Is There a Better Story in Baseball?

Jacoby Ellsbury was the toast of the town today in Madras, Oregon. At the beginning of the season he was on the Portland Seadogs; the AA affiliate of the Red Sox. At the end of the season he was batting leadoff in the World Series. In a week where we learned that the home run king was indicted for perjury in the BALCO scandal and the captain of the Yankees is in a multi-million dollar tax dispute it is nice to know a hard working kid from a small town can represent everything that is great about baseball. Jacoby Ellsbury seems fearless at the plate and on the base paths. When I watched Theo pour a can of beer over his head at Coors Field after game four it looked as if it was someone having fun with his kid brother. But this could not have been as easy as he made it seem. When he started playing everyday for the Red Sox the team needed him. The lead in the AL East was slipping. Coco and J.D. were getting booed. He carried this team with his speed into the playoffs like he carried every Native American baseball fan, all the residents of Madras, and Red Sox Nation everywhere. He is an instant fan favorite and not since Nomar have fans been so excited about a rookie. Jacoby's 18th birthday was on Sept. 11, 2001 he didn't get to have a good party. Today he got the party he deserved.