Cleveland Indians: Jose Ramirez should be the AL MVP front runner

Jose Ramirez isn’t just hitting in the clutch, he’s hitting game-deciding RBI’s like he did all series long against the Chicago White Sox.

Jose Ramirez again showed up in the clutch against the Chicago White Sox. The Cleveland Indians third basemen had eight RBI in this series sweep of the White Sox. Twice Ramirez won the game for the Indians. One with a walk-off home run on Tuesday and another being a go-ahead double on Thursday that would end up be the final runs scored for the game.

On a team devoid of much offense all year, Ramirez has truly come through in the clutch more times than we can count. What’s more MVP worthy than single handily winning games for your team? Yes, Ramirez does not have the stats of Mike Trout or Jose Abreu, but what he has that those players don’t have is clutch hitting and a position on a team that is more necessary than theirs.

For Trout, the Los Angeles Angeles are not going to the playoffs. So Trout should be out of any real contention. For Abreu, the White Sox aren’t as dependent on just Abreu, as the Indians are with Ramirez. Without Abreu, the White Sox may still be a fringe contender. The Indians, on the other hand, can’t say the same thing. Consider how many games Ramirez batted in the only or final RBI in a Cleveland Indians’ victories.  Without Ramirez, the Indians may very well be dead last in the AL Central.

This is a similar situation to the 2002 MVP debate. Alex Rodriguez was ripping the cover off the ball with the Texas Rangers. Yet, it was Oakland’s Miguel Tejada who ended up winning the award. Granted, Tejada had a huge season too, but it was his clutch hitting down the stretch and his team’s playoff status that really sealed the deal for the voters.

The Indians, especially if they win the AL Central, will have a player with good enough stats to qualify for the award but he’ll have even better claim the title of “most valuable” to a team in the AL. Without Ramirez, the Indians are going home in a few days, and not on to the playoffs.