CLEVELAND — By the end of his Cleveland tenure nearly 30 years ago, Albert Belle was listed at 6 feet 2, 225 pounds, with his biceps pushing each thread of his jersey top to the brink. During his career in Cleveland, Jim Thome was listed at 6 feet 4, 250 pounds, a mountain of strength that could launch baseballs onto Eagle Avenue, beyond the ballpark. Advertisement José Ramírez stands about 5 feet 9 (before his helmet flies off) and weighs 180 pounds.
He recently passed Belle on the club’s home run leaderboard. The only slugger left in his sights is Thome. Before long, Ramírez will stand tall in a land of giants.
Those mythical figures who powered the ’90s team to its glory years, who swatted baseballs toward the top of the left-field bleachers, their status as the franchise’s most recognizable muscle is being threatened by a pint-sized infielder. “It’s a beautiful game,” Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “It doesn’t discriminate by size.
It’s all about your ability and your work ethic and your power. José gets every ounce out of his strength, the bat speed and the ability to find the barrel. It’s incredible.
” Thome socked the most home runs in franchise history, with 337. Ramírez sits at 245, and counting. He eclipsed Belle’s mark of 242 last week to move into second place.
“Second?” Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee asked, shocked by the feat. “Oh, my God. That’s cool.
” “That’s a big name,” Vogt added, “so for .