From Beyond the Boxscore:

Some numbers to mull over:

*Jacoby Ellsbury, age 23, triple-A (in 2007): .298/.360/.380 with 33 steals (39 attempts) in 87 games. 47/32 K/BB ratio, 21 extra base hits

*Brett Gardner, age 24, triple-A (in 2008): .287/.412/.429 with 34 steals (42 attempts) in 80 games. 68/61 K/BB ratio, 24 extra base hits.

*Ellsbury minor league career (250 games): .313/.389/.425 with 105 steals (132 attempts), 127/111 K/BB

*Gardner minor league career (349 games): .289/.386/.385 with 139 steals (169 attempts), 260/207 K/BB

*Ellsbury per 162 minor league games: 68 steals (86 attempts)

*Gardner per 162 minor league games: 64 steals (79 attempts)

*According to Kevin Goldstein, Gardner is "an 80 runner with outstanding defense and on-base skills."

It's unlikely that Brett Gardner will make the same impact that Jacoby Ellsbury has made so far. However, the similarities are interesting…