Jose Ramirez still impacting Guardians as hitter, infielder, leader

Former Guardians manager Terry Francona loves the way José Ramírez has developed into a baseball star.

Francona returned to Progressive Field as the Cincinnati Reds manager for a series from May 15-17, and reminisced about Cleveland’s run to the 2016 World Series and about Ramirez.

“Remember the first lead he took — f---, he was 20 feet out there. I was like, god damn. Thought he was invisible,” Francona said with a laugh as he recalled seeing the Bani, Dominican Republic, native on base for the first time in a Major League Baseball game.  

Ramirez started at third base on Cleveland’s 2016 World Series team and continues to man the hot corner a decade later on a Guardians team atop the American League Central Division standings.

“For being 50 years old, he’s really impressive,” joked Jason Kipnis, who played with Ramirez, 33, from 2013-19. “We knew Jose was the player he is even before he turned into it. But it looks like he really has reached the best version of himself on the field, off the field as a leader in the clubhouse, all that stuff. If you were to see someone who maxed out their potential and reached their best version, that’s what has happened to Jose.

“He's so easy to root for. He’s very likeable. It’s just not surprising. We knew the talent was there for a long time. He finally put it all together and then some, and he’s done it every single year. I think the consistency is one of the most impressive things.”

Ramirez is a seven-time all-star, a six-time Silver Slugger recipient and finished in the top 10 in American League MVP voting in eight of the last nine seasons, including four top-three finishes.

“I remember, f---, when he first made the club, we had to send him down,” Francona, who managed Ramirez in Cleveland from 2013-23, said. “I remember talking to him through the interpreter and I said, ‘Hosey, I feel bad, because I feel like you’re a little bit on an island now and I can’t help you as much as I want.’

“He just couldn’t get through April, but then once he did we used to talk with [president of baseball operations] Chris [Antonetti] a lot and he would say part of why he didn’t want to have meetings where you talked about players and what you think they can be is kind of because of Hosey. Kind of the word was when he was young, like, ‘Oh, man, this kid might be a killer utility player.’”

Francona’s facial expression changed as he grimaced about that thought, and then smiled.

“That guy has turned himself into one of the best players in the game, and it’s every year,” Francona said. “It’s pretty impressive. As you go around the league, players love him. Everybody asks about him.”

Ramirez was uncharacteristically batting .236 with a .361 on-base percentage over 52 games through May 21 after the Guardians’ 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers to complete a four-game sweep at Comerica Park, but he is making contributions in other areas.

“Hosey, I feel like, mentors all of us just by the way he goes about his business,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said May 17. “You just watch him practice, you watch him play, he is constantly talking to his teammates. He expects them to be perfect, too. When you expect yourself to be perfect, you can expect other people to be perfect, and I think Hosey embodies that better than anybody.

“… He's impacting the game. Maybe he doesn’t have the homer numbers where he should be or wants to be or doubles but, man, he's helping us win games. He manufactured a run by himself [in a 7-4 win over the Reds on May 16] and that's not easy to do. I wouldn't put any limits on what Hosey can do.”

Ramirez leads the AL in stolen bases (20), is tied for fifth in walks (37), tied for 12th in doubles (11), tied for 14th in runs (30) and tied for 21st in home runs (eight).

“I work hard for them in the offseason,” Ramirez said of stolen bases through Guardians interpreter Agustin Rivero on May 17 before hitting a home run in a 10-3 win in the series finale against the Reds. “I make sure my legs are in a good spot for the season. I try to run from the get-go. Clearly, since I haven’t been able to hit the homers that I want to, I’m getting more walks and trying to find ways to help the team win. At the moment, it’s trying to steal more bases.

“… I think we are playing good ball at the moment. I have a feeling there’s much more to the team that we can improve, especially myself. I know the team is going to take it to another gear when all of us are able to play the game that we know we can play.”

Ramirez said he is impressed by the hitting and defense from young Guardians players, such as shortstop Brayan Rocchio, second baseman Travis Bazzana and outfielders Angel Martinez and Chase DeLauter.

“Those are the young guys who are carrying us at the moment, so obviously everything good that's going on is because they've been taking the lead on the team, and that's impressive for them,” Ramirez said. “I’m not surprised with Martinez. I know what his ceiling is and I know he's going to be that type of player, so I'm not surprised for what he's doing. I knew he was capable of doing this.”

Ramirez was 11-of-29 batting in the No. 2 spot in the lineup in eight games since May 13, when the Guardians beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-2. He had eight RBIs, six walks, five runs, four stolen bases, three doubles and two home runs during the eight-game stretch that included seven wins for the Guardians.

“I don't care what order I bat as long as it is somewhere that helps the team win. I'm happy to do it, and obviously as long as we continue to find new ways how I can help the team, if that is going to help them, I am going to continue to do it,” Ramirez said.

Martinez is appreciative of Ramirez’s efforts on and off the field, and said he knows the slugger will find his swing that has led to .278 career batting average, 1,713 hits, 1,031 runs, 409 doubles, 43 triples, 293 home runs, 973 RBIs and 307 stolen bases.

“Everybody knows what he’s capable of with his jump, his focus every single day, through every single game, through every single inning,” Martinez said. “He’s just showing us how to play the game. So, we know that he can do it, and he's doing it.

"… Playing this game is really hard. At the age that he is right now, playing with that fire, with that hustle every single game, it’s not easy to do. And for us, it’s the best example that we can have.” 

Akron Beacon Journal sports writer Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jose Ramirez leading young Guardians Travis Bazzana, Angel Martinez