With rumors of a trade to another team dispelled, retailers can keep hot-selling Red Sox items on the shelves.

At least one local retailer breathed a big sigh of relief this winter when rumors that Madras-raised Jacoby Ellsbury would be traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Minnesota Twins turned out not to be true.

That's because Ellsbury's quick ascension from Madras High School to Oregon State University to starting center fielder for the Boston Red Sox in last year's World Series has meant big sales of Ellsbury memorabilia that are destined to get bigger, said Timm Bartlett, owner of Pro Image in Bend.

The store sells collegiate and professional apparel and novelty items from its location in Cascade Village Shopping Center.

Bartlett sold all 72 of his adult Ellsbury replica jerseys over the holidays - youth jerseys sell for $60 and adult jerseys for $100 - but he was reluctant to order more because he probably would have had to mark them down in the event of a trade.

But with Ellsbury staying put, Bartlett has ordered a batch of new jerseys that he expects to arrive soon and heat up his winter business.
"This is a hometown kid with ties to Oregon State, so he's already huge," Bartlett said.

"But a local, young man playing for the number one or two most popular team in the nation - it doesn't get much better than that."

Since Ellsbury's late-season call-up and success in the World Series in October, the Red Sox have replaced the rival New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners for the most popular team gear sold at Pro Image, Bartlett said.

Red Sox merchandise - including beanies, hats, stickers and trash cans - now outsells Yankees merchandise 2-to-1, he said. But customers still can't get ahold of an Ellsbury jersey, he said.

Ellsbury and Red Sox-related merchandise will constitute 50 percent of Pro Image's Major League Baseball business sales when the store is fully stocked, Bartlett said.

Several other stores contacted by The Bulletin on Tuesday reported no Ellsbury merchandise.

Wilsonville-based Joe's Sports, Outdoor & More sells most of its professional baseball merchandise, including Ellsbury hats, jerseys and other items, on the company's Web site, www .joessports.com, said company spokeswoman Shannon Burley.

Ellsbury's value could take off this year if he has more success in what would be his first full season in the Major Leagues, said Jim Richards, owner and general manager of the Bend Elks Baseball Club and Field House.
Richards coached Ellsbury in 2002 when he played for the Bend Elks.

"The value of his signature has gone up significantly the last couple of months, as will his salary when he re-signs after next season," Richards said. "Anybody that hot has a bright future and an impressive career in front of them. The more hot the player, the hotter the autograph."

Ellsbury's popularity in Central Oregon compares with that of Ichiro Suzuki when he won both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player for the Seattle Mariners the year after he signed as a Japanese free agent in 2001, said Ben DeVoe, marketing director, for Pro Image Franchises LC, based in Centerville, Utah.

Pro Image has Oregon stores in Bend and Roseburg, DeVoe said.

"It's curious to see how much of an impact one guy can have on one store," DeVoe said of the Bend shop. "He already sold out of what he had. It (Ellsbury gear) will be a huge staple of sales the next two to three months."

The next shipment of 72 Ellsbury youth and adult replica jerseys will arrive toward the end of February, Bartlett said. About half of the adult jerseys have already been sold, he said.
Another shipment of 72 adult jerseys and 24 youth jerseys should arrive in March, he said.

Other Ellsbury merchandise, including an action figure, trading cards, children's T-shirts and posters, also will be in stock this spring, Bartlett said. The store does have some matted action photos in stock.

"Young ladies think he's gorgeous, grandmothers think he's wonderful, and young kids idolize him," said Bartlett, referring to buyers. "His appeal carries to all demographics and bridges all rivalries. I've even seen (University of Oregon) Duck fans buying (Oregon State University) Beaver baseball hats. I never thought I would see that."