Evan Heitman

Well before Elly even got to the big leagues, credible people who write and talk about baseball described Elly as having the kind of talent and tools that could help him perhaps be the best player in the game. Right then, the expectations for him became unreasonable and I’ve heard it in the discourse about Elly since his debut. He’s not the best player in the game. He’s merely really, really good. And he will likely only get better. He’ll be extraordinarily coveted when he hits free agency. The criticism he gets is based on expectations set by outsiders. And so every mistake, flub, and flaw gets discussed, dissected, and argued over unlike those of any other player on the team. And yes, there are moments when his play can be frustrating. They’re outweighed by moments of excellence and from a a statistical standpoint, he’s an excellent player. Productive and reliable. The Reds are lucky to have him and I love watching him. He plays hard. He plays hurt. He plays everyday - probably to his detriment. By all accounts he’s a terrific teammate. He seems to take his craft seriously. The Reds have a myriad of problems. Anyone who includes Elly’s performance on the list of them either isn’t really paying attention or is asking him to live up to an impossible standard.