WhiteSox.com Article on BA

[Heads22]

Anderson looks to build on '06 lessons

Outfielder knows spot hinges on offensive production

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

 

Brian Anderson hit .192 before the All-Star break, and .252 afterward in '06. (M. Spencer Green/AP)

 

 

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- As far back as Spring Training 2006, Greg Walker had an idea as to the trials and tribulations about to be heaped upon Brian Anderson during his rookie season.

But the highly-respected White Sox hitting coach couldn't exactly go on record with his exact thoughts. Walker also held out hope that Anderson's shortcomings where the mechanics of his swing were concerned would be overridden by his pure athletic ability in a lineup full of top-notch hitters.

 

"He had hit in Triple-A, and we weren't asking him to hit fourth. We wanted him to hit ninth and survive," Walker said. "But I was very concerned last year, I really was.

 

"If you go back and look at the notes, everything I said was Brian had a battle in front of him. Was I going to come out and say he is mechanically challenged and I don't like his chances? No. He's a physically gifted guy, and you don't have to be mechanically perfect to be able to hit in the big leagues."

 

Unfortunately for Anderson, talent did not win out for the first time in his athletic career. As position players report for Spring Training 2007, the story of Anderson's horrific first-season woes have been told, re-told and then told again one more time for good measure.

 

The team's 2003 first-round pick knocked out two hits, drove in two runs and scored twice in the season opener against the Indians -- a promising start, for certain. But by the time a June 6 contest against Detroit rolled around, a game in which Anderson struck out three times in four at-bats, the defensive stalwart in center was hitting .153 and looked to have his bags packed for a return trip to the Minors.

 

It was a game on June 7, where left-handed-hitting Rob Mackowiak earned the start in center, which really pointed out the dire circumstances of the situation in Anderson's own mind.

 

"When the day came that I didn't play against Kenny Rogers, and it was the middle of the season, I was thinking to myself, 'It's only a matter of time,'" said Anderson, taking a break from present workouts to briefly look back one last time at the misery of 2006.

 

"Basically, they were contemplating what to do and that's the only reason I was still there," Anderson added. "Fortunately, they stuck with me, and I was able to battle through, get my average up to a respectable level and end on a positive note."

 

A first season such as Anderson endured usually does one of two things to such an energetically confident young man. Either he dwells on a .225 average, with eight home runs, 33 RBIs and 90 strikeouts in 365 at-bats and remains a beaten man, or he works harder to prove he not only belongs but has the ability to excel at the Major League level. A bloodied but unbowed Anderson chose the second path.

 

 

During this past offseason, Anderson worked with Walker and first baseman Paul Konerko in Arizona on the changes implemented midway through last season to simply help him make it through the campaign. Anderson moved the bat out from behind his head, where it was wrapped and flat, and got it with more angle and out in front of him a little bit.

 

Most importantly, Anderson began to use his legs and lower half in the swing. These changes contributed in part to a .257 average after the All-Star break, and they also have helped return Anderson's bravado for the 2007 season.

 

"I definitely expect him to bounce back," Mackowiak said. "Your first year is so up and down and you are talking about a player who never had any failure. I expect Brian to be stronger offensively."

 

"Right now, I'm all positive and really feel awesome," Anderson added. "If you would have said Spring Training is about to start when the season ended last year, mentally I would have been like, 'Just go ahead and start without me. I'll catch up with you guys in a few weeks.' Not now. I have a personal chip on my shoulder just because I have something to prove to myself."

 

So, what statistics would define a good year on offense for Anderson? According to the 25-year-old native of Tucson, he should be able to do a little bit of everything. Don't ever expect a .320 average with 50 home runs from Anderson during his best year, but an average near .300 with a great deal of extra-base power and 20-or-so stolen bases would be squarely in the realm of possibilities.

 

For now, the White Sox would like to see the basic adjustments put in place by Walker become part of Anderson's natural rhythm. His effort during Spring Training is one of the crucial tests in regard to shaping the final roster decisions, with Ryan Sweeney and Jerry Owens also battling Anderson to stay at the Major League level.

