Elly De La Cruz

[TRF]

Comparing 1985 Eric Davis with 1987 Tracy Jones is a strange way to justify your angle here. Kal Daniels vs Tracy Jones 1987? Sure. Or even better, all the 1987 folks pining for Kurt Stillwell over Barry Larkin.

But these imaginary 1980s old men, telling kids they should root for Tracy Jones instead of Eric Davis?

That's fantasy-land, and that was my point. Where do you come up with this stuff?

80's old dude: "Ya know kids... you should really root for 1987 Tracy Jones instead of 1985 Eric Davis..."

That's your point? Uhh...



IIIIIII don't think that's your angle here, be honest.

And I still don't know which 2024 Reds player you think your imaginary old men from 2024 are telling all of these imaginary 2024 kids to root for instead of Elly. McLain was my best guess.

So, I was about 19 in 87. My grandpa loved Tracy Jones. He had other thoughts about Davis, Larkin et al.

He was old and I usually just ignored him. Anyone stating that wasn't a thing either wasn't there or didn't care, then or now.

As for who is on the Reds now? No one fits that bill exactly. But see, that wasn't M2's point. it wasn't white/black. It was an older person trying to convince a younger person that the old player/ex-player was the OG. As was explained in the post previous. Back in the day kids may have wanted to see ED while their dad was pointing to Tracy Jones. Or maybe he could have put Dave Parker in there. That's a more apt comparison in my mind.

[Bourgeois Zee]

I'm not imaginary, and I absolutely remember an absolute ton of guys who adored Tracy Jones but thought ED struck out too much or had a bad attitude or was lazy or was a goldbricker who took advantage of fake injuries.

[M2]

So, I was about 19 in 87. My grandpa loved Tracy Jones. He had other thoughts about Davis, Larkin et al.

He was old and I usually just ignored him. Anyone stating that wasn't a thing either wasn't there or didn't care, then or now.

They used to pop up in the early days of posting boards too. Actually, the boring-ass guy they used to gush over the most was Ron OESTER! Slow, weak, had a grand total of two good seasons in a 13-year career. He could put your kids to sleep on a nightly basis. They couldn't process what an utterly disposable ballplayer he'd been.

[westofyou]

Tracy Jones did kind get a lot of positive press, and Kal being injured created an opportunity for him

July 88, Mike Bass sounds off in the Post about Tracy Jones being traded for Jeff Reed, Winningham




Pete weighed in in 1986 as did this columnist

[M2]

I'm not imaginary, and I absolutely remember an absolute ton of guys who adored Tracy Jones but thought ED struck out too much or had a bad attitude or was lazy or was a goldbricker who took advantage of fake injuries.

It required some special head-in-the-sand skills to have missed that.

I remember people insisting Davis couldn't hit a curve even as he was posting multiple late-career .300 seasons as mainly a curveball hitter.

[M2]

Tracy Jones did kind get a lot of positive press, and Kal being injured created an opportunity for him

July 88, Mike Bass sounds off in the Post about Tracy Jones being traded for Jeff Reed, Winningham




Pete weighed in in 1986 as did this columnist

If healthy, he might have beaten out Paul O'Neill in right field.

Jonesmania was fierce. And O'Neill is another guy who was a bit of a frustration vent for Reds fans.

[RedTeamGo!]

Comparing 1985 Eric Davis with 1987 Tracy Jones is a strange way to justify your angle here. Kal Daniels vs Tracy Jones 1987? Sure. Or even better, all the 1987 folks pining for Kurt Stillwell over Barry Larkin.

But these imaginary 1980s old men, telling kids they should root for Tracy Jones instead of Eric Davis?

That's fantasy-land, and that was my point. Where do you come up with this stuff?

80's old dude: "Ya know kids... you should really root for 1987 Tracy Jones instead of 1985 Eric Davis..."

That's your point? Uhh...



IIIIIII don't think that's your angle here, be honest.

And I still don't know which 2024 Reds player you think your imaginary old men from 2024 are telling all of these imaginary 2024 kids to root for instead of Elly. McLain was my best guess.

