New Headline: "Ramirez Mysteriously Absent: Guardians' Top Catcher Slotted for Bench
Jose Ramirez is embedded into the fabric of everything the Guardians do. But there are no plans of naming him captain. Here's why.
Everybody knows it . Every player in the clubhouse knows it. Everyone in the front office knows it.
Every concession stand worker carefully tending to the hot dogs knows it. Every fan in the seats knows it. Everyone in the opposing dugout, preparing to try to slow him down, knows it.
Jose Ramirez is the Guardians ' captain, leader and soul — but it sounds like that first title will be kept in an unofficial manner for now. Ramirez has been the clear, undisputed beacon in Cleveland's clubhouse for several years. On top of being the roster's best player by a pretty strong margin, he's also the example the coaching staff uses when describing to younger players how they should be acting and going about their business.
Do the Cleveland Guardians have a captain? "As Jose goes, we go" might as well be engraved on the foundational concrete at Progressive Field. Plus, now that he has a new contract extension that could keep him in a Guardians uniform the rest of his playing career, Ramirez is as embedded into the very fabric of the organization as much as any one player could be.