Vizquel to wear Aparicio's No. 11 for Sox

CHICAGO, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- New Chicago White Sox shortstop Omar Vizquel will wear the formerly retired number 11 of Sox great Luis Aparicio, Vizquel says.

Vizquel told The Chicago Tribune that Aparicio, the only Venezuelan in the Baseball Hall of Fame, gave him permission to wear his No. 11 after manager Ozzie Guillen declined to let Vizquel wear his own No. 13.

"One day I was hanging out with Luis Aparicio and I had the courage to ask if I could use his number," Vizquel, also a native of Venezuela, told the newspaper. "He thought about it for a while and with a little smile said it would be great. He said, 'If someone does it, I would like it to be you.'"

After getting Aparicio's permission, the White Sox "unretired" No. 11 for Vizquel to wear for what is likely to be the final year of his long major league career.

"If there is one player who I would like to see wear my uniform number with the White Sox, it is Omar Vizquel," Aparicio said in a statement. "I have known Omar for a long time. Along with being an outstanding player, he is a good and decent man."