By Cat Garcia
Despite Tim Anderson’s trials and tribulations over the past two seasons — both on and off the field — the White Sox see the situation as having gotten exactly what they signed up for.
“I’m not saying that I expect him to continue to hit .340 throughout the rest of his career,” White Sox GM Rick Hahn said of Anderson. “But we knew he had that type of upside. From a personal standpoint, we also knew that this was the type of person we were dealing with.”
Anderson’s off-the-field life took a tragic turn in early May when his best friend, someone whose role in his life was more as a brother after his estrangement from his birth family, was murdered in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
“I personally have never seen a player more affected by an off the field incident than Tim was,” Hahn said. “He wasn’t sleeping. He was sleepwalking through his days and you saw it on the field. He’s received help. He isn’t 100 percent better psychologically, but he’s improved and I think you’ve seen his performance improve as well.”
Anderson finally sought out counselling to help fight off the demons that no one should have to deal with alone, and the improvements were vast. Not just on the field, but Anderson did something the White Sox hadn’t seen much of in 2017. He smiled again. That bright, infectious smile that had been missing from a clubhouse going through its own growing pains was back.
“I’m playing like myself,” Anderson said in early August. “[I’m] just really being more relaxed and just letting it happen. It’s not like I have to force the issue.”
Anderson was dealing his fair share of struggles before the tragic May incident, hitting just .204/.237/.301 in the month of April. As his offensive production continued to scuffle, Anderson’s season didn’t get much better at shortstop either. He went on to record 26 errors from May until September and finished the season with the most errors (28) in baseball. Orlando Arcia of the Brewers and Dansby Swanson with the Braves were tied for second with 20 each.
But, once September came around, not only did baseball begin to see the Tim Anderson they knew and loved return to the field — but they saw glimpses into the player he could someday be.
Anderson slashed .327/.345/.469 in the month of September and the lofty contact numbers and foot speed Anderson was known for suddenly showed up. He accumulated a wOBA of .348 and a wRC+ of 118 in September, all while striking out 27 percent of the time and walking less than one percent of the time.
“He had some things go on this year that really tested him,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “I think he’s come out of it pretty well and I think he’ll learn from it. He’s going to gain some more maturity as a man and I think he’ll continue to improve as a player.”
The game of baseball itself is not nearly as consequential as the lives we live away from the field, out of the office, or with the TV screens turned off. But perhaps the lessons we learn in life can be transferred to this great game. Baseball still intertwines lives, in the clubhouse and out, it sets examples of perseverance and it teaches you, as it taught Anderson, that sometimes the show must go on.
“Lesson learned. Definitely going to remember this season for the rest of my life,” Anderson said. “Something I can carry with me. Kind of proud of the way it ended.”
The White Sox clubhouse suffered its own share of upheaval this season. Lockers were being packed as frequently as they were being unpacked, new leaders emerged, and new, young faces arrived. But those who have survived as leaders have stories to tell and lessons to share with the bright eyed and bushy tailed youth of this team.
Not all tragedy must be suffered in vain. Perhaps Anderson’s ability to not simply find life after tragedy but to thrive after it will be an impactful lesson that he can carry into the future of the White Sox. Because that’s what this team is about, as Rick Hahn has said, this team is about a certain brand of baseball. Tim Anderson the player, and now more significantly the person, is certainly a part of that brand.
@ 2017 WLS-AM News
