With two steals in last night's game Jacoby Ellsbury now has 40 thefts this season, moving him into a tie for 5th place on the club's single-season list. It's the eighth time the feat has been accomplished in team history, and Ellsbury is the sixth player to do it.
Here's a look at the leaders:
Rank Player Year SB
1 Tommy Harper 1973 54
2 Tris Speaker 1912 52
3 Tris Speaker 1913 46
4 Tris Speaker 1914 42
4 Otis Nixon 1994 42
5 Harry Hooper 1910 40
5 Billy Werber 1934 40
5 Jacoby Ellsbury 2008 40
As you can see, the Sox earned their reputation as a team that didn't steal many bases, going 20, 39, and 21 years without a 40-steal season from any player. And it had been 14 years since the last player, Otis Nixon, earned the distinction.
Ellsbury started the season strongly in the steals department, but then tapered off as he reached base less regularly. With Ellsbury's slow down, Tommy Harper's 35-year-old mark, once thought to be in jeopardy, looked like it would remain safe. But with six weeks to go, and just 15 more thefts needed to break the mark, it's certainly within the rookie's reach once again.
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