 

Despite the clear-cut mechanical flaws in his swing, Anderson became the best choice for center field in 2006 because of his exceptional defensive ability. Those strong defensive attributes haven't been weakened, but both manager Ozzie Guillen and Walker need to see a little more from the bat with Anderson in order to keep him around.

 

"He's going to make it easy for everyone if he is the Brian we think he should be," said Guillen, who pointed out again that while Anderson didn't win many games for the White Sox with his bat in 2006, he certainly didn't lose any. "We have faith we can get him over the hump, just like what happened with Jon Garland, Neal [Cotts] and Joe Crede, and he has a chance to be a good ballplayer and make our team good for a long time."

 

"Our team was in a tough situation with Brian last year and we put him in a tough situation, but we knew it going in," Walker added. "But I saw him hit [this week] during early batting practice, and it's all very encouraging. His swing looked natural and mechanically correct. If I would have seen him like this last Spring Training, I would have been more optimistic about his chances."

 

Walker's words are a bit more on the positive side than his comments on Anderson from a MLB.com article one year ago to the day, when he addressed Anderson's "battle to survive" at the Major League level. But pessimism and concern over mechanics have been replaced by Anderson explaining how the ball was coming off his bat effortlessly to right-center during his first couple sessions of BP.

 

Of course, optimism is the rule rather than the exception at this time of year.

 

"There's no reason why I won't be out there every day if I show [Guillen] I made some adjustments and have a good spring," Anderson said. "I need to show him I deserve another shot."

 

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[greg775]

I'll bite.

Good article.

I hope he has a great year. He's still a great prospect.

Crede didn't tear it up right away and he's great now.

It was encouraging to read what Walker had to say.

[mr_genius]

an average near .300

 

doubtful. he'll be around .250 IMO

 

hope i'm wrong

[hi8is]

there's two reasons we traded chris young.... 1) javy 2) brian.... i suspect really great leaps by both of them this year.... i also suspect a LOT of crow eating

[Jordan4life_2007]

Where there's Brian Anderson's will, there's always a way.

[The Ginger Kid]

there's two reasons we traded chris young.... 1) javy 2) brian.... i suspect really great leaps by both of them this year.... i also suspect a LOT of crow eating

I'm ready to eat it. It's just...I don't think he's our starting CF coming out of spring training this year.

 

Erstad in center, Owens in left, my prediction. Jerry's going to have a big spring.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I'm ready to eat it. It's just...I don't think he's our starting CF coming out of spring training this year.

 

Erstad in center, Owens in left, my prediction. Jerry's going to have a big spring.

 

Somebody pass me a vomit bag please! Make that two of them.

[witesoxfan]

Owens has about a 1% chance of making the team out of Spring Training. Even with good numbers, he's about the 29th or 30th man. As of right now, Eduardo Perez is 26, Sweeney's 27, Fields 28, and then Owens falls in somewhere between 29 and 30.

 

That's great to hear about Brian also. A shorter swing (which is what he's trying to accomplish) will initially result in less power, but better contact rates and a quicker bat. That's nothing but good news, and I'd give him about an 80% chance at starting the year as the Sox CFer.

[TLAK]

I'll bite.

Good article.

I hope he has a great year. He's still a great prospect.

Crede didn't tear it up right away and he's great now.

It was encouraging to read what Walker had to say.

 

You got all of that one greg775. He has the potential to be a fine player and, unlike last season, the White Sox have protected themselves by getting a legitimite veteran CF in Darin Erstadt. I hope Brian does well, but I feel much better going into this season than last year.

 

Just picking numbers out of the air, I'd expect the season to begin with Brian starting about half the games, he'll sit out all righties and the tougher lefties, and then gradually increase his playing time as he masters the game situations (and Darin inevitably gets hurt). He doesn't have to hit .300 to help this team, with the way he can run down a ball he can be a valuable player just advancing runners and working counts when he is in a bad match up.

Edited February 23, 2007 by TLAK

[GIOin08]

would you take anderson at .255 for the year?

[retro1983hat]

would you take anderson at .255 for the year?

 

 

I would take a BA BA at .255.

I would like to see: .255, 12, 60

 

Anything more would be a bonus.

I would take the same from Uribe as well.

