Ellis Burks is coming home where he belongs. The former Red Sox player rejoined that team today after ten years away. Burks is 39 now and well past his peak playing time but he could still be an effective hitter off the bench for the Red Sox. It was just one more great signing by a front office that seems to get this kind of thing right.

Ellis Burks was as sweet as they came when he first came up to the Red Sox in 1987. His easy gait in centerfield tracked down nearly everything hit his way. In his six years with Boston, he had three full seasons and three years of injury. The injuries soured the Red Sox who let him go his way in 1993. Red Sox fans were heartbroken.

Burks continued a career of great highlights and injury woes. But in seventeen years, he did manage to hit 351 homers and drive in 1205 runs. He also scored 1247 runs, hit 402 doubles and has a lifetime on base percentage of .364. That's a pretty good career.

Burks return to the Red Sox reminds me of Bobby Murcer's return to the Yankees at the end of his career. Murcer, like Burks was a fan favorite who when traded, broke a lot of young hearts. Murcer finished his career coming off the bench and hit a few key homers before moving up to the Yankee broadcast booth.

The similarities go further as Murcer was supposed to be the next Mickey Mantle and Burks was the next Willie Mays. But those are hard hopes to live up to and both had decent careers. Their careers didn't live up to those lofty comparisons, but they were appreciated by those who watched them play.

It's right for Ellis to come home because Ellis Burks never should have been anywhere else but Fenway Park.