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| JACOBY ELLSBURY |
RED SOX : SPRING TRAINING 2014
March 19,2014.
c/o Jason Mastrodonato
@ masslive.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- There's no mystery with Jacoby Ellsbury.
The Boston Red Sox knew what they were giving up. The New York Yankees knew what they were getting.
"I mean, it happened pretty quick," Ellsbury said Tuesday, talking about his seven-year, $153-million contract the Yankees signed him to on Dec. 4, 2013, just weeks after Ellsbury was hoisting a World Series trophy at Fenway Parl. "Play deep, winning the World Series, you go play an extra month, then free agency hits, you start talking to teams, it was exciting when they made the offer, I saw what they were doing, their history, a chance to win right away, a chance to win championships. That was the biggest thing that was appealing."
With the contract from the Yankees in hand, Ellsbury said he gave the Red Sox a chance to counter, saying "They knew I enjoyed playing there. They definitely did."
But the Red Sox couldn't match.
With Grady Sizemore signed to a $750,000 contract with up to $6 million in reachable incentives and Jackie Bradley Jr. getting better by the day, the Red Sox had no need to wing-clip themselves by committing to a long-term, lucrative contract.
It was an amicable split.
"What kind of jumps out is the pace they got Jacoby," Red Sox manager John Farrel said before the Red Sox's first spring training game against the Yankees on Tuesday. "As quick as they moved to sign him, that was the one thing - that offer had to be so much greater than anything Jacoby was fielding, not knowing anything, but to make that decisioni that quick in the offseason obviously they were very aggressive towards him.
"They've got tremendous resources. This division is going to be difficult top to bottom, teams might go about it differently based on their own model."
Since arriving in New York, Ellsbury has been the same person, said left-handed pitcher Matt Thornton, who spent the second half of last season with the Red Sox after being traded from the Chicago White Sox.
Even with his contract, Ellsbury is still quiet and mostly keeps to himself. He was hardly visible on Tuesday -- he's battling a calf injury that's sidelined him for the time being -- and rarely at his locker during the hours in which the team's clubhouse is open to the media.
But he's focused, Thornton said. That never seemed to be an issue.
"He hasn’t changed his personality at all," Thornton said. "He’s worried about getting ready for April 1.
"I think he’s excited. I think anytime you have the change, it’s exciting to be a part of a new situation. You’re obviously very comfortable when you come up through the organization and have been there for so long like he was. But a new opportunity with a new team is always fun. It’s a new challenge and it’s a new situation.
"I don’t think the media is going to be an different because both markets are all over you at all times. When you’re doing well, they love you, when they struggle you’ll get the wrath of everything. I actually haven’t seen him really play much, the schedules are so different. He looks good."
Ellsbury had gifts waiting at his locker from Jon Lester and other Red Sox teammates. They still communicate, Ellsbury said. They're still friends.
"I've always said I enjoyed playing there," he said. "Have a lot of memories. Spent nine years playing in the organization. That's roughly a third of my life with one team. So definitely a lot of great memories, a lot of friends over there and I still continue to have relationships with those guys down the road."
The Red Sox simply didn't need Ellsbury anymore, not at his commanded salary, anyway. Farrell said they lost a great player.
The Yankees needed one.
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