We're ready to go. You get the days off in between, but to us, that really doesn't matter. We're excited just to be moving on to the American League Championship Series. It's tough enough to get here. It was a tremendous series against the Angels, but now we're focused and ready to go for this one.
We had a workout today at Tropicana Field, and we're just trying to stay in rhythm. You're not going to change any of your routines or anything. Get whatever necessary work you need in. Stick to the same schedule. That's the biggest thing.
Playing the Rays in the ALCS, I think you just have to realize that whatever series you play in, pitching and defense is going to be the biggest difference. Timely hitting, that will be another key to this series.
We had a tough time at Tropicana Field this year, losing eight out of nine. While the season is going on, you don't really think about that stuff. So I don't really know what we've done differently here or haven't done differently in this park. We'll stick to our game plan and stick to our approach and have quality at-bats, playing solid defense and coming with a lot of energy. This is do or die. If you lose, you go home. You win, you go to the World Series.
You have to respect what the Rays have done this year. Their bullpen has been solid all year. Their starting pitching has been great, and they've played great defense. And that's why they're here.
As for our team, we've got a lot of confidence. It's a different guy every night. We don't have to rely on one person to carry the team. I think that's what has made us strong. Any given night, it could be someone different. But everyone through the line contributes. Everybody has a role and they execute it.
I feel confident. My body feels good. I'm excited for the ALCS. It's a great opportunity. We're looking for one win at a time, but we're one series from the World Series. So it's one game at a time -- the old cliché!
Born: September 11, 1983
Birthplace: Madras, Oregon
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 190 lbs
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Drafted: 2005: 1st Round (23rd Pick)
College: Oregon State
High School: Madras High School (OR)
MLB Debut: 06/30/2007
BOSTON RED SOX SIGN BASEBALL SENSATION JACOBY ELLSBURY
With the signing of a $1.4 million contract July 12, Jacoby, Navajo - a first-round pick in the Boston Red Sox baseball team's 2005 First Year Player Draft - can begin to play the game he loves.
Although Jacoby flew to Boston July 1, he hadn't been able to sign his contract or play baseball with the Lowell Spinners, a Level A team, while waiting for the results of a physical and drug test. He passed the tests with flying colors.
''It's been hard waiting out the last five games. I'm used to playing every day, but really we still have around 60 games left so I'll be playing a lot of baseball,'' Jacoby said.
His mother, Margie Ellsbury, sent Indian Country Today an e-mail announcing the good news. ''Jacoby officially signed with the Boston Red Sox today,'' she wrote.
Jacoby learned he was a Red Sox draftee June 7 while watching the live draft on the Internet at Oregon State University, where he is a junior majoring in business and communication.
''My brother [Matt, a freshman at OSU] and quite a few of my buddies were there and we were celebrating, and some of my other buddies' names were called later on in the draft. It was awesome,'' Jacoby said.
Margie, a Navajo of the Colorado River Tribe, said she didn't at first believe her son when he called with the good news. ''But, then, I just wanted to bawl my head off. I was really excited for him. It's a dream come true for him,'' she said.
Jim Ellsbury, a forester for the BIA at the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, said his son has been working toward this goal since childhood.
''When he was in second grade, a teacher went around asking students what they wanted to be and he said, 'a major league baseball player.' That got a pretty good laugh, but he's accomplished part of the way there and he hopes to have a future in the major leagues for a long time. Hopefully, the best is yet to come,'' he said.
The $1.4 million signing bonus Jacoby received ''is more money than I'll make in my lifetime, but he knows where his roots are,'' Jim said.
Jacoby's roots, and those of his three brothers - Matt, 19; Tyler, 16; and Spencer, 12 - are on the reservation, Margie said.
Margie is a special education teacher in early childhood at the Warm Springs reservation, where all four sons were born and raised. The family later moved to Parker, Margie's hometown, where Jacoby participated in sports.
''That's how he got to know his own tribal people,'' Margie said.
By all accounts, Jacoby is an extraordinary scholar-athlete with a long resume of achievements. Most recently, he was the 2005 Pacific-10 Conference's Co-Player of the Year. He was named to the 2005 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America second team and the College Baseball Foundation's National Honors team. He received the Pacific-10 All Academic honorable mention. He has hit .368 (229-for-623) with 56 stolen bases, 162 runs scored, 36 doubles, 16 honors and 99 RBI in three seasons at OSU. He was ranked as the fastest base runner and third-best defensive outfielder among draft-eligible college players in Baseball America's Best Tools Survey.
Jacoby is also a hero to the local community, said Leona A. Ike, a member of the Warm Springs tribes.
''At our local 150th celebration of sovereignty, the Treaty of 1855, we had a pow wow event called Pi-Ume-Sha. He showed up there with his family and the pow wow gave him an Honor Dance. Our elders shared with him that he is not only a role model for his tribe, but for all tribal children and people and we are all so proud of his accomplishments. He made the community feel so special. That is the kind of man this young man is - so respectful,'' Ike said.
Jacoby is equally proud of his heritage. ''Being Native American, I think it definitely helps especially where I'm at right now. I'm playing with people from a lot of different ethnic backgrounds, even different countries, so I think my experience with different cultures will help me. I've developed better relationships with people and sharpened my communication skills,'' he said.
An excellent student, Jacoby advises youngsters who would like to follow in his footsteps to focus first on education.
''A lot of my buddies were good athletes, but they weren't able to compete because they didn't get good enough grades. Education is so important for success in any career, and then just hard work and determination. I think you can be good at anything you do, if you have the determination,'' Jacoby said.
Jacoby!!! Congrats on bein named Best Defensive Player of the Year from MLB.Com..... :) You definitely earned this, and should be very proud of yourself....xoxo
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