An appreciation of Jose Ramirez, the Guardians' unheralded star

Ramirez fits the mold of a recent Hall of Famer who was probably underappreciated as a player: Adrian Beltre. 

Beltre played 21 seasons, compiled a 93.5 WAR, slugged 477 home runs and finished on the MVP ballot eight times, peaking as runner-up in 2004. Beltre led the league in home runs (2004), doubles (2010) and hits (2013). 

Otherwise, he was a super consistent and productive hitter with a career slash line of .286/.339/.480. Ramirez's career slashes are .278/.352/.502. He already has a career 48.5 WAR and 239 home runs and has led the league in doubles twice (2017 and 2022) and runs once (2020).

Beltre was a better defender, but Ramirez is better on the bases and is a Gold Glove Award finalist each of the past three seasons. Ramirez has stolen 20+ bases six times and is on pace to do so again in 2024. Both players have fun-loving attitudes and have provided fans with plenty of memorable moments.

Ramirez seems to have a built-in Hall of Fame advantage.

According to The Athletic, Ramirez through his age-30 season has a .854 OPS, five All-Star Games and six top-10 MVP finishes.

In contrast, Beltre had a .779 OPS, zero All-Star Games and one top-10 MVP finish by the same age.

After turning 30, Beltre had a .872 OPS, four All-Star Games and five top-10 MVP finishes. If Ramirez continues to perform at an above-average level and possibly transitions into a designated hitter role, he can solidify his Hall of Fame chances by the time his current Cleveland contract expires after the 2028 season.

According to Baseball Savant, Ramirez is in the upper percentiles for strike zone command and strikeout rate. These qualities will help him as his power likely decreases with age. It's clear we are watching a player on a Hall of Fame trajectory; that alone should be enough to warrant more attention and appreciation.

But some people don't care about the Hall of Fame or the future; they care about the present. So, how can we appreciate Ramirez more right now? 

Affectionately known among Cleveland fans as J-Ram, he has earned praise from opposing managers, too. 

"Like I always say, he’s a stud," Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Ramirez to MLB.com's Mike Lupica. "He’s a good player. Obviously, I’m not rooting for him, but you’re in awe. I was like, 'For real, bro? You’re doing this?' He’s amazing. ... He’s one of the best players in baseball."

Maybe Ramirez doesn't aspire to a larger spotlight. Maybe he's content being a hardworking, if underappreciated, player. But for fans and analysts alike, it's time to give J-Ram the recognition he deserves as one of baseball's best.