May 31--White Sox outfielder J.B. Shuck spent more than a month playing with top prospect Tim Anderson at Triple-A Charlotte and called Anderson's recent play "amazing."
With Sox shortstop Jimmy Rollins batting .226 after an 0-for-3 outing Monday, the idea that Anderson could be ready soon for the majors is intriguing.
Anderson entered Monday hitting .305 in 45 games for Charlotte with seven doubles, three homers, 16 RBIs, 29 runs scored, eight walks, 46 strikeouts and 10 stolen bases. Shuck, recalled to the Sox on Monday, said he was impressed by Anderson's ability to stay loose, even in the midst of an early slump that he soon turned around.
"He could come up and do well," Shuck said. "He has that personality where he's not going to get rattled by anything.
"He got a little taste this year (of struggling). When I first went down, he might have been hitting .215 or .220, and you would have never known. He went about his business and continued to have fun and just got better."
No DL yet: Center fielder Austin Jackson sat out Monday while recovering from turf toe in his left foot, and Shuck came up to fill his spot.
Manager Robin Ventura said he hopes Jackson won't need a stint on the disabled list to recover, especially because he had been hitting .464 over his previous eight games before suffering the injury Sunday against the Royals.
"He's been playing well," Ventura said. "You don't necessarily want to lose him for two weeks if you don't have to. If we can save a few days in there and get him back five days before a DL stint, it makes sense."
The Sox optioned right-hander Tommy Kahnle to Charlotte to make room for Shuck. Kahnle suffered the loss Saturday in Kansas City after giving up the winning run in the ninth that completed the bullpen's collapse from a 7-1 lead to an 8-7 loss.
Shuck started the year with the Sox but was optioned to Charlotte on April 18 because they needed an extra bullpen arm. He was hitting .299 with nine doubles, two triples, two home runs and 17 RBIs in 37 games with Charlotte. He got his first hit of the season Monday in the fifth.
"I was able to go down and get plenty of at-bats and just get right," Shuck said. "Hopefully I can continue it up here."