[hi8is]

I'm ready to eat it. It's just...I don't think he's our starting CF coming out of spring training this year.

 

Erstad in center, Owens in left, my prediction. Jerry's going to have a big spring.

i hope one (or both) of us are correct =)

[RME JICO]

He batted .263 from June 11th to the end of the season. So there is no reason why he couldn't improve on that number for the entire season this year.

 

I figure with one solid year under his belt and the assistance from hitters like Thome, Konerko, and Dye - he should improve to something around .270-.275.

[Balta1701]

Owens has about a 1% chance of making the team out of Spring Training. Even with good numbers, he's about the 29th or 30th man. As of right now, Eduardo Perez is 26, Sweeney's 27, Fields 28, and then Owens falls in somewhere between 29 and 30.

 

That's great to hear about Brian also. A shorter swing (which is what he's trying to accomplish) will initially result in less power, but better contact rates and a quicker bat. That's nothing but good news, and I'd give him about an 80% chance at starting the year as the Sox CFer.

I think there's 1 thing that could help Owens actually make the team: Scott Podsednik's balls. If Scott has to start the season off on the DL, that leaves Ozzie with nothing other than Ozuna that could provide him with speed at all, especially at the top of the order. Owens could well be a prime candidate to break camp with the team if Podsednik can't.

[SoxAce]

As of right now, Eduardo Perez is 26, Sweeney's 27, Fields 28, and then Owens falls in somewhere between 29 and 30.

 

Damn, I've missed alot of baseball since my computer was messed up. I don't feel like a god anymore.

[witesoxfan]

I think there's 1 thing that could help Owens actually make the team: Scott Podsednik's balls. If Scott has to start the season off on the DL, that leaves Ozzie with nothing other than Ozuna that could provide him with speed at all, especially at the top of the order. Owens could well be a prime candidate to break camp with the team if Podsednik can't.

 

Ozuna and Cintron better be all Ozzie needs as speed/stolen base. If he needs more, he can shove it.

[LVSoxFan]

BA has until the ASB as far as I'm concerned. Well maybe not even that late. I'd love to see him thrive--that only helps us--but am getting tired of his bat.

 

Did he play winter ball this year?

[shipps]

Are we all in agreement that BA is not going to get nearly the time to prove himself as Crede did right?Even if he is making web gems on defense.

[Kalapse]

BA has until the ASB as far as I'm concerned. Well maybe not even that late. I'd love to see him thrive--that only helps us--but am getting tired of his bat.

 

Did he play winter ball this year?

He played Winter Ball up until he became violently ill and came back to the US. Shortly after that the rest of the Sox players also left Venezuela to protest the firing of Razor Shines.

 

I'm ready to eat it. It's just...I don't think he's our starting CF coming out of spring training this year.

 

Erstad in center, Owens in left, my prediction. Jerry's going to have a big spring.

Just one of the many reasons why I hate how much stock some organizations put into Spring Training performance. If Spring Training were really an indication of how that player was going to fair during the regular season then Brian Anderson would have been an All Star last season, Boone Logan would have been one of hte best setup men in basebal and Tadahito would have been benched for Ozuna. It's 4 weeks playing in a climate that they will not experience much during the year, playing against s***ty journeyman pitchers.

[greg775]

Are we all in agreement that BA is not going to get nearly the time to prove himself as Crede did right?Even if he is making web gems on defense.

 

I'm in agreement, and I bet Oz is also. Cause Oz pretty obviously tired of Brian a year ago.

Hope he can have the same opener he did last year, then build on it.

[fathom]

According to WGN, Ozzie said that the CF position is up for grabs between Anderson and Erstad. Erstad also said he wasn't brought in to be a back-up player.

[Balta1701]

According to WGN, Ozzie said that the CF position is up for grabs between Anderson and Erstad. Erstad also said he wasn't brought in to be a back-up player.

That's pretty much how it should be; if Anderson can't hit .250 or so, or hit with better power, he should be in the minors, unless Erstad's defense is at the Mackowiak level. Out of the 2, Anderson is clearly the better talent, but it is up to him to prove that, and his window should be as small as it can be made on a playoff caliber team.