Manny Ramirez(notes) was not in the Chicago White Sox's starting lineup Tuesday, but he did make an appearance with his new team. Ramirez was on deck when A.J. Pierzynski(notes) hit a ninth-inning home run that gave the Sox a road 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
While Pierzynski circled the bases, Ramirez returned to the dugout and didn't hit. Instead, he high-fived teammates to celebrate the homer.
Before the game, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters that Ramirez was tired from a cross-country flight to join his football jersey
new team. Ramirez arrived at Cleveland's Progressive Field a day after the White Sox claimed the 12-time All-Star off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"He was up at 4:30 in the morning," Guillen told reporters. "That's reason right there not to play him. He's been on the disabled list this year. Why take the risk? … I don't want to use him (tonight), but if we need him, we will use him.
"He told me, 'Whatever you need, whatever you want.'"
Ramirez walked into the ballpark at 3:15 p.m., entering from the Indians players' parking lot, where he used to park during his eight seasons with the Indians. He entered his first meeting with Chicago media wearing trendy white-rimmed sunglasses. His dreadlocked hair was at its usual length, but could be shorter in the next few hours. The White Sox have an appearance policy, and they expect Ramirez to conform to it and get his hair trimmed.
Ramirez sounded irritated when asked about his hair during a pregame press conference.
"That's a stupid question," Ramirez said in Spanish, with White Sox bench coach 2010 nfl jerseys
Joey Cora translating. "I'm here to play baseball and that has nothing to do with playing baseball."
Ramirez is bilingual and seldom addresses the media in Spanish. Why now, in his 18th season?
"I feel more comfortable in my own language,'' Ramirez answered through Cora. "I obviously understand but want to make sure.''
Guillen said he didn't have a problem with Ramirez's look, but that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf might.
Chicago Tribune writer Mike Gonzalez asked Guillen if Ramirez will hustle. Ramirez has long had a reputation for being lackadaisical. His casual stride and style make it look that way.
"You treat Manny right and with respect and don't tell him to do what he doesn't want to do, he'll (hustle),'' Guillen said. "If I see Manny not going about his business the right way then it's my job to talk to him about the way we like.''
Ramirez, who ended a seasonlong boycott of the media Tuesday, also said he feels "like a 25-year-old" physically and that he has "that fire to compete."
"As long as I have that fire to compete, I'm going to keep playing. As soon as that fire leaves, it's time to go," he said.
Ramirez briefly talked about his departure from the Dodgers. "I just feel blessed that I nfl football jerseys
played for them," he said. "I only played 60 games for them this year, but I don't understand why I didn't play more—especially at the end."
After their series in Cleveland, the White Sox travel to Boston for the weekend—where Ramirez was a member of two Red Sox World Series champions before wearing out his welcome.
— Contributing: Associated Press
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