Giants legend questions Elly De La Cruz's troubling stat, offers advice to become Reds cornerstone

When it comes to excitement in the MLB ballpark, very few come close to Elly De La Cruz. The 23-year-old Cincinnati Reds shortstop has entertained fans with homers, base stealing and fielding.

However, many, including Giants legend Will Clark, are concerned about one aspect of his game. On Monday, Clark shared his thoughts in an interview with former minor league player Ryan Ripken.

"He's (Elly De La Cruz) already passed Tony (Gwynn), and he's only been in the big leagues two and a half years. So it's like, you know, how can you have that much talent, as Elly does, and not put the ball in play?," Clark said (55:48).

Clark shared that his son had sent him a meme featuring Tony Gwynn and Elly De La Cruz, pointing out that De La Cruz has been struck out more than Gwynn despite debuting in MLB in 2023.

For context, Gwynn is an MLB Hall of Famer who played 20 years in the MLB, all for the Padres, but was struck out only 434 times.

The Giants legend acknowledged that De La Cruz is the best player on the Reds and has immense potential. As such, he offered a solution for him to be the team's cornerstone.

"If you put the ball in play with all of that talent right there, you directly influence every outcome of every game that the Cincinnati Reds play," Clark added.

De La Cruz is ninth in strikeouts in the MLB, with 77. The Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene tops the list with 86, followed by Oneil Cruz with 82.

Ryan Ripken makes a hilarious Elly De La Cruz - Will Clark comparison

Will Clark was a six-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, Gold Glove Award winner and NLCS MVP during his 15-year illustrious MLB career. The Giants retired Clarke's No. 22 jersey and entered his name in the team's Wall of Fame in 2008.

One thing Clark wasn't known for was base running. Although he was an intelligent runner, he was slow. With Clark criticizing Elly De La Cruz, Ryan Ripken made a hilarious comparison.

"You know, he's (Elly De La Cruz) got the speed like a Will Clark before he had Coors Light. That's what the comp is," Ripken said (56:17).

Nevertheless, Ripken agreed with Clark's criticism of De La Cruz. He pointed out that there are many athletically gifted sluggers in baseball, and only the ones figuring out how to maximize their potential can make big bucks.

About the author

Safeer M S is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda, having delved into the sport professionally since 2024. His journey into baseball was sparked by Shohei Ohtani’s remarkable MLB performances, which ignited his passion for the game. Safeer’s enthusiasm for fantasy baseball further fueled his engagement with the sport.

Safeer supports baseball stars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge, with Shohei Ohtani's dual-threat dominance being his most memorable baseball moment. He admires Willie Mays for his athleticism and historic achievements in pinch-hitting and stealing bases.

In addition to his baseball expertise, Safeer is deeply passionate about combat sports, which he has been reporting on since 2022. His journey into combat sports began with Karate lessons in school, followed by boxing training. Films like Rocky 4, Never Back Down, and Warrior inspired his love for MMA, and witnessing Demetrious Johnson's victory over Kyoji Horiguchi solidified his commitment to the sport.

When not immersed in sports, Safeer enjoys playing football, working out, and watching anime or thriller movies.

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Edited by Bhargav