Elly De La Cruz is raking in Cincinnati

Didn't realize he was playing so well:

https://www.mlb.com/news/elly-de-la-cruz-power-speed-breakout-2024

tonite: 4-4 w/ 4 SBs versus Glasnow @ LAD

.277/.378/.516 (.894 OPS #17 in MLB)

is he on pace to challenge rickey?

30/44 team games = 110, so theoretically, within range (Henderson stole 130). But he's been on base 65 times (43 hits + 22 walks), and that projects to 239; Henderson was on 259 times, so probably not. Still wow, though. Of the nine seasons of 100 (Henderson, Brock, Coleman, Wills), only Henderson slugged over .400 in one of them (.421).

His success rate, it should be mentioned, is much better than Henderson's in '82: 30/35 for De La Cruz, 130/172 for Henderson. The rules are more favorable to base stealers now, though, right?

Yes - not quite apples to oranges. That said today's pitchers, partic relievers, are nastier than what Rickey had to face.

Lol I mean apples to apples.

Henderson became a better percentage base stealer as he got older--in the 70-80% range his first four seasons, 82% for the rest of his career. He seemed pretty hell-bent on breaking Brock's record early on.

(Plus he had a rather erratic manager...)

i'm not a fan of the oven mitts and pizza boxes. but maybe they're needed if pitches are getting to the plate faster and catchers have stronger arms than 30 years ago.