Both Anderson, Quentin make it out of spring camp

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Off the field, they couldn't be more different.

Brian Anderson always seems to be in the middle of some kind of joke or prank, while Carlos Quentin carries himself with a quiet, intensive air.

But Anderson and Quentin were in a similar boat throughout much of spring training.

With Jermaine Dye locked in as the White Sox' starting right fielder and Nick Swisher and Jerry Owens set in left and center, Anderson and Quentin were left to compete for the reserve outfielder job.

When Owens (partial right adductor tear) landed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, there suddenly was room enough for Anderson and Quentin.

Anderson, though, was skeptical after the past two tumultuous seasons with the Sox.

"I don't want to jinx it,'' he said. "I'm not going to believe anything until I hear it from them.''

Well, the official declaration came Thursday, and when the Sox fly to Oklahoma City this morning to play an exhibition game against the Texas Rangers, both Anderson and Quentin will be on board.

"I feel good, just excited and happy to be here,'' Anderson said. "We'll see how it works out.''

Anderson was one of the White Sox' best players in the Cactus League, batting .355 with 4 home runs and 12 RBI in 23 games.

That's a far cry from the 2006 regular season, when he batted .225 in 134 games after being handed the starting job in center field. And let's not even rehash last season, when Anderson hit .118 in 13 games before being demoted to Class AAA Charlotte in late April.

Now fully recovered from a sprained left wrist, Anderson still is a load of laughs in the clubhouse. On the field, though, the 26-year-old has been all business.

"That's what I should have done from the beginning,'' said Anderson, the Sox' first-round pick in the 2003 draft. "This is what they expected from me. They expect me to play at this level, and I don't blame them.''

Anderson didn't help his cause over the winter by openly questioning where he stood in the organization, but all of the tension was smoothed over this spring.

"I just think as far as the organization and myself, we're back on the same page,'' Anderson said. "I blame myself. It's easy to point fingers that I didn't get the chance to do this or that, but it boils down to performance. If I go out there and play like I have been lately, it will be a lot of fun from now on out.''

Quentin has been having a lot more fun -- in his own way, of course -- since getting over the soreness that resulted from Oct. 9 surgery on his left shoulder.

Over his last three games before Thursday's Cactus League finale, Quentin was 6-for-11 with 4 RBI.

"At the beginning of spring training, I got shut down for a while,'' said Quentin, acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a Dec. 3 trade. "It was difficult because I wanted to get at-bats and get comfortable. Also, so they could see me play. I had to be patient and wait and, fortunately enough, I had some games where I could feel good. That was the most important thing.

"It's great that I made the team, but sometimes the most important thing was to feel healthy at the plate.''

If he can stay healthy, the 25-year-old thinks he can make an impact for his new team.

"When my shoulder is healthy, I'm a tough out and I think I can do some things, drive in some runs and be a factor out there,'' Quentin said. "I've always believed that, and it just feels good to make it to this point and carry it into the season.''