On Sept. 1, 2013, a new era began in Cleveland. No one knew it at the time, however.
Back then, any player on a team’s 40-man roster could be called up as a part of the September call-ups, which led to Cleveland recalling Nick Hagadone, Blake Wood and Preston Guilmet from Triple-A Columbus along with purchasing the contracts of Kelly Shoppach (Triple-A) and José Ramírez (Double-A).
At the time, Ramírez was viewed as a speedy second baseman who provided value with his legs and versatility.
And while he still provides value with those two traits some 12 years later, he’s since blossomed into one of the best all-around players in baseball who is beginning to look more and more like a Hall of Famer.