Jacoby Ellsbury Named AL Comeback Player of the Year
Jacoby Ellsbury’s impressive 2011 campaign has earned him the title of American League Comeback Player of the Year. Ellsbury, a catalyst for the Red Sox offense, is a year removed from a tumultuous 2010 in which injuries limited him to only 18 games. After his disappointing season, Ellsbury was able to return better than even, posting a career year for the Red Sox.
To give you an idea of just how impressive Ellsbury’s been this season compared to last, you have to look no further than his batting line. Ellsbury posted a greater slugging percentage this season than his OPS in 2010. While his batting average and on base percentage remained close to his career averages, Ellsbury’s power numbers were off the charts.
Coming into this season, Ellsbury had hit a combined 20 home runs over his first four years in the Majors. Ellsbury matched his career total by August, finishing the season with 32 long balls. Ellsbury also got doubles-happy, smacking 46 two-baggers in 2011. This power surge combined with Ellsbury’s impressive .376 OBP earned the 28-year-old the 10th best OPS in the league.
When you couple all of Ellsbury’s offensive numbers with his defensive ability and success on the base paths, you get the highest WAR in the Majors according to Fan Graphs.
For this reason, many expect that the AL Comeback Player of the Year will collect more hardware as the awards season progresses.
For more on the Red Sox, be sure to check out BoSox Injection.