Yesterday marked the almost quarter mark of the season. For all the math experts out there, the baseball season is 162 games long and most teams have just completed their 40th game. It’s not exactly the quarter mark given the quarter mark would be 40.5, but close enough so shut it. The quarter mark of the season is a good gauge to try and predict the future stats on a player. It’s just a way for us baseball nerds to stay busy and start predictions and talk about players whether they are grinding or absolutely blowing it. In the good category, we have Cody Bellinger, Tim Anderson, Christian Yelich, and George Springer. The bad we have Jose Ramirez. Just him. It’s a bit personal with him because he’s on my fantasy team for the second year in a row and I thought he respected me enough like I respect him for him to start balling out again. I was a tad bit wrong with the early pick but the beauty of baseball is it is a loooong season with a lot of opportunity still left. Let’s talk about Jose Ramirez.

Last year, Ramirez was the MVP front runner for most of the season but tailed off towards the end of the but still managed to finish third in the MVP voting for the second season in a row. Ramirez finished the season with a triple slash of .270/.387/.552 along with 39 home runs, 34 steals, 38 doubles, 110 runs and 105 RBI’s. Pretty solid numbers I guess but expectations were high for Ramirez coming into the 2019 season.

So far during the 2019 season, Ramirez is slashing .193./.291/.293 with three home runs, 11 RBI’s, six doubles, 10 steals and 14 runs through 150 at bats. His K/BB ratio is still solid sitting at 25/19, thus showing he is still seeing the ball, but maybe pressing a bit to get things going. Ramirez’s hitting coach had this to say about his early struggles so far:

“He’s getting closer,” Van Burkleo said. “Lower half is working better. Still a little late. Still a little anxious. He’s a good hitter. He’s going to come out of it. He’s definitely getting close. His work today was really good.”

Doesn’t seem too worried, but this time last year through 40 games Ramirez was hitting .297/.387/.627 with 13 homers and 29 RBIs. Just a little bit of a difference but if Ramirez stays on this pace, which he won’t, Ramirez would finish with 12 home runs, 24 doubles, 44 RBI’s, 56 runs, and 40 steals. Speed never slumps, which is why Ramirez will not be taken out of the lineup, but with confidence from his hitting coach, and a decent track record, Ramirez is poised to break out at some point here in the near future.

The Indians as a team have not been doing too well either after a decent start to the season, sitting 26th in runs scored, 30th in hits (last), 27th in home runs, 29th in total bases, 28th in average, and 29th in slugging percentage.

So it’s not like Ramirez is the only one struggling, I just need him to stop being a follower and be a leader and start dropping bombs. He needs to be the bigger man and start to show the world what he is capable of. I assume it is only a matter of time maybe even tonight he will see me saying some negative things about him, get pissed at me, and talk shit to me after a game winning home run. If that’s the case, then I did my due diligence and I only mean well. Jose, if you’re listening and or reading this, I am a huge fan of yours. So here is to Jose Ramirez turning things around and for a productive rest of the season.