Jacoby Ellsbury Wins AL Comeback Player of the Year

In his best season at the major league level, Jacoby Ellsbury has earned the American League’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

It was Ellsbury who was the best player for the Red Sox all year long and his numbers back that up.  Ellsbury set career bests in batting average, .321, RBI’s with 105 and home runs with 32.  He also became the first player in Red Sox history to accomplish the 30/30 feat (30 homers with 30 stolen bases).

All of that was accomplished one year after he had arguably the most frustrating year of his young career.  2010 was a year to forget for Ellsbury.  Thanks to multiple rib injuries, the All-Star centerfielder appeared in just 18 games for the Red Sox which brought mountains of speculation as to whether or not Ellsbury could survive at the MLB level.

Well consider the speculation answered and he did so in grand fashion.  Ellsbury was the one constant for Boston this season, especially in September.  As the team crumbled, Ellsbury continued to surge, trying to lead the team to victory on a night in, night out basis.  Case in point, when Ellsbury hit three home runs in two days in New York in what almost saved the Red Sox season.

This could be the tip of the iceberg for Ellsbury’s hardware collection this season.  Ellsbury has been mentioned repeatedly as a finalist for the AL MVP award, to be handed out in the near future.

The National League’s Comeback Player of the Year award went to Lance Berkman of the St. Louis Cardinals.  Both the NL and the AL awards are voted on by all 30 MLB.com beat writers.

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