White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson made history Saturday night against the Cubs when he laced a third-inning home run down the left field line.
Anderson joins the 20-20 club with a line shot homer to left. Game is tied at 2-2. He knew it was gone upon contact.
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) September 22, 2018
John Lester tried to come inside and Anderson dropped the barrel on it wrapping it around the left-field foul pole.
Tim Anderson ties it with an absolute laser in the left field corner.
Streaming here: https://t.co/M2MlPTOYL1 pic.twitter.com/aAYevq48jf
— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) September 23, 2018
Despite the historic wealth the White Sox have had at shortstop, Anderson is the first players to rip 20 home runs and swipe 20 bags in a single season. Alexi Ramirez couldn’t do it and neither could Juan Uribe. If he can sneak four more stolen bases before the season expires he will join Alex Rios and Tommy Aggie as the only franchise players to hit 20 home runs and steal 30 bases.
Questions about Anderson’s bat never really gained traction. Even in a dour season in 2017 after losing his best friend to gun violence, he still flashed the ability to hit. And this season he has proven he is in the upper echelon of middle infielders.
He has suffered an offensive drought late this season batting .227 over the last 30 days and sinking his season average to .241, far from the .283 he hit in 2016. Still, he’s managed to include himself as one of only five major league players to log such impressive power/speed numbers this season — the others, Mookie Betts, Starling Marte, Trevor Story and Jose Ramirez.
But what I like most about Anderson’s late-season performance is his glove work. What was sketchy at times in the middle of the season has become a point of strength the last two months. Anderson is still young, but the White Sox need him to develop into a highly athletic and intelligent player if they plan to keep him at shortstop. There are plenty of prospects teaming in the minors ready to dethrone Anderson at the earliest sign of weakness.
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…and in other news, Yoan Moncada is batting .295 over his last 30 games and could be the fifth player in White Sox history 23 years old or younger to post 30-plus doubles, 15-plus home runs and 60-plus runs batted in.