DiMaggio. In his first two seasons he played centerfield, 156 games as a rookie, then 136 games in his second season, batting .289 & .280, 89 runs & 78 RBIs, and 79 runs & 74 RBIs, 27 SBs & 11 HRs, and 17 SBs & 16 HRs, not bad for a kid Rhode Island, still wet behind the ears. Baldelli tore his ACL while playing baseball with his brother in the offseason, while rehabbing he injured his elbow, and needed Tommy John surgery, he missed the entire 2005 season, and didn’t return to everyday play until June 7, 2006. Playing from that point on, he batted .302, 16 homers, 57 runs, 57 RBIs, 10 steals, in only 364 at bats. In 2007 during spring training Rocco pulled his hamstring, he’d appear in only 35 games. Doctors discovered some metabolic and/or mitochondrial abnormalities, but were unable to provide an exact diagnosis. Baldelli was limited to 28 games in 2008, mainly as a DH & pinch hitter, batting .263, with 4 homers, and 13 RBIs, he hit a three run homer in game #3 of the ALCS to help the Rays take the lead in the series. In the offseason, further testing revealed he suffers from channelopathy, which makes his condition more treatable and less serious than previously thought. Rocco will wear #5 with the Red Sox, first guy to wear it since Nomar Garciaparra’s departure.
