Manny Ramirez Hall of Fame 2023 case: Why the 12-time All-Star deserves induction into Cooperstown

Manny Ramirez, who was recently inducted into the Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame, has been included in the 2024 ballot list for the eighth time in his attempt to become a member of Cooperstown. Joining him on the ballot list are Omar Vizquel and Andruw Jones, who are in their seventh year, along with some first-timers like Adrian Beltre and Matt Holliday.

Ramirez has been a fan favorite of the Cleveland Guardians, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers since 1993. His sheer power and excellent batting skills dominated Major League Baseball for 19 years, earning him 12 All-Star nods.

He was first introduced in the 2017 ballot and received 23.8% votes. Since then, he has been a consistent nominee, with 129 votes out of 389 in 2023, registering his highest voting percentage of 33.2%.

In the 2024 ballot, 12 new names joined Manny Ramirez and 13 other veterans. He's ranked seventh among the veterans, following Todd Helton, with a 72.2% vote (highest). Ramirez will only have two more chances if he fails in the 2024 National Baseball Hall of Fame voting. Nonetheless, the Cleveland Guardians' HOF honor solidifies his claim as a strong contender.

The 51-year-old has made over 100 postseason appearances, a feat achieved by only a few individuals. He also holds the record for hitting 29 home runs in a single postseason, which is still unmatched. Manny Ramirez, a nine-time Silver Slugger, is one of only 28 players to reach 500 career home runs and holds the third all-time spot for hitting 21 grand slams.

Terry Francona's "most gifted" hitter made his debut with the Cleveland Indians in 1993. Ramirez played 2,302 games with an impressive batting average of .312/.411/.585 and a .996 OPS with five different teams. His 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs showed his on-field eliteness.

A glimpse of Manny Ramirez's early life

Manny Ramirez was born in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, in 1972 and moved to New York City when he was 13 years old. He resided in an apartment building in the Washington Heights area of upper Manhattan with his father Manuel, mother Onelcida, sisters and grandmother.

Even before joining the MLB, Ramirez was well-known as a hitting savant. As a senior, he was named New York City Player of the Year for hitting 14 home runs with a batting average of .650 in 22 games.

In 2004, Ramirez's exceptional performance earned him the title of World Series MVP. Despite his fierce style of play, he is also known for his lighthearted nature, which earned him the nickname "Manny being Manny."