Believeland Ball’s Top 25 Players of 2018: Number 1

This month we will be covering the Top 25 Cleveland Indians players from the 2018 season. We get things started with the obvious choice at the top of the list.

Welcome to our month-long series on the top 25 Cleveland Indians players from the 2018 season! What better way to finish the year than with a brief recap, without looking at the horrible things that happened. We kick off this list with our clear-cut top player from 2018. Jose Ramirez finished third in the AL MVP voting and top fourth in the majors in home runs.

J-Ram finished at the top of the team in extra base hits, stolen bases, and homers, and he was top three on the team in batting average. Hell, Jose Ramirez was basically top five in every major stat in 2018.

It’s remarkable to see someone with as much power as Jose Ramirez in this day and age while also maintaining a low number of strikeouts. While he did struggle after the All-Star break, you could say the same about most of the team not named Francisco Lindor.

Okay maybe that is a bit drastic, but his struggles were noted and potentially cost him the MVP Award. The fact that Jose Ramirez is mentioned in the same company as Mookie Betts and Mike Trout says a lot about how great his season was.

Jose’s career has been trending upward for a few years now. Even with as good as he was in 2018, it feels like he is still trending upward as a player. Jose’s standout season made him the first 30-30 Indians player since Grady Sizemore in 2008.

Without Jose Ramirez, the Indians could’ve been just as bad as the rest of the AL Central. The team still has their star players, but Ramirez gives the Indians a new identity. He led the team in WAR for a reason. He’s the type of guy that is hard to replace. It’s why the Indians won’t listen to any offers on him.

Even if other players are traded away, we should count ourselves lucky that the Indians know the value of Ramirez. The way he’s able to give the team a spark and provide us with magical moments makes him feel unforgettable.

It’s hard to argue against Ramirez being the top Indians player from 2018. Sure, Lindor had a career-year, as did Trevor Bauer. But at the end of the day, Jose Ramirez was simply dominant in 2018. Even during his struggles, he managed to get on base and steal. He could play multiple positions. He’s a guy that can do it all, which is what makes him so great.