All-Star Game is Jose Ramirez’s time to shine

Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez is set to start tonight’s All-Star Game in what should be a fun experience for him and his teammates.

The Cleveland Indians have five players and an entire coaching staff (minus Tito) down in Miami for tonight’s MLB All-Star Game, but one player stands out above the rest.

Jose Ramirez doesn’t just stand out because he is starting the game. He stands out because he is a true star for fans to rally around.

This has been evident all season, but one moment proved just how special Ramirez is to the Indians fans. I was in attendance Sunday night, thankfully avoiding the horrible announcing, and was among the rest of the fans who were rather quiet throughout the game.

The Indians were quiet on offense and trailed 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Ramirez stepped to the plate with a runner on. The “Jose” chants started up and as a perfect response, he launched a home run out to right field.

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He woke up the building with one swing and led fans to begin a loud chant of “M-V-P” for a solid minute.

And those chants were warranted, because Ramirez is a legitimate contender for the AL MVP award this season.

His swagger and fun personality has won over fans and he seems to be genuinely enjoying himself. More importantly, he is batting .332 and has remained the best hitter in the lineup since the season began.

So even though fans should be excited about the team sending five players to tonight’s game, the biggest story of the night is Ramirez’s rise from utilityman to an All-Star starter in less than two years.

His recent contract extension has him under team control through 2023, so tonight should just be the beginning of Indians fans getting to enjoy Jose’s involvement in the All-Star festivities. And with the game coming to Cleveland in two years, he is poised to be starting again in front of his home fans.

Next: Ramirez batting second in ASG

The All-Star Game is back to being simply an exhibition, but Indians fans already know Ramirez is going to approach tonight’s game just like any other game. He is going to give it his all and show the baseball world why he is one of the best players in the entire league.