CLEVELAND — We know that José Ramírez loves a good home run pitch and no one gets as fired up as Josh Naylor. We’ve seen the energy that Steven Kwan has brought his rookie year and watched Oscar González bring a lighthearted goofiness to the game.
But what about the guy who’s been as steady as anyone, providing the Guardians consistency at the plate? For Amed Rosario, his even-keeled nature is fueled by the power of positivity, and he brings that to the plate each game.
"In reality, what you guys see is what I actually am inside. I try to hold my emotions in a way to keep them more in balance. When I'm positive things are always in—when I celebrate, maybe a little more cheering—but then when things don't go well, I'm going to also keep it to myself because I am aware that life has a lot of ups and downs and I just like to keep it going kind of like in a good balance," Rosario said.
The Guardians shortstop has prided himself on his consistency and being the same guy every day. That's not always an easy task, especially when things aren't going the way he plans. There have been a few moments this season where Rosario will go a few games without a hit, but his slumps never last long.
That he credits the power of positivity and the way he brings that to the plate at every at-bat.
"I think the key is your mind. Where's your mindset and how you can control it and keep it at bay is what allows you to be always in control," Rosario said. "I'm just a very positive person in reality, in every aspect of life. And I'm the same way with my friends, with my family. And I consider myself a person of faith, a big believer in my faith. And that's what keeps me grounded every day."
Rosario's teammates see that positivity each day, even through the tougher times this season.
Second baseman Andrés Giménez knows Rosario very well. The two played together on the Mets in 2020 and now, on the Guardians together, Giménez is appreciative for what he brings to the team.
"I have the fortune to know him from my previous team as well, so I knew that's the way he plays. And not only that, I think that serves as a good example for the younger guys to see how to play the game and play the game in the right way," Giménez said. "What I see from the outside is the key to his consistency is how hard he plays the game and how hard he plays regardless of the result, which is really hard to do."
Giménez credits that mindset Rosario embodies to the passion he has for the game. It's something that isn't just seen in his .276 batting average or his .308 on base percentage, but in the way he carries himself around the clubhouse and in his daily life.
"In reality, the same player that we see on the field is the same person inside, the same positive vibe, the same happiness around him. And there's something about him that radiates how fortunate and thankful he is about playing the game. So that's something that helps all of us," Giménez said.
Rosario might make the positivity look easy but it's something that he's worked on for years. Keeping a positive mindset is a strength, Rosario said, that he is proud to have developed and continues working on to this day.
The effort, however, is rewarded by solid performances and a consistent on-field product that Rosario can be proud of and the team can rely on. Because even on a not-so-good day, his positivity radiates in a way that allows Rosario to bounce right back and keep being the consistent player the Guardians know and love.
"I feel it's something to be practiced for many years, being positive right there," Rosario said. "The game has a lot of ups and downs and I will say they have a lot more downs than ups. So I know even if you're in a slump, if you stay positive, just as easy as you got into the slump as you easy as you're going to get out of it."
Camryn Justice is a reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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