White Sox notes: Reinsdorf reminisces about 2005 squad

Members of the 2005 White Sox gathered around chairman Jerry Reinsdorf for a team portrait before the start of Saturday’s game against the Royals.

As the weekend celebrating the 10-year reunion of the World Series champs at U.S. Cellular Field continued, Reinsdorf couldn’t believe so much time had gone by since Paul Konerko gloved the final out.

“It seems like yesterday,” said Reinsdorf, who held the World Series championship trophy in the middle of the portrait. “The older you get the faster the years go.”

The trophy represents his only championship as the team’s owner. Without knowing whether there will be another one during his time on the South Side, Reinsdorf said he’ll forever treasure this one.

“It’s a great memory that they’ll always have,” Reinsdorf said. “That I’ll always have. That our fans will always have. Hopefully there will be another one, but if there isn’t, you can never take it away.”

The 2005 team was honored before the game with a ceremony in the infield. The players were introduced one by one and rode out from the center field tunnel in convertibles.

Roster decision looming: Tyler Saladino’s performance since joining the Sox on July 10 has complicated a forthcoming roster decision.

The Sox are playing with only six pitchers in the bullpen and plan to add an arm soon, manager Robin Ventura said.

Saladino started his sixth game Saturday and came in hitting .313 with a triple and an RBI. He added singles in his for two at-bats and made a pair of nice plays in the field.

“I’ve been able to put some good swings on the ball, have decent at-bats and make some plays on defense,” Saladino said. “I just handle myself out there. At the end of the day, it’s their decision, so that’s nothing I’m giving much thought. It’s one of those things you don’t control. You just go out like right now and get ready for today’s ballgame.”

If Saladino isn’t going to be the player sent down, another infielder – possibly Conor Gillaspie or Emilio Bonifacio – could end up the odd man out.

“We obviously have some decisions there and it’s difficult,” Ventura said of Saladino. “We can hopefully make it through these next few days without overextending anybody. At that point we’re going to have to have an extra guy in the bullpen. Yeah, there are going to be some tough decisions and he’s going to make it tougher.”

Ramirez will hit: Ventura remains optimistic that shortstop Alexei Ramirez will snap out of his first-half funk.

Ramirez, who was an All-Star last season, entered Saturday hitting .222 with a .249 on-base percentage and .289 slugging percentage. He’s been among the least productive everyday infielders in baseball at the plate this season and has struggled defensively, too.

“Hitting wise, he’ll improve,” Ventura said. “He’s a guy that at the end of the year you look up and he’s hitting .270. Defensively, he’s turned around what was a slow start the first half. Hitting wise, he’ll end up hitting, he always has.”

Ramirez had two hits Saturday, including a game-tying home run in the seventh inning.