Anderson hopes to improve bat

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http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al...500388319_x.htm

 

Sox outfielder Anderson hopes to improve hitting

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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Brian Anderson hopes spring training will be the start of a breakthrough year at the plate. If it isn't, the Chicago White Sox have other options in center field.

 

Anderson is in a familiar position in trying to lock down the starter's job. This year's competitors are Jerry Owens and DeWayne Wise.

 

"I think the last two years, the Sox have presented the same scenario. They bring in an abundance of outfielders and have everybody battle for one or two spots," Anderson said Tuesday.

 

Anderson, 27, is considered one of the game's best defensive outfielders. "It's instinctive and feels really natural out there," he said.

 

The downside: a career .221 average in 597 at bats for the White Sox since 2005.

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"I haven't proven myself at the major league level," he said. "The only thing that bothers me is people judge me and say, 'He's never going to be a good hitter.' But as long as you're playing the game, you can improve."

 

He could be the team's fourth outfielder if he fails to win the center fielder's job.

 

"He's good enough to be on this team, he's the best outfielder we've got," said manager Ozzie Guillen.

 

Anderson pointed to such players as Ryan Ludwick and Rick Ankiel of St. Louis, who have burst onto the scene in recent years as outstanding hitters.

 

"Anybody is capable of doing that as long as they're given an opportunity," he said.

 

Anderson said he is working on having consistent high quality at-bats, especially at the start of games where he struggled last year.

 

"I wish I could have eliminated giving away so many at bats," he said. "It seemed like I would really struggle that first at bat. Then as the at-bats went on, I started to get locked in. Which I guess is only natural."

 

Guillen said he hopes Anderson can blossom. "That would make my job easier," he said.

 

Besides Anderson, the White Sox have Owens, who played with the team for parts of the past three seasons.

 

His best year was 2007, when he hit .267 with one homer and 17 RBIs. Owens led major-league rookies that season with 32 stolen bases.

 

"My approach is that it's wide open, I don't take anything for granted," said Owens, 28, who listed speed as his greatest attribute. "I can use that to help me do other things out there."

 

Another candidate is Wise, 31, who has played professionally since he started in the Cincinnati organization in 1997. He has a .214 big-league average in spot duty for Toronto, Atlanta, Cincinnati and the Sox.

 

Wise hit .248 with 6 homers and 18 RBIs for Chicago last year.

 

"There's always room for improvement as far as hitting," Wise said. "I just need to be more selective. I'm an aggressive hitter. Sometimes I swing at bad pitches. That's one of the things Ill work on this spring -- continue to be more selective, wait on good pitches to hit."