How Tim Anderson is growing into star player for White Sox
There's a reason why developing homegrown talent is high on the list of every team in major-league baseball.
Actually, there are myriad reasons.
Drafting players and watching them successfully advance through the minor leagues is a big boost for the amateur scouting department and player development staff.
Players coming up through the system and landing on the major-league roster are under contractual control for six years, making them a lot cheaper than going out and spending millions on established free agents.
As an added bonus, there can be a special joy in watching a young player grow into a star.
That takes us to White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson.
"You've heard me say before, and soon I'll have to augment it to say if we had 26 guys playing the way Tim Anderson plays, we'd be thrilled," Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "From a makeup standpoint, from an energy standpoint, from a will to win standpoint, you can't ask for anything more.
"Fantastic. Give me 25 more guys like that."
The Sox's first-round draft pick in 2013 out of tiny East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss., early scouting reports on Anderson were he was too impatient at the plate to ever hit for a high average and was destined to wind up in the outfield because he couldn't play shortstop.
After batting .240 in 2018, Anderson went to work on his swing. The biggest change was his stance, which became more upright.
Even though he finished last in the majors among qualified hitters with 15 walks last season, Anderson hit .335 and won the American League batting title.
"Just seeing where I was a couple of years ago to where I am now, I put the work in and it's showing," Anderson said. "I can't tell you enough how good I want to be, how hard I work. I just come to the ballpark every day to perfect my craft and I want to be the best."
Anderson was the best hitter in baseball last year in terms of batting average, but his 26 errors were the most in the majors.
Before reporting to spring training, the 26-year-old shortstop went to the Bo Jackson Dome in Lockport from Monday to Friday and took thousands of ground balls.
"I always thought I knew how to catch a ground ball," Anderson said. "But I didn't really know how, so I had to learn the correct way. When you learn the correct way, it takes out all the frustration, all the anger."
Anderson is looking to make the same kind of defensive jump this season that he did with the bat in 2019. Manager Rick Renteria, among others, believes he can do it.
"Obviously, we're all looking for less errors," Renteria said. "I think he's conscientious about that. Last year, it was kind of an off year for him defensively but he still was pretty good. And I think he's going to continue to grow in that position."