MnSoxFan Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 I see he was taken out late in Winston-Salem game Saturday, for Martel, and then he did not play on Sunday. Hoping he is not hurt already. Anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winninguglyin83 Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 noticed that, too. also noticed that Sweeney and Nanita haven't hit much yet. it's early, but I hope they're not rushing both of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 Didn't see it in either of the press releases I got from Winston. Will double check them when I get home tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 I wonder if Anderson can compete for the ML job out of 2005 ST. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JimH Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 I saw Brian play in several games in Tucson. To my untrained eye, he appears not far away defensively but he's overmatched at the plate. Having said that though, he has a nice level swing and when he connects he can drive the ball. I would say doubtful out of the gate in 2005, but 2006, quite possibly. Here's hoping I am wrong and he tears up the minors this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 To my untrained eye, he appears not far away defensively but he's overmatched at the plate 2006 it is. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MnSoxFan Posted April 12, 2004 Author Share Posted April 12, 2004 I saw Brian play in several games in Tucson. To my untrained eye, he appears not far away defensively but he's overmatched at the plate. Having said that though, he has a nice level swing and when he connects he can drive the ball. I would say doubtful out of the gate in 2005, but 2006, quite possibly. Here's hoping I am wrong and he tears up the minors this year. Anderson still recovering from wrist, nice article here from BA By Chris Kline April 12, 2004 While White Sox outfielders Joe Borchard and Jeremy Reed have garnered the majority of the preseason buzz roaming the same garden in Triple-A Charlotte, the class in Winston-Salem has gone largely unnoticed. That won't last very long. Right fielder Ryan Sweeney and center fielder Brian Anderson begin the 2004 campaign skipping low Class A, heading from Rookie-level Great Falls to the high Class A Warthogs. Both rank among Chicago's Top 10 prospects, with Sweeney ranked fourth and Anderson ranked seventh. The 19-year old Sweeney, who spent most of spring training in big league camp, is especially excited to be leapfrogging a level. "I'm definitely thrilled to be here--as fast as you can move up is great," Sweeney said. "To have this opportunity to be here and be just 19 years old really is something. Some guys have been here for a while, and I really need to learn whatever I can from them to make me a better player. Hopefully I keep moving as quickly as possible, but I'm going to do my best to win games right now." Both Sweeney and Anderson came out of the 2003 draft, Anderson a first-round selection out of Arizona and Sweeney a second-round steal out of an Iowa high school. Scouts feel Sweeney has more offensive upside of the two, though he tends to struggle getting around on high heat. "He hasn't shown great bat speed--more slider bat speed to me, but that could change at this level," an American League scout said. "It could be a comfort thing. You get offspeeded to death in this league--especially guys like him. But if you know he can't get around on the fastball, it makes it easier to set him up." Sweeney has been compared to John Olerud as a hitter with gap power, but he is still very raw--and still has time to grow into his 6-4, 200-pound frame. As Sweeney is quick to point out, power is traditionally the last tool to develop. And he's trying not to be as pull-conscious as he was in rookie ball. "I just started lifting a couple of years ago, so I feel like once I get what some people call 'man strength,' or whatever you want to call it, the power will come," he said. "I still feel like I can hit the ball out of the park right now, and they have a great weight program here so that will only work to help me. But if hitting the ball out of the park happens, that's great. I'm just looking to use the whole field and get doubles, singles and drive in some runs. "I get pitched outside a lot and I'm seeing a lot more offspeed pitches too, but I'm going to go after it with the same approach, get a little load while the pitcher's in his windup and go from there." Sweeney is batting in the No. 3 hole for the 'Hogs, with Anderson following him in the cleanup spot. The 22-year old Anderson hit .370 his freshman year for the Wildcats, struggled terribly his sophomore season and turned it around last year. He was a second-team All-American for Arizona, hitting .366-14-62 and going to the White Sox with the 15th overall pick in the draft. A two-way player the majority of his career, Andy Lopez moved Anderson full-time to the outfield during his first year as Arizona's coach. Anderson is still learning the nuances of hitting and still misses the mound. "I don't even want to talk about it," Anderson said with a laugh. "Yes I do miss it, without a doubt. If there's ever a chance where we run out of pitchers and the coach doesn't call me in to pitch I'll probably walk off the field I'll be so pissed. "I've never been a real serious hitter because I was a pitcher my whole life. In high school was really my first year of hitting and I really didn't have a clue what I was doing then, but last year was the first year I knew what it took to be a consistent, good professional hitter. My approach was just way better last year. "Coach Lopez taught me more about the game than anything--what pitchers are doing and what I needed to do to consistently battle them." Anderson is coming off wrist surgery in which he had part of the radial bone shaved down to allow better blood flow through the entire wrist. He is still trying to find his