Alexei

Ramirez

McEwing, 38, earned high praise for his work in Triple-A Charlotte, where he managed each of the past four seasons with the organization. His macro management style was respected by many players who are expected to land featured roles for the White Sox in 2012, in addition to veterans who made rehab assignments with the Knights.

All three hits were singles, as Ramirez plated runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. The Cuban shortstop had been having a poor spring at the dish, batting just .226 coming into today’s game, but he suddenly has that mark up to a respectable .250. He’s still looking for his first extra-base hit, though.

Ramirez has struck out 11 times and has only swiped one base. But the 30-year-old shortstop has a .581 career OPS in the first month of the season, so these early struggles shouldn’t be all that alarming. He finished the 2011 campaign with a .269/.328/.399 batting line, 15 home runs and seven stolen bases.

Ramirez is sporting a .200/.227/.253 batting line in 179 plate appearances this season, and his counting stats (one homer, three steals, 17 RBI) haven’t been great either. Alexei was good for 15 homers and 70 RBI last year but is looking like a fantasy dud here in 2012.

His two-run blast off Alexi Ogando in the ninth inning provided valuable insurance runs, making a Ranger comeback extremely unlikely. Ramirez got off to an insanely slow start to the season, but has really turned things around over the last two months. Since June 1, he’s hitting .315 (56-for-178) with three homers and 24 RBI.

Ramirez has hit .305 with six homers in 190 at-bats since the All-Star break. Since he’s batting low in the order for the most part, he’s still not amassing particularly good run and RBI numbers. However, his play has improved steadily after an awful start.

The White Sox earned a three-game sweep in St. Pete, winning two of the games by one run. Ramirez has had multiple hits in four of the last five games, raising his average to .228. That doesn’t seem like much, but it’s the highest he’s been since April 24. He still figures to be a decent enough mixed-league MI option this year.

Ramirez missed Saturday’s game because of left wrist soreness. It was never a major concern for Chicago.

Ramirez tripled home two runs in the fifth inning of Chicago’s 11-9 loss. The big day was a capper to perhaps the most disappointing half of Ramirez’s career, though he’s still managed 44 RBI in 83 games, and is hitting .444 since July 1. He’s a decent buy-low candidate heading into the second half.

Ramirez and Alejandro De Aza are both nursing left wrist injuries following a collision Friday, but Ramirez’s is the milder of the two. The shortstop will test the wrist out in batting practice before being cleared.