Reds August 2023 thread

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-14-2023, 09:12 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Last night Elly De La Cruz hit his 10th career homerun.

He currently has 17 stolen bases.

In MLB history, only one player has reached 10 HR and 15 SB faster: Barry Bonds. And he did it in just one fewer games.

Elly has played 58 games in his career.

Another record coming up, last season Julio Rodriguez became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 15 HR and 20 SBs. It took him 81 games.

So if Elly can hit 5 HR and steal 3 bases in the next 22 games, he will have broken that record.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/08/14/elly-de-la-cruz-joins-barry-bonds-with-incredible-rookie-feat

I know some of these records feel arbitrary and nonsensical ("the first player to hit for the cycle while playing on a Friday in their home stadium when it's over 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the moon is just starting to peak out from behind the clouds...") but I think milestones in power + speed are relevant because they really highlight how rare it is to be both a power hitter AND a SB threat. Most players are either/or (or neither).

Elly has 30/30 or even 40/40 potential (There are only 4 players in MLB history who have stolen 40 bases and hit 40 HR in the same season).

If you stretch Elly's 58 games into a full 162 game season, he'd have:
123 Runs scored
176 hits
28 doubles
11 triples
28 HR
45 BB
249 SO (which would be a record)
50 stolen bases and 14 Caught Stealing
3.1 WAR

Yeah, I don't think we've even scratched the surface of Elly's potential yet. The guy just has freakish ability. His left handed swing is just pure power. When he learns he doesn't have to give it that extra umphh and learns to lay off the curve balls in the dirt. It's going to be a real show. Then you add in the speed and I can easily see him rewriting the record books and fast.

He just needs to develop some more polish and discipline at the plate.