Honestly, if you haven’t noticed the large quantity of 40+ year old dudes rushing to declare Elly a bust, too flashy, cocky, etc you aren’t paying attention. And no, I’m not referring to Redszone. The kids love Elly, so he’s getting marketed by mlb. As for 1987, I was 4 years old so I don’t know what happened back then. I have no idea who Tracy Jones was.

I like Elly because he has tools nobody else possesses and if he puts it together he’s going to be thrilling to watch.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Jonesmania was fierce. And O'Neill is another guy who was a bit of a frustration vent for Reds fans.

O'Neill could do nothing right, to many Red fans of that era. (At least those in northern Kentucky.)

I can remember one of the guys at our church insisting O'Neill was a football player who happened to play baseball. He was sure the guy was destined to be a flash in the pan.

Oops.

[Bob Sheed]

Honestly, if you haven’t noticed the large quantity of 40+ year old dudes rushing to declare Elly a bust, too flashy, cocky, etc you aren’t paying attention. And no, I’m not referring to Redszone. The kids love Elly, so he’s getting marketed by mlb. As for 1987, I was 4 years old so I don’t know what happened back then. I have no idea who Tracy Jones was.

I like Elly because he has tools nobody else possesses and if he puts it together he’s going to be thrilling to watch.

I confess, I don't know any 40+ year old dudes rushing to compare Elly a bust. There certainly weren't any at that Friday night game I was at where he hit for the cycle.

And as a diehard Reds fan and baseball card collecting teenager in the 80s, I don't remember a lot of guys pining for Tracy Jones over Eric Davis back then either.

Sounds like you all were a part of different social circles than I was and that I am a part of I guess.


Also, there is no chance that M2 would have used Dave Parker instead of Tracy Jones in his analogy. Zero. Chance. I think you know that though.

[j.u.FAIRFIIELD]

All I can remember about Eric Davis initially was that I was amid a group of Cubs fans (clueless ones) and told them that the Reds had the most exciting player in baseball about to emerge. I mentioned Davis and they gave me this knowing nod as if to say, OK. That was about 1986ish. The next guy I got excited about was Nick Senzel. I still don't know if that was misplaced fantasy or just a tough break. I am more interested in EDLC because I can't wait to see that talent unharnessed. Sheesh, you have to have a brain made of cottage cheese not to be excited about this guy -- and the other 6 or 7 awesome young talents on the Cincy team. This **** is for real, folks.

[membengal]

I'm not imaginary, and I absolutely remember an absolute ton of guys who adored Tracy Jones but thought ED struck out too much or had a bad attitude or was lazy or was a goldbricker who took advantage of fake injuries.

I mean...yes. All this. Anyone ANYONE on this board of a certain age knows this is exactly how it went down. You can tick off the HS graduating years to know where people are gonna fall on this. Watkins Memorial class of '88 and I PROMISE you all, the hate for ED who struck out too much and didn't hustle correctly and wore chains and a buncha other things was...a thing. It just was. And, I also promise you all Tracy Jones was beloved by a certain set - gritty hustle and what not. Couldn't hold a candle as a hitter to Kal Daniels but...yeah. And, also, folks here are right about how much **** Paul O'Neill took too. He didn't hit for as much power as people thought he should given his size. People do like to complain, but ED took a TON of bleep and some of it was, despite what BobS wants to admit, absolutely rooted in race. Without question. I could cite more examples like TRF did. SO many awkward comments from adults at church and what not.

[Roy Tucker]

I'm not imaginary, and I absolutely remember an absolute ton of guys who adored Tracy Jones but thought ED struck out too much or had a bad attitude or was lazy or was a goldbricker who took advantage of fake injuries.

Not playing because of a lacerated liver is a wussy move.

[Boss-Hog]

Not playing because of a lacerated liver is a wussy move.

Enough so that he should've been made to pay for his own flight home.

[Ron Madden]

There's nothing new about Reds Fans bashing the teams best players, believing all along that they're just tellin it like it is.

[Mitri]

I’d like to think it’s just a vocal minority of dimwitted fans, it’s an annual tradition in Reds country. And yes, racism has a lot to do with it, don’t get it twisted. Things are better now but it still exists. And just because the same type of fan crapped on Votto over the years (or praised Dave Parker) doesn’t mean this doesn’t track.