Yasiel Puig is good… very good.

But Hanley Ramirez is better.

“No way,” you say.

“Way,” I say – at least he was in 2013. Check this out:

• In 432 plate appearances in 2013 (104 games), Puig hit .319 (122 for 382) with 19 home runs and 42 RBIs. He had an OBP of .391 and a SLG of .534 for an outstanding OPS of .925.
• In 336 plate appearances in 2013 (86 games), Ramirez hit .345 (105 for 304) with 20 home runs and 57 RBIs. He had an OBP of .402 and a SLG of .638 for an insane OPS of 1.040.

So good was Ramirez in 2013 that had he played in (approximately) 30 more games (121 more At Bats), he would have absolutely run away with the NL batting title and undoubtedly the NL MVP Award as well. As it stands, Ramirez still finished 8th in the NL MVP voting (Puig was 15th).

There isn’t anybody who hits the ball harder than a healthy Hanley Ramirez.
(Ron Cervenka – ThinkBlueLA.com)

The point is that if Ramirez can stay healthy and if the Dodgers can get at least 150 games out of him in 2014, he will unquestionably be the difference between a legitimate run at the 2014 World Series or coming up short.

When Joe Kelly’s errant 95-mph fastball plunked Ramirez in the ribs in the first game of the NLCS, it not only took Hanley out of the series but it also took the wind out of the Dodgers sail. And while many will argue that nobody stepped up when Ramirez went down, it is hard to argue that losing Hanley wasn’t the crushing blow that took the Dodgers out of the series.

As most Dodger fans know, Ramirez is entering the final year of his six-year/$70 million contract. Although there have been rumors about a contract extension in the works between Hanley and the Dodgers, there has been no official word in that regard. That being said, I have a very difficult time believing that Ramirez will enter the 2014 season without a contract extension in place – probably something in the four-year/$60 to $70 million range. I also believe that 2014 will be Hanley’s last full season at shortstop and that he will be moved to third base thereafter – especially if Cory Seager continues to race through the Dodgers farm system.

The bottom line is that if Ramirez can stay on the field and off the DL, a four-year/$60 to $70 million contract would be a heck of a bargain. If he can’t, well then…