Believeland Ball’s Top 25 Players of 2018: 2

This month we will be covering the Top 25 Cleveland Indians players from the 2018 season. We continue our list with a very close second best.

There was little debate over who the best Cleveland Indians player was in 2018. There’s also very little debate who the close second was. Francisco Lindor was every bit the star Jose Ramirez was in his own way. The duo provided the Indians with an offensive identity and kept the season fun with their competitive nature.

There’s arguably no one in baseball that is more fun to watch than Frankie Lindor. “Mr. Smile” provided fans with plenty of reasons to grin from ear to ear. His remarkable batting average, quickness on the basepaths, and ability to hit for power make him a huge asset. You might say “Jose Ramirez is great at all of those things too.” You’d be right. That’s why it’s so vital for the Indians to keep these two together.

Francisco Lindor finished 2018 with 38 home runs, that’s just one behind Ramirez and gave the Indians the league’s top home run hitting duo. He also finished with a 7.6 WAR, good for the fifth-best in baseball.

The Indians have made it clear they’re prepared to dump a lot of their salary this offseason. If it’s to keep Lindor around longer, I say do whatever it takes. He’s the fan-favorite and the face of the Indians franchise. The magical moments he provides us are limitless.

This past year we saw Lindor grant us a walk-off win against Minnesota that turned into back-to-back walk-offs. It was his third season as an All-Star, he earned his second Silver Slugger award and finished top 10 in MVP voting for the second consecutive season.

The best part? He’s getting better. Lindor improved his batting average, walks, RBI’s, stolen bases, and home runs to career-highs. It always seems like he gives the offense a spark when they needed it most.

Despite being swept in the ALDS, Lindor basically ran the Indians offense. He had a .364 batting average in the postseason, with a 1.273 OPS. There isn’t much the kid can’t do, which is why we must protect him at all costs.

There’s a good chance we haven’t seen the best of Lindor, and he’s going to net a very high asking price. The Indians should do whatever it takes to keep him in Cleveland forever.