Alexei Ramirez was dressed to the “9” Friday for the White Sox’s home opener.
The shortstop’s white No. 10 home jersey dangled from a hanger inside the White Sox’s newly renovated clubhouse while his team faced the Twins.
Ramirez instead donned a No. 9 jersey with “MINOSO” on the back, a tribute to White Sox legend Minnie Minoso, who died March 1 at 90.
“My relationship with Minnie was beyond the field,” Ramirez said of the fellow Cuban native after a 6-0 loss, the team’s fourth straight to start the season. “When I heard the news about his death I thought that I had to do something to give him my tribute.”
Ramirez said the jersey will take up permanent residence in his home.
He said he cleared the plan with the White Sox and Major League Baseball to wear it for one game.
Minoso appeared in major league games in five different decades. He hit .298 with 186 home runs, 83 triples and 1,023 RBIs in 17 seasons, including at least parts of 12 with the Sox.
Minoso debuted with the Indians in 1949 and was 54 when he played in two games with the Sox in 1980. He was a longtime Sox ambassador and a mentor for their players after his retirement.
“I kept in communication with the family and I asked them (if I could) wear his number today and they accepted,” Ramirez said. “For me, it’s an honor.”
The Sox also paid tribute to the late Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks and Minoso with a moment of silence before the game.
Bad day: Sox catcher Tyler Flowers thought right-hander Hector Noesi was pitching the best he had seen in spring training, so Noesi’s outing in which he allowed two runs on four hits with six walks, a hit batter and two wild pitches obviously was a disappointment.
“It so happened today he didn’t have a feel for his best pitch,” Flowers said. “He did a good job competing. We used his cutter and slider more, and it allowed him to survive longer than if we had kept with the changeup.”
Keep on truckin: Sox players were driven on to the field before Friday’s game in Ford trucks and Mustangs, an interesting entrance given the Sox said ace Chris Sale fractured his right foot and sprained his ankle this spring while awkwardly jumping off his truck at home.
Sale will make his first start Sunday against the Twins, and Sox general manager Rick Hahn said the team will be cautious with himkeeping close watch on his movement. Manager Robin Ventura said he hopes to get about six innings and 90-plus pitches out of Sale.
“We’re pretty happy with where he is now with that and you want to make sure you’re … not getting him overextended,” Ventura said.
New digs: Sox players and coaches got their first glimpse of the more than $3 million clubhouse renovation. New lockers and a new weight room were among the many upgrades.
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“It’s a nice little update,” Ventura said.
Sights seen: Jose Contreras, the 2005 World Series Game 1 winner, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Ramirez. Former Sox third baseman Joe Crede was supposed to catch the pitch, but he didn’t make it because of weather-related travel issues. … Former Sox manager Ozzie Guillen also was in attendance. Rise Against lead singer Tim McIlrath sang the national anthem.
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