In defense of SF Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos

SF Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos found himself in hot water on Monday with some comments that were directed at Giants fans. Players often play with raw emotion, so things they do and say at times, in hindsight, can be regrettable.

In defense of SF Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos

The article title already lays out my stance with Ramos. I was debating whether to even wade into these waters in the first place. I typically focus on the play on the field. A lot of what goes on behind the scenes is just noise.

If you need to get caught up, Ramos shared a quote with Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle in defense of Giants manager Bob Melvin. Melvin has come under fire recently due to the team's poor play.

The calls have grown louder, especially from Giants fans, for Melvin to be dismissed. Ramos stood up for his manager, and in the process, took a light shot at Giants fans. Before continuing, I would encourage you to read the reporting done by Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, where he shares some details that were not known at the time. This includes Ostler's original story being edited to clarify Ramos' meaning. Ostler joined 95.7 The Game on Tuesday morning to express that he wished he had shared more context for Ramos' comments.

Due to the quick responses from fans, the 2024 All-Star outfielder also added more context to his original quote, as shared by Pavlovic:

I should add that if fans are frustrated with how the team has played lately, they have every right to be. The Giants have played some poor baseball. Fans invest in the team emotionally and financially, so what they say matters. This team is too talented to struggle with the fundamentals as they have, and that often reflects poorly on the coaching staff. That said, the players do support Melvin.

I keep coming back to Heliot Ramos. Athletes operate and play with a lot of raw emotion. They are competitive with themselves and against other teams. In the moment, that raw emotion can get the best of them. It happens to you and me as well.

Besides boxing leisurely, I no longer compete athletically on a daily basis, but I recall immediately regretting something I said to another player or umpire on more than one occasion. That competitive drive and raw emotion got the best of me. At the end of the day, I would accept that what I did was wrong and express that to the other person.

With Ramos, he cares. It is clear on a daily basis that he gives as much effort as he can give. I have never doubted that. Even with all of the defensive miscues and baserunning gaffes he has exhibited this year, the fire has not waned. At times, he might be trying to do too much to help a team that is underperforming.

I hear the criticisms that the players do not care or do not take pride in what they are doing, and that just could not be further from the truth. It is easy to say about a team when they are losing, but they do care. They do take pride in what they do. It is just a lazy critique to say these things. Now, some baseball players do just see this as a job, and you can usually tell which ones, but Ramos is not one of them.

Baseball is a game of failure, and many athletes hate to lose more than they enjoy winning. That is what drives them. At times, that motor tends to take you down the wrong path.

Ramos saw that firsthand with the knee-jerk environment we live in, and how social media quickly threw him under the bus for his comments. He was likely speaking with emotion when he directed some of his frustration at the fans. He cares about the Giants. He cares about Melvin, and it came across the wrong way. To his credit, Ramos took accountability for it and expanded on what he meant. He did not sidestep the question. He understood why fans were frustrated and expressed adoration for the fans while continuing to show support for his manager.

I think one thing is clear from this incident, and that is that Ramos, along with several other Giants clubhouse leaders, supports Melvin. They are not only playing for themselves or the name on the front of the jersey, but with the hopes that the veteran skipper is with them in 2026. That was truly the intention of Ramos' original quote.

More from Around the Foghorn: