I got a laugh out of this one if you have been following along.  This woman thought she was sitting next to someone non-human on a flight.

Measuring this by fantasy baseball stat production. Here are your top 5 NL offensive players over the past month:

1. Ronald Acuna

2. Matt Olson

3. Elly

4. Mookie Betts

5. Francisco Lindor

That is nice company to be listed with.

Over the last week leading up to the All Star break:

1. Elly

2. Manny Machado

3. Francisco Lindor

4. Cody Bellinger

5. Joey Votto

With Elly's leadoff home run, De La Cruz has duplicated a feat only two major leaguers had accomplished before him since 1913, a small group that includes the legendary Barry Bonds, per ESPN Stats & Info.

See, only Bonds and Gary Redus, who also debuted in the big leagues with the Reds, were the only ones to hit at least five home runs and steal 15 bases in only 40 games or fewer datingback in the early 80s.

11 hours ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

With Elly's leadoff home run, De La Cruz has duplicated a feat only two major leaguers had accomplished before him since 1913, a small group that includes the legendary Barry Bonds, per ESPN Stats & Info.

See, only Bonds and Gary Redus, who also debuted in the big leagues with the Reds, were the only ones to hit at least five home runs and steal 15 bases in only 40 games or fewer datingback in the early 80s.

I hope he has a more productive career than Redus.

2 hours ago, 4 Quarters said:

I hope he has a more productive career than Redus.

I second that!

Gotto move the kid out of the one hole.  Get him with some people on base so he can see a few more fastballs.  Does no one any good to lead him off when he has trouble hitting the crooked ones.  

This is interesting...? 

Love to watch him on the basepaths. 
 

Cringe watching him in the field. 

On 8/27/2023 at 1:29 AM, Jumper_Dad said:

This is interesting...? 

I saw that posted the other day.  It is a little bit misleading.  That doesn't show what Ohtani did in his first 63 games as a hitter.   In his first 63 MLB games he was a pitcher in 9 of them and did not bat. 

 

In his first 63 games as a hitter, he batted .272, had 55 hits, 27 extra base hits, and 12 homers.   Of course, De La Cruz has slumped since that was produced.  He's now played 83 games and produced a .235 batting average, 79 hits, 31 extra base hits and 11 homers.  Ohtani over his first 83 games as a hitter batted .287, with 72 hits, 36 extra base hits, and 19 homers.  He also struck out 81 times to 126 times for Elly.  Those strikeouts, and the errors are 2 huge issues that De La Cruz has to clean up to be the player that he can be.  

Shew, errors starting to pile up on Elly

2 hours ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

Shew, errors starting to pile up on Elly

This guy has to end up in center field.

26 minutes ago, 4 Quarters said:

This guy has to end up in center field.

I would agree, has a great arm

This guy seems to be trending in the wrong direction.

Dude has hit the wall.  Not sure what the answer is, but the Reds sure could use some of his early season energy. 

It amazing how things can change so drastically in just a little over 3 months. Check the Elly article below by channel 9’s PJ O’Keefe. 
 

https://www.wcpo.com/sports/baseball/reds/elly-de-la-bust-once-the-most-exciting-player-in-baseball-the-electricity-has-dulled-to-a-spark?fbclid=IwAR1FDwqOFz4XVR41N_ZeRsPiEwjceNfs9vKs5oaMzF4Ja34f9Vc4oundwps_aem_AY_2-V98nL8bCS9BCfyfn202cHV_49olioDw3K8IdKRvNNPvRcTJSEOFcbfuZ4Pc5DI&mibextid=Zxz2cZ