BA Speaks Out

[aboz56]

  Quote

November 4, 2006

BY JOE COWLEY Staff Reporter

Brian Anderson has no idea what the ramifications of his decision to leave Winter League play will be, but the White Sox outfielder wasn't terribly concerned with that Friday.

 

After developing some sort of stomach virus that dropped his weight 15 pounds in less than two weeks, Anderson decided to leave his Venezuelan team, La Guaira, and return to his home in Tucson, Ariz., to see doctors.

 

''I went down there to play, and I was good for two or three days and then I wasn't the same,'' Anderson said. ''I went there at 220, and now I'm at 205. I can't put any weight on. I have to make sure that I don't have some sort of parasite or something, and do what I can do to be ready for spring training.''

 

Anderson arrived in Tucson late Thursday night and already had appointments to see doctors Friday. He said he had tried to stick it out, but when La Guaira ownership decided to remove newly named Sox third-base coach Razor Shines from the managerial post, that was the deciding factor.

 

''The best thing for me to do was to get out of there,'' Anderson said. ''It wasn't fair to show up to the games like that for the fans and my teammates. I was doing more harm than good.

 

''When Razor left, that was the icing on the cake.''

 

Anderson was hoping to use the winter to work on his ''small ball'' game, improving his bunting skills and base stealing, so his early return was a setback.

 

After a dismal first half this past season in which Anderson hit .161 in April and .167 in May, he turned things around and hit .257 after the All-Star break. But it changes nothing: Manager Ozzie Guillen has said Anderson must re-earn his starting spot in center field this spring.

 

''I'm going to show up ready to play,'' Anderson said. ''That's all I can say. Prepare myself better than I ever have and prove myself all over again.''

[TitoMB345]

I should fly to my family's house in Tucson and try to find Brian

[southsideirish71]

Before anyone starts with the pussy calls on Brian.

 

Anyone that questions the toughness of someone with dysentery or a parasite needs to travel outside the US and see what happens when you get the bug. I got it a couple of times in different locations around the world, and no matter how many precautions you take, you still can wind up getting it. Just imagine the worst stomach pain you have ever had, like a bunch of knives stabbing you, and then make sure your stomach twists and turns where you can barely sleep. Then figure you will be on the toliet for the most part of the time, now add that soreness to the mixture. You cant eat because your stomach rejects just about everything you eat, nor do you have the urge to eat. I got it travelling to India, to Mexico of course, and to Brazil. Each one was a different flavor of it. The worst one I lost 14 pounds on a 190 pound frame in 1 week. It took over a month to get back to eating normally and not having stomach pain.

 

Now I wanted Brian to play in Winter ball to work on his jumps as much as the next person. But once you get this type of bug, forget it. He needs to get better, and then work his ass off to get ready for the fight of his life in ST. He needs to seriously come out smashing in ST.

[aboz56]

For all of the crap I gave BA early on last season, he really grew into one of my favorite players on the roster as the season went on.

 

His results were not always there, but as far as giving a great effort every game, I think you can argue BA gave as much as anyone on the roster.

 

I think we'd be making a huge mistake to give up on him completely following his first season, but there seems to be something that Ozzie doesn't like about the guy. What that is, we may never know.

 

I will stick by my statements that Anderson is already one of the top 5 or 6 defensive CF in all of baseball and that he does have upside offensively if he can make his swing a lot shorter. And I do mean a lot. He really needs some work.

 

Unfortunately I think there is a really good chance that BA is either dealt or put on the backburner by the Sox going into 2007 with Sweeney having an early edge at the CF spot if the Sox stay in house or Figgins being a realistic option for the Sox via trade.

[Heads22]

BA can stick to you like glue, even if he is most likely a Communist.

[whitesoxfan101]

I think we'd be making a huge mistake to give up on him completely following his first season, but there seems to be something that Ozzie doesn't like about the guy. What that is, we may never know.

 

Dude, he can't steal bases or hit home runs, pick one and do it!!!

 

As for BA, I think we're going to give up on him due to Ozzie and I think it's a mistake.

[greg775]

I'd rather have Anderson than Pierre.

It would be nice to have someone waiting in the wings if Anderson gets off

to another horsecrap start.

If he hits OK in spring training I'd give him one more try. After all it took

Crede a long time to be a standout at the plate.

But I definitely don't have the love for Anderson and no other teams will

have love for a cf if he can't at least put up Rowand like numbers.

[BainesHOF]

I doubt that Anderson will be on the team in 2007. His offense was horrendous. For those who are quick to point out how much he improved after a terrible start, remember that he disappeared in the last four to six weeks. He's also overrated defensively by many fans. He's great at tracking down balls to the side and in front of him, but he's weak on balls hit over his head. His arm is nothing special and he had several inexcusable mental lapses.

 

If we want to win the World Series in 2007 we'll need a better center fielder.

[Heads22]

I doubt that Anderson will be on the team in 2007. His offense was horrendous. For those who are quick to point out how much he improved after a terrible start, remember that he disappeared in the last four to six weeks. He's also overrated defensively by many fans. He's great at tracking down balls to the side and in front of him, but he's weak on balls hit over his head. His arm is nothing special and he had several inexcusable mental lapses.

 

If we want to win the World Series in 2007 we'll need a better center fielder.

 

And better starting pitching and better defense and a better left fielder and a better pen and a .....

 

[RME JICO]

And better starting pitching and better defense and a better left fielder and a better pen and a .....

 

We just need the other teams to be worse because they will all be tired from the playoffs like the Sox were in 2006.

Edited November 6, 2006 by RME JICO

[chaerulez]

I thought Razor Shines wasn't well liked by players?

 

Anyways, I don't blame BA for leaving, if he felt sick he shouldn't play.