Boston Red Sox wonderboy Jacoby Ellsbury is the future of the Red Sox franchise. Get Jacoby Ellsbury T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and more for men, women, kids, and babies in lots of styles and sizes at The Foul Line Shop at CafePress.

Hype is a word that is thrown around a lot in sports. Teams begin hyping up their own players from the time they are drafted. Every team has the next "can't miss" prospect. Players from the past like Brien Taylor and Todd Van Poppel were both first round "can't miss" prospects who were crushed under the pressure created by their teams. This year, when it comes to Red Sox prospects, it appears we can actually believe the hype.

There have been some incredible stories this year about some Red Sox rookies. Everyone knows what Clay Buchholz has done in his second big-league start. Hideki Okajima made the AL All Star team and has been the ideal setup man for Jonathan Papelbon. And of course, Dustin Pedroia just keeps on hitting and gets better every game.

In Boston, there is another rookie who laughs in the face of the hype machine. Since being promoted from the Triple A Pawtucket Red Sox, outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury has turned the Major Leagues on its ear. This kid has played in only 10 big league games this year and is already showing that his days in Pawtucket are officially over. Ellsbury has played all three outfield position and has yet to commit an error, and his diving catch Monday night against the Blue Jays was a game saver. Ellsbury has also batted in several different spots in the lineup and has hit .393 with 2 home runs.

Since being drafted in the first round by Boston in 2005, Ellsbury has moved quickly through the minors, excelling at each level, even winning Boston's Minor League Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. One scouting report compared Ellsbury to "a better version of Johnny Damon. I say a better version because he has all the same baseball talent, but a better arm, and minus the greed and ***holeness."

There is one little problem. The Red Sox now have four starting outfielders. Who is going to be odd man out? Ellsbury isn't going anywhere: pencil him into the Sox lineup for the next ten years. With Manny and J.D. Drew signed to outrageous contracts, it appears Coco Crisp's days are numbered.

The Red Sox have a proud tradition of all-star outfielders. It may be time to add one more name to the list.

thefoulline.com
September 4, 2007

Jacoby Ellsbury's mother is a full-blooded Navajo, and Jacoby is officially registered as a member of the Colorado River Indians Tribe. Ellsbury is one of only a handful of Native Americans to play in the Major Leagues and is the first of Navajo descent.

Check out these links for more details.

• The Mudville Megaphone Jacoby Ellsbury Biography
  This extensive article includes a detailed family history, amateur and professional career timeline, and quotes from Ellsbury and his family regarding his childhood, heritage, and baseball career.
• Farmington, New Mexico, Daily Times Photo Album
  A small collection of childhood and family pictures. There is no text to identify the subjects, but the photos are interesting nonetheless.
• Boston.com Article: "Ellsbury a Rare Talent"
  This March 2007 article features quotes from Jacoby's mother Margie Ellsbury regarding the family's Navajo roots, as well as more information about Native Americans in the Major Leagues.