Jacoby Ellsbury signs seven-year, $153 million deal with the New York Yankees

Former Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury has signed a seven-year deal worth $153 million with the Yankees. There is also an eighth year option that could raise the total value to $169 million. He joins a long list of players who went to the Yankees after having success with the Red Sox. Babe Ruth, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon tasted World Series glory in the Bronx and Ellsbury hopes to do the same.

Pay per head services witnessed that Ellsbury managed to stay healthy last year and had one of his best seasons while winning his second World Series. He played in 134 games and had 172 hits. batting .298 with an on-base percentage of .355 and a slugging percentage of .426. He had nine home runs, 53 RBI and 52 stolen bases.

In seven years in the majors, Ellsbury is probably best known for his speed, which has allowed him to cover ground in the outfield and steal bases at will. He’s regarded as one of best leadoff men in baseball and if he can stay healthy he will make an immediate impact as a baserunner and in the outfield.

His career totals of 865 hits, 314 RBI, 241 stolen bases and 65 home runs are impressive but some people might say that the Yankees overpaid for him. Only time will tell but I think that Ellsbury’s best years are ahead of him. Ellsbury has always been compared with Johnny Damon and now they have something else in common, they’re World Series-winning leadoff men and center fielders who went from the Red Sox to the Yankees. Damon had four succesful years in New York, including a World Series title in 2009 and Ellsbury has what it takes to do the same.