Thome understands why his days with Sox ended

Back at U.S. Cellular Field on Friday night with his new team, the rival Minnesota Twins, Jim Thome said he understands why White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen decided against bringing him back this season.

"The bottom line is baseball decisions are made," said Thome, who pinch hit in the 10th inning and struck out swinging against Tony Pena. "I enjoyed my time here. I don't want to get into the past. Ozzie was very open with me, very good to me. The bottom line is baseball decisions are made, and as a player you have to accept that."

Before the Twins hit in the second inning, the Sox honored Thome with a video tribute.

"For me, this was kind of a dream come true to be able to come back home and play," said Thome, a Peoria native who was with the White Sox from 2006-09. "Chicago will always hold a special place in my heart."

Honor roll: Mark Buehrle is going to receive the Gold Glove award he won last season, his first, before today's game against Minnesota.

On Friday, the White Sox' starting pitcher received a personalized jersey and basketball from Rocket Rivers of the Harlem Globetrotters for his spectacular defensive play in Monday's season-opening win over the Indians.

The "Trotter Tribute" honors professional and college athletes in all sports for outstanding achievements.

"I'd have to say the Gold Glove is more important to me," Buehrle said with a laugh. "I never played much basketball. I tried out for football my freshman year in high school and was about 3 feet tall. I went out for about a week and said, 'This ain't for me.' So I went back to baseball, and I got cut."

Buehrle was cut from the baseball team at Francis Howell North H.S. in St. Charles, Mo., as a freshman and sophomore before finally sticking as a junior.

Lineup change: Omar Vizquel made his first start of the season Friday, at third base in place of Mark Teahen. Donny Lucy started at catcher for A.J. Pierzynski.

"There are two reasons, tomorrow is a 12 o'clock game and I want to give Vizquel at-bats like I did to Andruw (Jones), give Lucy some at-bats and give A.J. some rest," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I think those two reasons are good enough."

No Joe: The Twins played a night game Thursday against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., and they didn't get to their hotel in downtown Chicago until 7 a.m. Friday.

Along with the Sox starting left-hander John Danks, that's why reigning American League MVP Joe Mauer was held out of the starting lineup.

"That's why Gardy (Twins manager Ron Gardenhire) has so many years in the big leagues," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He knows how to handle his players."

Ready Freddy? After allowing 17 runs on 23 hits in 82/3 innings over his final 2 spring-training starts, Freddy Garcia makes his regular-season debut Saturday.

"I don't think Freddy can do worse," Ozzie Guillen said. "It's going to be very, very hard to do. I think Freddy's looking forward to tomorrow's game. Everybody has doubts about him, and I think he wants to put that thing behind him."