way back after the surgery, still fighting through the tentativeness. "My strength isn't all the way back," Anderson said. "It's not really a confidence thing, because I think all baseball players are so cocky that once they can just start playing again they already feel like they should, or they can go back to what they were doing. "Right now, health-wise my wrist feels like 100 percent, but I still mentally am babying it a little bit. I had all that time where I had to do that during rehab, and I knew that I couldn't swing the bat and I need to personally break through that. It's a personal issue I have to deal with. It's just breaking through that mental wall that I have, that my wrist is going to hurt when I swing and now it doesn't. But I developed bad habits before the surgery when my wrist was hurting. Now I just have to break those habits." Both players are finding it hard to break through--at least in their first series. Sweeney is 1-for-8 with a double and Anderson has struggled more, going 1-for-7 with four strikeouts. On opening night against Kinston, Anderson went 1-for-4 with three K's. "When I'm hot and in a zone and locked in, there's really no pitch a guy can throw that you're going to look stupid on," Anderson said. "But right now my timing is pretty bad. Just coming off the wrist surgery, I'm just trying to get back to where I can make consistent contact and have good at-bats. I'm not going to strike out like I did Opening Night. Hopefully I can just keep working and work myself into a groove." DISH PIECES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickman Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 I saw Brian play in several games in Tucson. To my untrained eye, he appears not far away defensively but he's overmatched at the plate. Having said that though, he has a nice level swing and when he connects he can drive the ball. I would say doubtful out of the gate in 2005, but 2006, quite possibly. Here's hoping I am wrong and he tears up the minors this year. Jim, that is a big jump for 2005 as you noted. I guess the next question would be where would you play him? Let him play in the minors for awhile. They can take there time with he and Sweeney. I wouldn't want these kinds coming up and sitting on the bench. The sox will need to address Borchard and Reed first. See you wensday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 I think both Sweeney and Anderson have been put on the fast track by the fans, but the Sox are going to move them soley to see what they can do. I don't think either will be playing in the majors next year. However, the following year I expect both to at least be competing for a job out of spring training. Both are very talented players and I agree with Jim's analysis. I think at the plate, Anderson is still raw, although he has good potential. He has a solid eye though and his bat has some pop. Sweeney has a very smooth swing, and while he is younger then Anderson I think he projects to be a much better average hitter (I think Sweeney is a guy that will hit well over .300). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 That comment about slider batspeed makes me worry. I like my ML players with good batspeed (Ordonez, Lee, Konerko, Valentin). BUT...if I had a choice between Anderson having a good eye/coordination/discipline/confidence/mechanics.....and just being Soriano-quick but being below average in other departments, I'd go with the former. Good batspeed wins you, what, a 1/15th of a second tops compared to an average player, while those other attributes probably twice that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danman31 Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Well the thing with Sweeney is that he is only 19 so power isn't expected to come yet. As he said in the article, he hasn't been lifting for long. It's a concern for sure, but let's give him some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Anderson is coming off wrist surgery in which he had part of the radial bone shaved down to allow better blood flow through the entire wrist How many all-stars today had that procedure done? Is there long-term risks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upnorthsox Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 That comment about slider batspeed makes me worry. I like my ML players with good batspeed (Ordonez, Lee, Konerko, Valentin). BUT...if I had a choice between Anderson having a good eye/coordination/discipline/confidence/mechanics.....and just being Soriano-quick but being below average in other departments, I'd go with the former. Good batspeed wins you, what, a 1/15th of a second tops compared to an average player, while those other attributes probably twice that. Funny, that's the second time in the past few days I've heard that phrase. Albert Belle had slider bat speed and Frank doesn't have great speed either, Manny is barely over slider speed but then I guess all 3 of them have great power thru the zone. Bonds has tremendous bat speed but that could attributable to him choking up the way he does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Albert Belle had slider bat speed and Frank doesn't have great speed either, Manny is barely over slider speed Albert Belle had a deceptive batspeed. I read a while ago that in 1996 season, among the fastest swings clocked were the usual suspects - McGwire, Bonds, Griffey and....Belle. Besides, Belle, Ramirez and especially Thomas in their prime had INSANE hand-eye coordination and power. They didn't need to be Soriano quick because they saw the ball earlier than him, had a better approach and could muscle through it..... Anderson most likely won't have the benefit of being super-strong or super-quick so he BETTER have a good eye, patience, flawless mechanics, supreme confidence in himself, etc if he wants to be an All-Star CF'er. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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