Jacoby Ellsbury shows power potential along with durability

Jacoby Ellsbury is emerging as a potential speed-power player like Red Sox teammate Carl Crawford. He has 20-homer potential and entered Saturday leading the majors with 18 stolen bases. The best news for the Red Sox is he had played every game, quieting concerns about his durability. …

Despite a vow of support from owner Lew Wolff, A’s Manager Bob Geren is in real trouble. His biggest concern is that his punchless team continues to tread water with a pitching staff built to win, but it doesn’t help that he had to put down a player revolt last week. …

The Pirates’ acquisition of Brandon Wood acted like a wake-up call for Ronny Cedeno, who reclaimed the starting shortstop job after initially sharing it with Wood. Fielding metrics show Cedeno as the top shortstop in the majors thus far. …

The Angels’ signing of Russell Branyan is related to rookie first baseman Mark Trumbo’s .220 average against right-handers. Manager Mike Scioscia hopes to get a lift from Branyan, who totaled 56 homers in 2009 and ’10. …

The Wilson Valdez who moved from second base to earn a 19th-inning victory pitching for the Phillies is the same player who made his big league debut with the 2004 White Sox. …

Alexi Ogando has become the type of dominating starter the Rangers once envisioned Neftali Feliz would become. The bad news is there are serious concerns about Feliz’s shoulder. He entered the weekend having walked nine and struck out only two since coming off the disabled list. …

The Royals continue to rave about shortstop Alcides Escobar. His fielding figures to be very important as they build around young pitching. … Stephen Strasburg has begun throwing from a mound for the first time since Tommy John surgery in September. His first sessions came about 8 1/2 months after surgery. He hopes to get back in time to make a few starts in September, and GM Mike Rizzo says the club won’t hold him back if he’s ready.