Red Sox see Ellsbury as a quick study

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When Red Sox prospect Jacoby Ellsbury was at Oregon State, he used wooden bats during batting practice, saving his aluminum hacks for the games. That is one of the more obvious clues he had his sights on loftier goals.

"From a young age, I always wanted to play pro ball," Ellsbury said. "We all know the sweet spot is smaller on a wooden bat, so it helped me prepare better, use my hands more. When I got in the game with the aluminum bat, it seemed easier."

There is little about baseball that has appeared difficult for Ellsbury, who took some swings at Fenway Park with some other Cape Cod Leaguers in 2004, never imagining that a year later he'd be drafted on the first round by the Sox.

"Someone has a picture," he said, "of me in the cage, with Theo [Epstein] watching."

Last year, his first full season in pro ball, was almost a year-round enterprise. He started with Single A Wilmington, was promoted to Double A Portland in July, went to the playoffs with the Sea Dogs as they won the Eastern League title, then went to the Arizona Fall League, where he played another 26 games.

Ellsbury led all Sox minor leaguers with 41 stolen bases and was third in hitting with a .303 average, just behind Dustin Pedroia (.305) at Pawtucket and Jeff Natale (.304) at Wilmington. He also made just two errors in 109 games in the outfield.

"Some of his physical skills are obvious," said Ben Cherington, the Sox vice president of player personnel. "He's a fast runner with a quick burst -- he gets to top speed quickly. He has instincts in the outfield, and his arm strength has improved remarkably.

"But the thing that impresses me about him is his efficiency of movement. Some guys have a way of making the game look hard, a way of making it look difficult, but he keeps things pretty simple.

"There's not a lot of unnecessary movement. When you combine that with his athleticism, he has a chance to be very good."

Ellsbury hit just 7 home runs in 442 at-bats last season, but Cherington said he can see his power evolving naturally. No one is saying he'll be a slugger, but double-digit home runs should be within reach.

"The focus going into the season will be on the nuances involved with becoming a really good leadoff hitter," Cherington said. "Learning to grind out every at-bat, understanding the strike zone, and being even more disciplined than he already is."

The Sox also plan to have base-running and outfield instructor Lou Frazier, along with special instructor Tommy Harper, work with Ellsbury on his base-stealing skills. Frazier will be entrusted with refining Ellsbury's skills in the outfield, too.