Sox’ Ramirez gets replacement 2004 Olympic gold medal

Emotions were running high before the White Sox took batting practice Friday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.

Not only did the Sox get Alexei Ramirez a replacement gold medal from the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, they flew in fellow Cuban and former teammate Jose Contreras to present the coveted award in a surprise ceremony.

“To see him walking out with the medal really left me speechless,” Ramirez said through a translator. “When I did see him, it kind of jerked a couple of tears out of my eyes.”

Ramirez won the gold medal playing shortstop for Cuba in 2004, but it was lost or stolen in 2007.

“I really don’t know,” Ramirez said when asked what happened to the original medal. “All I know is on my wife’s trip from the Dominican Republic coming here to Chicago, she went from the Dominican to Miami and Miami to here. Somewhere along the way is where it was lost.”

Scott Reifert, the White Sox’ director of communications, and public relations director Lou Hernandez went to work on getting Ramirez a new gold medal, and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf picked up the tab.

“It was great,” Reinsdorf said after watching Ramirez’s emotional response to Contreras and getting a new medal. “I can hardly imagine what it meant to him. I know this is something that was really on his mind. He really was down over this thing having been stolen or lost or whatever happened to it. You could tell by his immediate reaction how much it meant to him.”

Having Contreras deliver the medal made the moment even more special for Ramirez. Both players were born and raised in Pinar del Rio, Cuba.

“All you have to do is look at my locker and you’ll see how special he is to me,” Ramirez said. “He’s like a brother, family, a father. And he has just been there for me from the beginning. I really hold him dear to my heart.”

Morel update:Brent Morel had to cut his Class AAA Charlotte rehab assignment short on Thursday.Morel left the game against Toledo after the third inning, and he is heading back to Chicago for more tests on his back.Morel is on the disabled list with a lumbar back strain.#147;There#146;s something else going on there, so it#146;s a setback,#148; manager Robin Ventura said.Contreras headed for surgery:Former White Sox starter Jose Contreras is going to have season-ending surgery after tearing the UCL and flexor in his throwing (right) elbow last week pitching for the Phillies.Now 40, Contreras still wants to pitch if he can.#147;Baseball has been my life for 23 years and it is what I do,#148; Contreras said through a translator. #147;I#146;m going to fight to come back, whether it#146;s next year or after.#148;Hawkins free to sign:Outfielder/pitcher Courtney Hawkins can think about his professional career after his high school team (Corpus Christi Carroll) lost in the Texas 5A semifinals Friday, 2-1.Hawkins was the White Sox#146; first-round draft pick Monday (No. 13 overall).He led off and played center field in Friday#146;s loss, going 0-for-4.Hawkins came on in relief in the seventh inning and allowed the hit that scored the deciding run.