While most Red Sox fans will be rooting against Ricky Romero when he takes the mound for the Blue Jays in Fenway Park on Wednesday night, one Sox draftee will likely feel, at best, divided loyalties. And such a stance is perfectly understandable.

After all, Romero himself is hoping that Noe Ramirez, a fourth-round pick for the Sox this year out of Cal State Fullerton, enjoys tremendous success as a member of a rival organization.

Romero and Ramirez both hail from East LA, a region that is commonly stereotyped as a gang-addled war zone. Certainly, there is some truth to the portrayal, but the reality is more nuanced, and Romero and Ramirez both come from families that ensured that they could forge promising futures.

“You do hear gun shots. Is it a bad area? People can make it out of there. I’m a perfect example of that. [Ramirez] is, too. So is Oscar de la Hoya,” said Romero. “I think sometimes people get caught up in going down a different path. I was fortunate enough – like he is – to come from a great family that taught me there is something you can do with your life. It’s just like any part of the world. It has its bad areas, but at the same time, there are a lot of good people there.”

Romero, a first-round pick (No. 6 overall) in the 2005 draft out of Cal State Fullerton, was a rookie in the majors in 2009 when he first encountered an article about Ramirez. Ramirez was graduating from Alhambra High School in East LA, with a scholarship offer at Fullerton.

Romero immediately recognized the similarity of their stories, and made a point of visiting his alma mater in the offseason to introduce himself.

“Obviously, coming from the same area where I grew up, I was happy for him,” said Romero. “I took a visit to Cal State-Fullerton, got to meet him, and right away told him that whenever you need something, whatever you need, whatever it is, call me. I gave him my number. We became good friends.”

Like Romero, Ramirez was recruited on scholarship at Fullerton, and like Romero, he enjoyed a terrific college careers that positioned them for futures in pro ball.

In three college seasons, Ramirez was 29-7 with a 2.57 ERA, more than a strikeout an inning and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than five-to-one. He pitched in the College World Series and on Team USA. As such, based on his track record, he is viewed as a pitcher capable of reaching the majors quickly.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander doesn’t have an overpowering fastball. But his funky delivery makes him somewhat deceptive with the high-80s to low-90s offering. Meanwhile, he features a decent curve and a swing-and-miss changeup that makes him an intriguing prospect.

Moreover, coaches and scouts rave about Ramirez’ makeup and determination to learn and succeed. So does Romero.

“He reminds me a lot of me. He has heart, and he’s doing whatever it takes to get better everyday,” said Romero. “I think that takes you a longer way than having natural talent. If you have heart, you continue to work hard and continue to work to get to a certain place, you’ll make it.”

Ramirez has often suggested that Romero taught him the changeup. The Jays southpaw, however, deflected credit for the pitch.

“He’s a hard worker. I think he just continued to work hard and he learned it,” said Romero. “I just told him what I did to get mine better and to improve it. He said he did that and it worked for him. I guess I had a little bit of input on it.”

Even so, Romero says that Ramirez is the one who deserves foremost credit for his emergence as a prospect. He is thrilled for his friend. Romero’s only disappointment is that despite the fact that he tugged repeatedly on the arm of Toronto GM Alex Anthopolous to use one of the team’s on Ramirez, his advice went unheeded.

Reminded that the Jays had five first- and sandwich-round picks, Romero became animated.

“Tell me about it. I got on [Anthopolous] for that,” he joked. “I pushed for our team to take him with a high pick, a lot. I actually did.

“But I couldn’t be happier for him. He deserves it. He comes from a great family, too. to listen to the struggles that he’s been through, where he came from, I could relate to him, and I couldn’t be happier for the guy.”

Ramirez remains unsigned. In all likelihood, the pitcher – who is advised by Scott Boras – will come to an agreement with the club near the Aug. 15 signing deadline. While that will put him on a track that would have Ramirez serve as a rival of Romero’s Jays, the Toronto starter (who has a 7-7 record and 2.75 ERA that ranks ninth in the AL) has no mixed feelings about that prospect.

Romero contacted Ramirez after hearing that his friend had been selected to congratulate the pitcher and his family, and to remind him that the draft simply represented a point of departure, a first step in what both pitchers hope will be a promising future.

“All I can say is that the Sox got a great player with a great heart who is determined to do whatever it takes to win. Hopefully we’ll see him up here soon competing against us,” said Romero. “It would be a dream for me to have him pitch against me – two East LA kids on the biggest of stages. That would be something special, something I’d look forward to. And I’d wish him the best of luck.

“It’s something that couldn’t have happened to a better person. Hopefully, he’ll continue to work hard and stay humble, which I know he will, and you’ll see him in a Red Sox uniform sooner than later.”