CLEVELAND — Whenever Terry Francona's swan song segues to an official retirement announcement, the leadership of Jose Ramirez will become more important for the Guardians than ever.
Although Francona has stopped just short of declaring he'll retire after this season, his 23rd as an MLB manager and 11th with the Guardians, he began speaking publicly last month as if stepping away from baseball in an effort to improve his health is imminent .
Provided Francona doesn't experience a change of heart, his retirement will be a seismic shift in 2024 not just for the Guardians , but also for the entire Cleveland sports landscape.
Francona , 64, is a future Hall of Fame manager who has shaped virtually every aspect of the Guardians' messaging and culture for more than a decade.
No matter whom the Guardians hire as Francona's successor, Ramirez's role in a period of titanic transition looms large.
"You can't think of many superstars that play as hard as he does day in and day out," Guardians ace Shane Bieber said. "So being able to see that firsthand ... I know it can impact a lot of the young talent that we have."
A five-time All-Star third baseman, Ramirez is hitting .270 this season with a .345 on-base percentage and an .816 OPS to go along with 21 home runs, 32 doubles, five triples, 72 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. He's a six-time finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove award . He's in the 88th percentile this season in Baserunning Run Value, according to baseballsavant.com.
But Ramirez , who will turn 31 on Sept. 17, does much more for the Guardians than his on-field production indicates.
Among players, Ramirez is the undisputed leader of MLB's youngest team, and the franchise will need him to help guide the discovery of its identity next season, which is set to become the infancy of the post-Francona era.
"Seeing an older guy value baserunning, value defense, value just the little things, it shows why those things are important," Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan said. "[His style of play is] aggressive. I think that Cleveland baseball is the way it is because of him.
"If he's doing something, then obviously guys hop on and do the same thing. And obviously if he's not doing something, it's like, 'OK. If Jose wouldn't do that, then I probably shouldn't, either.' He's a quiet leader in that aspect, but you can learn so much from example. He'll keep you accountable."
Some of Francona's style has inevitably rubbed off on Ramirez in their 10-plus seasons together.
"He's been doing it for a long time, but also he knows how to give confidence to the players," Ramirez said through team translator Agustin Rivero. "So the combination of those two things makes him a really good manager.
"He lets you play your game, be yourself in the game and he's a manager who is not, like, hiding. He just greets you — says hi to you. He's just always in a good mood, always joking around. That makes you be in a good mood."
Ramirez exudes confidence, and his passion for the game is glaring. He's able to read people and situations in ways not many others can. He is a baseball genius who lives by a code centered on respecting the sport. He grinds through injury and carries himself with an enviable temperament.
"He plays ruthless, carefree, which is the best way to play baseball, rather than thinking upon previous at-bats or previous days or just previous slumps for some people," Guardians center field Myles Straw said. "He just does a really good job of flushing things."
"His approach to baseball is very playful," Kwan added. "It doesn't matter if he's 0-fer or if he's 4-for-4. He's talking it up with other guys on the team — talking smack. He's messing with guys on our team if we're up or down. It shows the value that this is still a game."
The Guardians were essentially eliminated from playoff contention this week when they lost two of three games in a pivotal series against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field.
Now the Guardians are six games behind the Twins for the American League Central lead with 22 games left on the schedule. Cleveland's Sept. 27 home finale against the Cincinnati Reds and Oct. 1 season finale in Detroit are expected to become farewells to Francona.
For an organization positioned to contend next season because of its promising pitching, weak division and talented, youthful core, Ramirez will continue to be the focal point, even though he doesn't like to talk much about his face-of-the-franchise status or the mentorship he provides behind the scenes.
When the Beacon Journal told Ramirez his teammates had shared examples of his influence, he said, "I really appreciate them saying those nice things, but I'm a person who doesn't like to talk very much. So the only thing that I can tell the young guys is just to pay attention to the few things that I say because I'm not a guy who likes to talk very much. For me, once the game starts, I'm really focused on my game."
Without Francona, Ramirez may be compelled to lead vocally more often. His teammates might need a heavier dose of tough love from him.
Then again, Ramirez pushes them and spreads knowledge more than he lets on. His cerebral approach and impressive instincts make him the perfect veteran to offer advice. Being a switch-hitter doesn't hurt, either, and he can communicate with teammates in multiple languages.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Ramirez has worked to improve his English over the years and succeeded. He notes observations in the dugout and alerts teammates when an opposing pitcher is tipping his hand.
"I don't speak the best Spanish, but there is constant dialogue among hitters both in English and in Spanish," Bieber said. "That's always going on, and that conversation's always happening. Jose's generally at the forefront of that."
Ramirez certainly won't need to become a manager or coach when his playing days eventually end. He may never develop a desire to pursue one of those jobs like former Cleveland players Francona and Sandy Alomar Jr. did, though he does possess the requisite makeup.
"He's down that track," said Alomar, the legendary catcher and Guardians first base coach. "But right now he has to fulfill his contract, and from there we'll see how he goes when he matures even more. So right now his maturity's on the right track."
In truth, Ramirez is already akin to a coach to some degree. He signed a franchise-record, seven-year, $141 million contract extension in 2022, opting to remain in Cleveland rather than flee for the most lucrative payday. He's not going to stand in front of the team and lay out the blueprint for an organizational vision the way Francona does every year to begin spring training.
However, Ramirez is fiercely loyal to his teammates, and he has the power to set the tone for the Guardians with his swagger, commitment and support.
"When you have the highest-paid player doing all that," Alomar said, "everybody else has to follow suit."
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No player should be solely relied upon to compensate for Francona's anticipated departure. The hiring of a new manager will be a crucial decision.
But Ramirez's value to the Guardians will also increase, and it's already difficult to quantify because there is more to his leadership than meets the eye.
More on the 2023 Guardians: The top 6 questions facing Cleveland baseball in September
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jose Ramirez vital to Guardians when Terry Francona retires
