Cleveland Guardians fans baffled by random and acute factoid about Jose Ramirez’s youth: "Horrific anecdote to randomly drop in the middle of a game"
Cleveland Guardians fans got a bit too up close and personal with superstar infielder Jose Ramirez on Wednesday afternoon.
In the midst of the Guardians 4-3, 10-inning victory at the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland broadcasters Rick Manning and Matt Underwood relayed a story from Ramirez's youth as he took his at-bat.
The story involved how a 13-year-old Ramirez competed in a heavily bet-upon baseball league in his native Dominican Republic to support his family. Nervously chuckling through the story, the broadcasters spoke of a machete being stationed behind home plate to threaten or cause bodily harm to players that did not perform.
As a 13-year-old, José Ramírez played in a gambling league with adults to earn money for his family.
In certain circumstances, bettors would gamble on a player to have a positive outcome. If they didn't come through, they would be chased home by gamblers with machetes and guns. https://t.co/QwSqmhT41Z
Guardians fans weren't quite sure what to do when the team tweeted the story, along with text about Jose Ramirez's experience. Some weren't sure if it was for real or not, or if it was possibly part of a discussion regarding MLB gambling partner DraftKings.
It had been a lazy Wednesday afternoon before the story broke. People were not prepared for such acute knowledge to be forced upon them.
@CleGuardians Anyway, get a $200 risk-free bet with promo code "MACHETE" at DraftKings
@CleGuardians WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION
@CleGuardians Why are you sharing this?
Many fans chided the Guardians broadcasters and social media manager for releasing such a dire story in what several felt was a highly inappropriate manner. That's some heavy stuff to be dropping into the middle of a Jose Ramirez at-bat. Perhaps a taped interview to run during a pregame show might have been a better call?
@CleGuardians https://t.co/HdxL5Y5ksr
@CleGuardians https://t.co/i4sT9xaiOg
@CleGuardians https://t.co/4haihtJOnZ
Needless to say, the Ramirez tale weirded out the vast majority of the Guardians' fanbase. Games are short enough as it is these days, let people enjoy the on-field efforts and appeal to their social consciousness in a better medium.
@CleGuardians okay, but to chuckle and say "it's a great story" is weird, and that y'all tweeted it is even weirder.
@CleGuardians Weird thing to tweet
@CleGuardians Uhhh… ok what do you want us to say
Of course, there's nothing like a heartwarming tale of an MLB star's upbringing to help the league connect with its younger fans. Or, well, maybe not.
@CleGuardians Bringing baseball back to the kids through storytelling
Jose Ramirez into his second decade with Cleveland
Jose Ramirez has become an institution in Cleveland since debuting with the club in 2013. Over 11 seasons with the Guardians, he is hitting .279 with 192 home runs and 669 RBIs. He led the American League in runs with 45 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and has twice led the league in doubles with 56 in 2017 and 44 last year.
Ramirez has finished in the top three in AL Most Valuable Player voting three times, coming in third in both 2017 and 2018, and was the runner-up in 2020.