The criteria for the Most Valuable Player in MLB is often confused with the player with the best stats.
Perhaps the league should consider re-naming the award, because the Most Valuable Player should be the one that, when he is not in the lineup, his team suffers the most.
If we gave the award under the true definition of the phrase, then Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez should be a serious candidate to win it most years, and probably should have at least a couple by now.
Every time J-Ram is not available, the Guards’ offense just isn’t the same.
He has been on paternity leave for a couple of days, and Cleveland lost both games and was shut out in one of them.
Analyst Hayden Grove is convinced that Ramirez is the MVP of the league, and he elaborates:
“José Ramírez is the most valuable player in baseball. He’ll likely never win the award, but when he’s not in the lineup, there is no bigger absence felt around Major League Baseball. That being said, I hope he is absolutely enjoying this beautiful time with his family,” he tweeted.
José Ramírez is the most valuable player in baseball.
He’ll likely never win the award, but when he’s not in the lineup, there is no bigger absence felt around Major League Baseball.
That being said, I hope he is absolutely enjoying this beautiful time with his family.
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) June 16, 2024
Many people say being a father is bigger than anything in the world, and that’s why Ramirez has been absent in the last couple of days.
The Guardians understand that, but there is no doubt they miss him dearly.
We are talking about the guy tied for second in RBI with 62, while also pitching in 18 home runs and a cool .864 OPS.
He should be back with the team for the next game, and the Guardians will be complete again.
They will have their best player and most consistent run producer.
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