The destruction that Jacoby Ellsbury did on the basepaths in 2009 was the stuff of legend, and when it was all said and done, he had himself a shiny new Red Sox record.
While reaching that mark of 70 swipes again may seem improbable, Ellsbury is actually on a very similar pace on May 30.
| Season | Games Played | Stolen Bases | Caught Stealing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 48 | 21 | 6 | 77.8 |
| 2011 | 53 | 19 | 6 | 76 |
It's interesting to note that while Ellsbury finished that '09 campaign with an 85.3 percent success rate, he had been caught six times by May 25. This year, he was caught for the sixth time on May 23.
It's also important to consider that Ellsbury was hitting .299 with a .332 on-base percentage in '09, while this year, he's hitting .298 with a .368 OBP. At least theoretically, if he maintains his OBP, he'll have more opportunities to steal this season as well, despite his steals per game dropping from .44 in '09 to .36 in '11.
Will Jacoby Ellsbury match or break his mark of 70 steals this season?online surveys
