Sea Dog Ellsbury keeping tabs, making plays

Jacoby Ellsbury acknowledges keeping up with what's going on with the Red Sox, either catching the highlights on ESPN or reading the newspapers.

Why not? Barring a change of philosophy, in which Boston decides to trade its prospects, the center fielder could be a fixture in Boston in the not-to-distant future.

Although Ellsbury did not make Baseball America's Top 25 prospects at midseason, his name appears in the ``just missed the cut" category. While Coco Crisp probably isn't feeling the heat from Ellsbury, he might be feeling the glow from Portland, Maine, where Ellsbury is making highlight catches and hitting close to .350.

Ellsbury has hit safely in 18 of his 21 starts since his July 12 promotion from Wilmington, batting .337 (29 for 86) with 7 doubles, 9 RBIs, and 9 stolen bases. He's also hit .400 at Portland's Hadlock Field (20 for 50) in 12 games and .250 (9 for 36) in 10 road games.

The lefthanded hitter, who reminds some scouts of a younger, faster Johnny Damon, is tattooing lefthanded pitching at a .450 clip (9 for 20).

``I don't even think about where I'm moving up to," said Ellsbury, Boston's first pick (23d overall) in June 2005, prior to last night's game at Erie, Pa. ``I thought in my first year after college I'd be in Double A. This is where I wanted to be and this is where I am. All I can do is show improvement every day I step on the field and the rest will take care of itself. The organization will decide what's best for me. I need to be patient and just show the Red Sox organization the skills that I have."

Asked about Crisp, he said, ``I root for Coco all the time. I love the way he plays the game. I've watched some of the great catches he's made on `SportsCenter.' He's made some unbelievable ones."

Ellsbury, 22, said he plays a shallow center field because, ``I love going back on balls and tracking them down in the gaps." Those who have watched Ellsbury say he's a human highlight film in the field.

Ellsbury, who hit .299 with 4 homers, 25 steals, and 32 RBIs in 61 games at Wilmington, feels Double A has been challenging. For one, the 6-foot-1-inch, 185-pounder is facing pitchers who ``have an effective second or third pitch and they know where it's going. They're around the zone more, so in some ways I'm getting better pitches to hit." He's also noticed that pitchers have better means of holding runners on base with slide steps, and catchers have better arms.

``I've been a base stealer all of my life so I have to make certain adjustments everywhere I've been," Ellsbury said. ``Obviously, the speed is there and I can run the bases the same way, but now you have to be aware that outfielder's arms are stronger and more accurate, cut-off throws are made more precisely the higher you go up. You have to take all of those things into consideration. It's been a blast so far. I've really enjoyed the fans in Portland and they've gotten behind me."

Negotiations with first-rounder Daniel Bard have been slow, though talks could heat up now that No. 1 overall choice, Tennessee righthander Luke Hochevar, has agreed to terms with the Royals that could be worth more than $5 million guaranteed.

Bard, the North Carolina righthander taken with the 28th overall pick, is one of three unsigned first-rounders, including Tar Heel teammate Andrew Miller, who was taken by the Tigers with the sixth pick. The other is Max Scherzer, the righthander taken by Arizona at No. 11.

Bard was taken one slot lower than shortstop Jason Place, Boston's first selection. Place, currently hitting .278 with two homers and 15 RBIs in the Gulf Coast League, signed for $1.3 million.

Teams try to slot their draft picks if possible, which means the Sox may have offered Bard $1.2 million. Some scouts say Bard might be considering returning to UNC so he can pitch with his younger brother, Jared, an incoming freshman righthander.

Neither the Red Sox nor the Bard family have commented or returned calls seeking comment. The Red Sox' policy is not to comment on amateur players.

Bard was originally drafted by the Yankees in the 20th round out of Providence (N.C.) High School in 2004, but elected to attend UNC. He was 8-3 with a 3.86 ERA last season, with 90 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings and went 5-1 with a 1.56 ERA in his last seven appearances, including six starts.

Chris Smith got the promotion he was looking for yesterday. The 25-year-old righthander, who went 9-6 with a 4.05 ERA in 20 starts for the Sea Dogs, got the call to Pawtucket. He was the Eastern League's Northern Division starter in the All-Star Game and a fourth-round choice of the Sox in 2002 . . . Portland infielder Luis Jimenez was placed on the disabled list with a sore right thumb and replaced with Wilmington infielder Iggy Suarez. Jimenez was leading the Sea Dogs with 15 homers (five in July) to go with a .274 batting average . . . Righty Matt Goodson of Single A Wilmington was named the Carolina League pitcher of the week after going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA, striking out 10 in 12 innings. He's was 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA (five earned runs in 23 1/3 innings) in his last four starts before gaining a no-decision in Wilmington's 12-7 win over Potomac last night. Goodson was winless in his first 11 starts . . . Dustin Pedroia is having a solid season at Pawtucket, which will make Boston's decision on Mark Loretta very difficult in the offseason. Splitting time between second and shortstop, Pedroia has raised his average to .310 after hitting at a .378 clip in his last 11 games. He hit .363 with 19 RBIs and 20 runs in 28 July games . . . With all the movement from Pawtucket to Boston, it's somewhat puzzling Phil Seibel hasn't got the call to Boston. The 27-year-old lefthander had his 32-inning scoreless streak snapped last Saturday vs. Buffalo when he surrendered a two-run homer. He's 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA (two earned runs in 11 2/3 innings) since joining Pawtucket July 15. Seibel missed all of 2005 with Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. Between Pawtucket, Portland, and Greenville, he's 6-3 with a 1.29 ERA. He's allowed 11 earned runs in 76 2/3 innings in 19 games, including 16 starts.