Change at the top for Chicago White Sox's offense
When top prospect Tim Anderson arrived Friday from Class AAA Charlotte, Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn and manager Robin Ventura had very similar thoughts.
"He is not here to be sort of a savior," Hahn said.
"He's not here to be a savior," Ventura said.
Is Anderson here to be the leadoff hitter?
After batting ninth in his first three major-league games and going 2-for-9, Anderson was moved to the leadoff spot for Monday night's game against the Detroit Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field.
That's a tough spot for a young hitter with only a weekend's worth of experience, but the spiraling Sox are nearing the desperation point, if they're not already there.
By moving Anderson to the top of the order, dropping the slumping Adam Eaton from the leadoff spot to No. 2 and sticking Jose Abreu in the cleanup spot ahead of the slumping Todd Frazier, manager Robin Ventura is clearly looking for a spark to get the stationary offense going.
"Put a little energy in there, put a little something new at the top and see what happens," Ventura said.
Juggling the lineup definitely seemed to work Monday against the Tigers, and the productive night was needed after new starter James Shields had another poor outing for the White Sox, giving up 7 runs (6 earned) on 9 hits and 4 walks in 5 innings.
Regardless of who is starting, the Sox need to score more runs if they hope to contend this summer.
If the speedy Anderson can get it going at the top of the order, that would be a big step in the right direction.
"It's the same game," said Anderson, who singled in the sixth inning to snap an early 0-for-9 slide. "I led off in Triple-A (Charlotte). I'll continue to do what I've been doing, and hopefully we can get a spark in the game.
"I've been an aggressive hitter throughout my career. I just try to be successful and compete, have fun."
In his two-plus season with the Sox, Eaton hit first in 336 of 338 games. Dropped to the second spot after an 11-for-72 slump left his batting average at .259, Eaton was fine with the lineup change.
"You know, I like the two-hole to be honest with you," he said. "It's probably my favorite place to hit. It gives me options, and if T.A. gets on base, it's hitting and running and bunting him over and hitting into that hole as a left-handed hitter.
"If he steals second base, bunting him over. It allows me to be able to control the bat and putting the ball in play and doing something productive."
Eaton seemed to quickly adapt to hitting second with a single, walk, single and sacrifice fly in his first four trips to the plate Monday.
"Hitting in front of Melky (Cabrera) and Jose (Abreu) is always fun," Eaton said. "If (Anderson) gets on base, it allows us to have some options and, as a hitter, you love to have options. It should be definitely a positive thing."