HELIUM WATCH

If left fielder Brandon Jacobs had turned down the Red Sox out of high school, he'd be celebrating Auburn's national championship in football. Instead Jacobs signed with the Red Sox for $750,000 as a 2009 10th-round pick after he had committed to be a running back for Tommy Tuberville. As you would expect for a Division I football recruit, the 20-year-old Jacobs is a premium athlete, but he's not a football player just learning to play baseball. He has a smooth swing, and his improving approach has helped him hit .370/.434/.590 with low Class A Greenville, which means he's very rarely being fooled. The biggest adjustment for Jacobs is improving his throwing arm—a common problem for football/baseball players.