Guardians’ Ramirez — patience at the plate
Jose Ramirez is again on pace for the type of season that should make him an MVP finalist.
But what has stood out to Guardians hitting instructor Chris Valaika, who’s getting his first in-depth look at Ramirez after joining Cleveland’s coaching staff this offseason, hasn’t just been the home runs and the RBIS and the strut Ramirez boasts as he walks to the plate (and, really, anywhere else for that matter). It has been the patience he has displayed while knowing he’s the catalyst for the Guardians’ offense.
In Monday night’s 6-1 win over the Houston Astros, Ramirez went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, four RBIS and a run scored. That meant that entering Tuesday, Ramirez led Major League Baseball with 41 RBIS. He had a .287 average, 10 home runs, nine doubles, three triples and four stolen bases. Few hitters around baseball have been as dangerous.
He’s also drawn walks at a higher rate than normal, posting a .383 on-base percentage heading into Tuesday’s game in Houston. That was the 11th-best OBP in baseball among hitters with at least 150 plate appearances. His career average is .305. To Valaika, it means Ramirez has found the right balance of carrying the burden of being a run-producer when needed while also not trying to hit a five-run home run every atbat.
“To be a switch hitter, number one, having to manage both sides of the plate ... Just being around him in a short time just seeing how professional he goes with his work, going about his day to day preparation, how simple he keeps it,” Valaika said. “In an era that there’s so much you can get into the weeds with, he knows who he is. As a player, he knows what he’s trying to do.”
Ramirez has finished in the top-6 of American League MVP voting five times and in the top-3 four times within the last six seasons. He’s on pace to add to those numbers.
“This kid is one the best payers in the game,” manager Terry Francona said. “He just does it every day. He’s a joy to watch.”