Its not the first time that the New York Yankees have raided the Boston Red Sox for a free agent outfielder -- Johnny Damon comes to mind -- and the Bronx Bombers werent shy about offering big money for an outfielder that is a premier base stealer, when healthy. Authentic Jaleel Johnson Jersey . Numbers Game looks at the Yankees addition of Jacoby Ellsbury. The Yankees Get: CF Jacoby Ellsbury. Ellsbury, 30, has been a productive player when healthy, a career .297 hitter who has led the American League in steals three times. However, hes missed a lot of time -- 264 games to be precise -- over the last four seasons, which makes a long-term investment risky, particularly for a player on the north side of 30 years of age. While Ellsbury had a 32-home-run season in 2011, thats the only season of his career in which hes finished with more than 10 home runs so, even in new Yankee Stadium, which plays well to lefthanded hitters, its not likely that Ellsbury will be a significant power threat. He could hit double figures in home runs, but its a long way from 10 or 12 to 30-plus. But, a little power to go with tremendous base-stealing ability makes Ellsbury an asset offensively. Over the course of his career, he has stolen 241 bases in 287 attempts (83.9%), including a ridiculous 52 in 56 attempts (92.9%) last season. The question, on top of whether Ellsbury can stay healthy, is for how much longer can he be that top-of-the-order base-stealing threat? Is it three years? Five? Given Ellsburys speed on the bases, it should come as little surprise that he covers a lot of ground in centre field. Over the last four seasons, he ranks among the Top 10 centre fielders with 25 Defensive Runs Saved, while ranking sixth in Ultimate Zone Rating. Putting Ellsbury in centre field, moving Brett Gardner back to left field and Ichiro Suzuki in right will give the Yankees exceptional range in the outfield and ought to help their pitching staff to some degree. Despite his injuries, Ellsbury has accumulated a fWAR of 22.4 since 2008, which ranks fourth among centre fielders. The odds are that, over the course of the deal, there will be years that the Yankees regret because injury and/or age prevent Ellsbury from contributing like he has to this point in his career, but if there are five really good years in there, then that might be enough for the Yankees. A healthy Ellsbury improves their chances of returning to the postseason. The Red Sox are likely to move Shane Victorino to centre field to make up for the loss of Ellsbury and they could still be active in the free agent market looking for a corner outfielder. Additionally, prospect Jackie Bradley Jr. could be ready for another chance to stick as an every day player in the majors. Signed for seven years and $153-million, with an option for an eighth year that would run the contract to $169-million, Ellsbury is the latest in a long line of lucrative Yankees free agent signings, many of which have not panned out, but its only money and the Yankees generate enough of it that they can afford to swing and miss every so often, particularly with the chance to hit a proverbial home run. Scott Cullen can be reached at
Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Authentic Eric Kendricks Jersey . The Brazil defender was substituted 13 minutes into Wednesdays 2-1 Copa del Rey win at Athletic Bilbao because of a right hamstring problem. Scans revealed a second grade tear which could keep him out for a reported four to six weeks. Cheap Vikings Jerseys Authentic . -- Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias says he has stress fractures in both legs and isnt sure when hell be able to play again, leaving the Tigers two weeks to fill his spot for opening day and perhaps a lot longer.DETROIT -- Josmil Pinto was rounding third when he suddenly realized his coach was holding him up. Then he noticed something else: The throw from the outfield wasnt heading anywhere near the plate. So Pinto went home, and the comeback was only beginning for the Minnesota Twins. They scored three more runs the following inning -- thanks in part to more poor defence by Detroit -- for a 4-3 victory over the Tigers on Sunday. "A great win for us, when you take advantage of a mistake any time you can get one," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who was ejected in the fourth inning. "Winning two out of three here against this team is good. You take them any way you can get them." Eduardo Nunez hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth for the Twins, who had a bit of help from Detroits outfield in the late innings. Right fielder Torii Hunter threw to the wrong base to allow Pinto to score in the seventh, and an error by Rajai Davis in left was even more costly in the eighth. The Twins handed the AL Central-leading Tigers only their second series loss of the season. Detroit left-hander Robbie Ray pitched six scoreless innings in his second big league start and Ian Kinsler homered to put the Tigers up 3-0 in the fifth. The bullpen couldnt hold on. Minnesota pinch-hitter Danny Santana hit an RBI single in the seventh, when Pinto ran through a stop sign and scored from second. He may well have been out at the plate, but Hunter tossed the ball quickly to second instead of throwing home. "When I started running, I felt something in my foot, and I stopped, and then I started running. When I touched third base, I saw (the third base coach) like, Hey," said Pinto, pantomiming a stop sign. "And then I turned my head a little bit, and I saw Torii throw the ball to second base." So Pinto kept going. "Torii assumed, that with that kind of bloop single, the guy is scoring easy," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "But they held him up and he read Toriis throw." Detroits problems were only beginning. In the eighth, Pinto singled to left off Joba Chamberlain (1-2) with runners on first and second. One run scored on the hit, and the ball skipped past Davvis for an error that enabled another run to come home and allowed Pinto to reach second. Authentic Kendall Wright Jersey. Nunez followed with his single to make it 4-3. Jared Burton (1-1) won in relief. Glen Perkins got four outs for his 10th save in 11 chances. With a runner on second and one out in the bottom of the eighth, Victor Martinez hit a line drive up the middle that hit reliever Casey Fien. The right-hander picked up the ball and threw a one-hopper to first to retire Martinez, then Fein left the game with a bruised right arm. Perkins came on and got pinch-hitter Nick Castellanos on a flyout with a runner on third. Minnesota starter Samuel Deduno gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. Miguel Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly in the first, and the Tigers made it 2-0 in the fourth on an RBI single by Austin Jackson. Detroit had the bases loaded later that inning when Gardenhire was ejected. With one out, Andrew Romine hit a grounder toward shortstop, but the Twins had no chance to turn a double play because the ball hit Jackson, who had been on second. Jackson was called out, Martinez was sent back to third and Romine was awarded first, leaving the bases still loaded with two outs. Gardenhire came out to argue, wanting the umpires to award a double play. Third base ump Joe West, the crew chief, ejected him. "In their opinion, which I was told, he didnt intentionally let the ball hit him. I know what happened. I think we all saw that he was trying to screen the (fielder). It was going to be a routine double play. Maybe the ball took a funny hop and hit him, but he didnt have to be there," Gardenhire said. "My opinion didnt work, lets just put it that way. So I ended up in here." The play didnt cost Minnesota any runs. Davis followed with a groundout to end the inning. NOTES: It was Gardenhires first ejection of the year and the 68th of his career in the regular season. ... Detroit plays at Baltimore on Monday night. Rick Porcello (5-1) starts for the Tigers against Bud Norris (2-2). ... The Twins have Monday off before hosting Boston. Ricky Nolasco (2-3) takes the mound for Minnesota on Tuesday night against Felix Doubront (1-3). Cheap Brewers Jerseys Cheap Twins Jerseys Cheap Mets Jerseys Cheap Yankees Jerseys Cheap Athletics Jerseys Cheap Phillies Jerseys Cheap Pirates Jerseys Cheap Padres Jerseys Cheap Giants Jerseys Cheap Mariners Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Rays Jerseys Cheap Rangers Jerseys Cheap Blue Jays Jerseys Cheap Nationals Jerseys ' ' '
