CLEVELAND, Ohio — Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz doesn’t hesitate when asked about third baseman José Ramírez’s impact on the team, especially as the 32-year-old superstar contends for an American League stolen base title this season.

“He blows me away every night,” Albernaz said. “He does something every day that just wows you, whether it be at bat, defense, base running, you know, leading the group on the field.”

Albernaz’s assessment of Ramírez goes beyond mere admiration. “In my opinion, he’s the best baseball player in the game all around,” he stated. “He can impact a game in every aspect, and it’s rare to see that nowadays.”

Ramírez entered Sunday’s game against Minnesota three steals behind AL leader José Caballero, who was recently traded to the Yankees from Tampa Bay. Ramírez’s 32 steals put him on pace for 47 according to FanGraphs, which would shatter his career high of 41 set last season.

What makes Ramírez’s accomplishments at his age particularly impressive is the combination of natural talent and behind-the-scenes work. According to Albernaz, Ramírez’s success on the basepaths isn’t just about athletic ability.

“It’s not going to surprise me when he wins the stolen base title because he’s skilled, but also what everyone doesn’t realize, he’s prepared,” Albernaz explained. “He’s in there with Sandy (Alomar Jr) before every game, looking over the pitcher, his tells, his times, his usages, how he throws certain pitches. He’s as prepared as anyone to go into game. It’s not just pure skill.”

Durability has been another hallmark of Ramírez’s career, something Albernaz attributes to his consistent effort level.

“The thing that gets lost is he plays hard all the time, so his body is used to that,” Albernaz said. “You see a lot nowadays where guys will coast on a line out or not even run to first, but then now they have to run hard. That’s where like those little soft tissue injuries happen.”

This consistent approach has physical benefits beyond injury prevention. “Josey plays hard all the time, so his body’s aware of that. Moving forward, he’s gonna keep on doing what he’s doing,” Albernaz added.

Perhaps most valuable to the Guardians organization is Ramírez’s leadership style, which manifests not through loud speeches but through consistent example and mentorship.

“We talk about how hard he plays. You just watch him play. He just leads. He doesn’t have to be a vocal leader,” Albernaz observed. “The way he leads and plays the game. Everyone should follow that, and they do.”

This leadership extends to working directly with younger players. Albernaz described how Ramírez has established himself as a resource in the dugout.

“He has his corner down the end of the dugout,” Albernaz said. “He has a congregation and he holds court.” This informal mentorship benefits developing players like Angel Martínez, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias, and recent call-up C.J. Kayfus.

“That’s one of my favorite parts about in game in the dugout is when I go down the other end of dugout to have conversations every inning with them and Josey’s just holding court,” Albernaz said. A lot of times I just listen.”

This combination of on-field excellence and off-field influence makes Ramírez particularly valuable to Cleveland.

“He’s just a great mentor for everyone,” Albernaz concluded, summarizing the multiple dimensions that make the six-time All-Star so special to the organization.

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