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White Sox 2019 Season Preview: Infielders Analysis

By Joseph Bermudez

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 19: Jose Abreu #79 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates with teammate Yonder Alonso #17 after hitting a home run during the third inning of a spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds at Goodyear Ballpark on March 19, 2019 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 19: Jose Abreu #79 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates with teammate Yonder Alonso #17 after hitting a home run during the third inning of a spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds at Goodyear Ballpark on March 19, 2019 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – APRIL 3: Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox puts his arm around Yoan Moncada #10 during a pitching change in the eighth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 3, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Shortstop – Tim Anderson

Tim Anderson has had a rough go at things lately. After hyping up his 2018 season by starting the hashtag #TimmysRevenge, he produced a mediocre, if not sub-par offensive season.

His batting average dropped from .257 in 2017 to .240 last season. Though this may seem like a disappointment, it was mentioned that his season was mediocre and not all bad.

He rose his OBP from .276 to .281. He hit three more home runs than he did in 2017. He struck out 13 fewer times, he stole 26 bases and hit 28 doubles. The number to be highlighted is how he rose his walk number from 13 to 30.

The silver lining to take from his sort of pre-breakout year is how he became the first shortstop in White Sox history to hit at least 20 home runs and steal at least 20 bases.

He also played significantly better defense than in previous years. The average fielding percentage at shortstop in 2018 was .971. Anderson’s was at .967, the closest he has ever been to league average. It may seem like a stretch to call it a good season defensively, but for Anderson, a player whose defensive ability was the only thing keeping him out of the majors, it was a solid season.

I guess in a way Anderson did get his revenge. But he is poised to finally get his breakout year in 2019.

This Spring, Anderson hit .322 with a .344 OBP. He stole two bases and hit four doubles off 19 hits in 61 plate appearances. He generated an OPS of .819.

Emerging as the team’s captain, Anderson will have a lot on his shoulders this season. From being a team leader, improving even more defensively and follow up his 20/20 season, Anderson will have a lot of eyes on him.

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