CLEVELAND, Ohio - Jose Ramirez says he doesn't know if he's a celebrity or not.
"Ask the fans in the Dominican about that. Or ask the fans up here," Ramirez said through an interpreter at the Indians' spring-training site in Goodyear, Ariz. "I don't know."
But when he went home to the Dominican Republic after last season, he couldn't go anywhere in his hometown of Bani without crowds of children following him.
"It's always like that," said Ramirez. "When I go back home the kids go crazy when they see me."
Now for the real question, do any of them walk like Ramirez? Before anyone knew what kind of player Ramirez would be, they knew about his walk. The 5-9 Ramirez walked into the Indians clubhouse in 2013 like he'd been there for 10 years. Head up, chin and chest out, he was the epitome of no fear and no worries.
So have his young fans copied his walk?
Ramirez shook his head and said, "Yeah, they've got their flow going."
Flow, to Ramirez, can mean a person's walk or the color of their hair. Ramirez, who has spent most of his time with the Indians with blond or orange hair, has been outdone this spring by his locker mate Francisco Lindor. Not only did Lindor get a buzz haircut, he dyed what was left platinum blond.
Ramirez is planning a counterattack.
"Frankie doesn't have as much flow as I have," said Ramirez. "When the season starts, I'm going to have pink hair."
Ramirez, no matter what his hair color, has been a revelation. The switch-hitter hit .318 (186-for-585) with 56 doubles, 29 homers and 83 RBI last season. He posted a slash line of .318/.374/.583 and an OPS of .957.
His accomplishments included being the AL's starting third baseman in the All-Star Game and finishing third in the AL MVP race. He tied NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton with 91 extra base hits. The 56 doubles, by the way, were tied for the AL lead.
"He has become one of the best players in the game," said manager Terry Francona.
When a reporter was going through Ramirez's accomplishments from 2017, it was mentioned that he won the Silver Slugger award for AL third basemen.
"I won a Silver Slugger?" said Ramirez in mock surprise. And he said it in English, thanks to his work with team interpreter Anna Bolton.
An MLB.com video taken this winter shows Ramirez returning to the field that he practiced on when he was growing up in Bani. He tossed rolled up fruit boxes to kids, who hit them with broom handles. Then he helped other youngsters with fielding drills.
"I think it's a great example for them," said Ramirez. "I played on this exact same field. There coaches can say 'there's Jose Ramirez. He used to play here.' It's a great example for those kids."
Danny Salazar tells a story about how Ramirez, before he signed with the Indians at 16, played in a league in the Dominican against much older players. Some had played in Class AA, others were trying to get signed by teams.
Fans would bet on the games. If a player hit a home run, sometimes there would be money on home plate waiting for him.
"That's why he's so good," said Salazar.
Ramirez was indeed good in 2016, hitting .312 (176-for-565) with 46 doubles, 11 homers and 76 RBI. He bounced between left field, third base and second base. He scored 84 runs and stole 22 bases in 29 attempts.
Then he followed it with an even better season in 2017. Like Lindor, he has set a hard course for himself. Even a good season might not compare to the last two.
"I don't worry about pressure," said Ramirez. "I don't believe in pressure. I just go out and do my work and whatever happens, happens."
Over the winter there was talk about Ramirez playing second base if the Indians traded Jason Kipnis. Last season he made 86 starts at third and 65 at second because Kipnis made three trips to the disabled list.
The Indians did not trade Kipnis, who is scheduled to start at second base. Ramirez, however, did not stress about where he would play this season.
"I have my same routine," he said. "Training at the gym. Training at the beach, where I run in the sand. I take ground balls and work on my swing. I prepare the same way no matter what.
"In reality, I don't worry about where I'm going to play. I'd play catcher. It doesn't matter. I just want to keep playing and keep doing the hard work and keep giving my very best."