Commentary: Jose Ramirez needs some help in Guardians' lineup

How scary are Guardians hitters to other major league teams? Not very. One of the easiest measurements for determining the potency of any given major league lineup is the number of times opposing pitchers want nothing to do with them, especially at key moments in the game. So the pitchers simply wave those hitters on to first base. That's right, the old intentional walk. "Nothing to see here, folks, let's keep the line moving." This year it should come as no surprise that the Guardians have the most-easily-pitch-around-able lineup in baseball. That's because there is only one hitter in Cleveland's lineup who consistently makes pitchers nervous. Yep, Jose Ramirez. Perhaps you have heard of him. Opposing pitchers have, and when Jose steps into the batter's box, those pitchers pitch accordingly. At the start of play Thursday, all Guardians hitters combined had been intentionally walked 27 times this season. Six of those 27 times the Guardians hitter wasn't Jose Ramirez. The other 21 times it was. The score didn't matter. The opponent didn't matter. The number of dollar dogs being sold at the concession stands didn't matter. When in Cleveland, all visiting teams agree, DO NOT, under any circumstances, pitch to Jose Ramirez. He is a one-man wrecking ball. He also is the last player opposing pitchers and managers want to see walking to home plate in the middle of a rally. Because of that, opposing teams simply intentionally walk Ramirez, regardless of the seriousness of the rally, the score, the gametime temperature, the identity of the opposing pitcher and, finally, how menacing Jose looks as he confidently struts up to home plate. There are even rumors that when Jose wakes up in the morning, the first thing he does is check the identity of the opponent's starting pitcher for the game that night, so that Ramirez can decide, as he steps into the batter's box, which of his favorite scowls he will use against that pitcher. Jose is a one-stop-shop menace to all opposing teams, and especially their pitchers. Especially their best pitchers. In case you were wondering, Jose holds the Guardians' franchise record for most intentional walks in a season. It's 22, which he set in 2023. It seems likely that he will continue to break his franchise record in this category until he himself gets tired of breaking his record. As we all know, Guardians hitters as a group (minus Jose typically don't scare many opposing pitchers, but they don't have to, because at rally time, invariably, here comes Jose, strutting to home plate as though he owns it — which in Cleveland he essentially does — with violence on his mind. Pity the opposing team, and pitcher, when that happens. With the game on the line, the last player they want to see always seems to be lurking in the on-deck circle. So far this season only five Guardians hitters have been intentionally walked: Jose (21 times), Steven Kwan (twice) and Daniel Schneemann, Nolan Jones and Kyle Manzardo (once each). Why don't opposing pitchers simply intentionally walk Jose when he comes to the plate in clutch situations? That's a fair question. Many do. Some don't. Silly boys! In most of those showdowns (staredowns?), let's just say that Jose rarely comes out the loser, because, amazingly — especially given the alternative, which is NOT to pitch to him in such circumstances — Jose does not hold the Guardians' franchise record for most walks in a nine-inning game. The franchise record in that category is five, held by many players, the latest being outfielder Jim Norris, vs. Toronto, on July 8, 1977. The Guardians' franchise record for most intentional walks in a game is four, by Jeff Heath, vs. Boston, on July 14, 1941. The intentional walk strategy is as old as baseball itself, but sometimes baseball itself gets in the way. Cleveland's 1995 powerhouse American League champions, for example. That team had so many stars it was difficult for a pitcher to intentionally walk any of them, because the next guy up was just as scary. Cleveland's '95 murderer's row lineup was almost impossible to pitch to. Forty times that season — repeat: 40! — an opposing pitcher intentionally walked a Cleveland hitter. Who could blame those opposing pitchers? The whole lineup was trouble. That Cleveland team, and its lineup, was loaded from top to bottom. Case in point: It set a record for most intentional walks drawn. None of them drew more than six, and Albert Belle wasn't even among those four. It was a pick your poison for opposing pitchers. Kenny Lofton, Manny Ramirez, Carlos Baerga and Paul Sorrento each drew six intentional walks that season. Belle and Eddie Murray each drew five. Jim Thome, the most prodigious home run slugger of the group, drew three, Dave Winfield two and catcher Tony Pena one. Jose would have fit right in. Contact Jim Ingraham at jingraham4@gmail.com. Follow him @Jim_Ingraham on X.