White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is hoping some big changes will improve his defense

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Last season, Tim Anderson showed everyone he has a world-class bat.

After ranking No. 53 among 68 qualified American League hitters with a .240 average in 2018, the White Sox shortstop went to work over the winter and came out swinging last year.

The long hours paid off. Not only did Anderson lead the majors with a .335 average, the 95-point jump was the largest in baseball - and it set a franchise record.

Most batting title champions are patient at the plate and they wait for just the right pitch before activating their swing.

Not Anderson. According to STATS, he became the first player to lead the league in batting average while finishing last among qualified hitters in walks.

In 518 plate appearances last season, he drew 15 walks. That total used to represent a good week for Frank Thomas, the last Sox hitter to win a batting title (1997) before Anderson.

The aggressive approach at the plate is going to continue this year.

"It got me the batting title, so why not?" Anderson said. "I'm not going to change anything."

At the plate, it's going to be status quo.s

On defense, Anderson made some big changes before reporting to spring training.

Now living in Chicago on a full-time basis, the Tuscaloosa, Ala., native put in the same kind of work with the glove that he did with his offensive game the year before.

From Monday-Friday, Anderson met up with Sox pregame instructor Mike Kashirsky and others at the Bo Jackson Dome in Lockport, taking endless groundballs.

"I took weekends off, that's time for my family," Anderson said. "Every other day, I was there at 10 in the morning. It was the focus of my off-season, improving my defense."

Anderson has plenty of motivation to get better.

Many scouts thought he would eventually wind up as an outfielder coming out of the 2013 draft, and they were probably smirking last season when Anderson made 26 errors. That was the most in the majors at any position.

Anderson said he spent the off-season working on his technique gloving grounders.

"The biggest thing for me is knowing what you're doing," he said Thursday at Camelback Ranch. "I always knew how to hit and I always thought I knew how to catch a groundball. 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."

To find a solution, Anderson took advice from White Sox bench coach Joe McEwing, manager Rick Renteria and Kashirsky.

"I used those pieces and mixed them in with my own ingredients," Anderson said.

The 26-year-old shortstop has looked smooth on the back fields during the early days of spring training, and he has no doubt he'll be an elite defensive shortstop when the season starts.

"I feel like I'm in a good spot," Anderson said. "I'm focused and I understand when I'm doing something wrong and what I need to do to fix it. Just keep repeating everything so it becomes natural in the game and my body becomes used to do these things."

Anderson is a remarkable athlete and he has the range and arm to be an above average defender.

Now, he has the confidence.

"You've go to lock in on every (groundball)," Anderson said. "Take your time, stay focused. Do it again, do it again, until I perfect it. I'm still working and I'm getting better, My work is showing.

"I'm believing in my work. The sky is the limit so keep working and keep believing that I am the best and the rest of it will take care of itself."