As Jacoby Ellsbury returns to the Red Sox lineup, the team ranks last in the major leagues in stolen bases, stolen base attempts and near the bottom in triples. It also leads all of baseball in slugging.
The offensive attack has most certainly been one-dimensional, but it's been a pretty powerful dimension.
But with Ellsbury back in the fold the day after the slugging Sox lost their cleanup hitter, there may be a new style of ball ushered in. Nobody will confuse Boston with the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals, but the attack may take on a slightly different look.
"It gives us a dimension we haven't really had," manager Terry Francona said.
It's a style that other teams such as Tampa Bay and Texas have employed against Boston this year, often to rousing success. Especially early on, teams ran wild on the Red Sox and the results were almost always positive.
For the first time in months, Francona can allow his own guys to get under an opposing pitcher's skin as so many have done to Boston's.
"Guys like [Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford], there are guys in the league now, you have to pay attention to them," Francona said. "There's always a chance that [they steal], but you get concerned with the runner, maybe leave a fastball up to somebody.
"There's a lot of ways [speed can impact the game]."
One such way concerns Marco Scutaro, your No. 2 hitter on most days until Dustin Pedroia returns. Francona is hopeful that Scutaro, who has hit .286 with all seven of his home runs while batting leadoff this year, will be even more potent if and when Ellsbury is dancing off bases, dividing a pitcher's attention.
"That should make Scutaro more dangerous," the skipper said.
Of course, Ellsbury will not be an everyday player right off the bat. He may require a day off here and there, Francona said. That's when Scutaro will return to the top spot in the lineup.
That has been a pretty good back-up plan all year.
"We could put him there every day and not have to worry about that part of the lineup," Francona added. "That's a huge thing in itself."
There is a degree of comfort for Francona putting either player atop the order. It doesn't hurt, however, to have a dynamic presence such as Ellsbury. In fact, it will completely alter the way the team plays its game.
As Francona said himself: "Nobody has Ellsbury speed on our team."
