Ramirez blossoms into MVP candidate
Second baseman one of league’s most dangerous hitters.
Start with his stocky, stubby body that’s out of place among the chiseled physiques in a major league clubhouse. Jose Ramirez is built like someone on your softball team.
Take his personality: boisterous, sometimes abrasive, usually the life of the party. And finally there’s his distinctive strut, arms swinging high at his sides, head cocked slightly — the swagger of a man on a mission. Put it all together, and the Indians second baseman doesn’t look like a typical baseball star. He comes across as nobody special. Don’t be fooled. “He’s a force,” manager Terry Francona said.
Packed with surprising power, Ramirez has become one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters, a cult figure in Cleveland and a major reason why the built-for-October, 102win Indians — who will host the New York Yankees this week in the division series — are favored to get back to the World Series.
Switch-hitting and seemingly fearless, Ramirez has wedged himself into the MVP conversation following a regular season in which he led the majors with 59 doubles, tied Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton for the lead in extra-base hits (91), and seemed to be in the middle of every Cleveland rally. Ramirez has done anything and everything the Indians have asked. While AllStar shortstop Francisco Lindor may be the fresh face of Cleveland’s franchise, Ramirez is its heart and soul.
“He’s hit third. He’s hit fourth. He’s hit fifth, actually probably sixth, seventh and eighth,” Francona said. “He’s been a run producer. He’s played left field, third base and second base. He’s turned himself through hard work into one of the best players in the game, and we’re really proud of him.”
The 25-year-old’s journey from a tiny town in the Dominican Republic to the big leagues is right out of a Hollywood film script. Quitting school at 14 to chase his dream, Ramirez signed with the Indians at age 17 for $50,000. He rose through their minor-league system, breaking in with Cleveland in 2013. Two years later, he won the starting shortstop job in spring training, struggled and lost it to Lindor before he was demoted.
He was penciled in for a utility role in 2016, but when AllStar Michael Brantley wasn’t ready after shoulder surgery, the Indians sent Ramirez to left field, where he thrived before moving to third for the final two months after Juan Uribe was released.
Ramirez hit .312 in the regular season and .310 in the Series, and the Indians locked him up with a $26 million, five-year contract in March. There has been no stopping him this season.
Nationals-Cubs series: Max Scherzer did not throw the bullpen session that he was expected to Wednesday to test his bothersome right hamstring, and Washington GM Mike Rizzo said the team hasn’t determined when the two-time Cy Young Award winner will start against the Cubs in the playoffs. Scherzer tweaked his leg during his last regular-season start.
Asked if it’s safe to assume that Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52 ERA, 204 strikeouts) will pitch in Game 1 against the Cubs, Rizzo said that is not set in stone. “We have two aces, and one of them will pitch Game 1,” Rizzo said.
The Cubs made their starting staff known Wednesday: Kyle Hendricks in Game 1, Jon Lester in Game 2, Jose Quintana in Game 3 and Jake Arrieta in Game 4, if necessary. Hendricks also started Chicago’s previous postseason game, helping the Cubs win Game 7 for their first World Series title since 1908.
Braves: Brian Snitker will continue as manager after the team decided to pick up the 2018 option on his contract, a person familiar with the situation told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Rangers: Texas released Prince Fielder — more than 15 months after he played his last game and still owing him about $72 million over the next three seasons — after reaching a settlement with the company that insured the contract. Fielder had to quit playing in July 2016 after his second cervical fusion in his neck in just over two years.
Giants: Manager Bruce Bochy will undergo an ablation procedure next week to treat an atrial fibrillation.