June 13--Before the only home run Tim Anderson has this season, the Double-A Birmingham shortstop first asked his teammates if he actually should try to hit one out.
"They were like, 'Yeah, because you don't get to do this on an everyday basis,'" Anderson said of the game against Montgomery last month. "I was like, 'OK, I'm going to try to hit a home run.' And it happened."
With the three-run shot in the seventh inning, Anderson had hit for the cycle, a feat he says ranks at the top of his list so far as a professional player.
The White Sox hope he has many more big moments ahead.
Ranked the Sox's top prospect by MLB.com with Carlos Rodon on the major-league squad, Anderson has gotten off to a solid start in his first full season with Birmingham after playing 10 games there at the end of last year. In 55 games this year, he's hitting .300 with eight doubles, five triples, 23 RBIs, 54 strikeouts and 21 stolen bases in 26 attempts.
The 21-year-old who was the Sox's 2013 first-round draft pick spent some of spring training with the big-league club, which he said helped show him how he needs to go about his work.
"The biggest challenge (in Double A) is pitchers are going to spot up, and they know what to throw you in each count," Anderson said. "They make it tough for you. There are a lot of good pitchers in Double A. There are a lot of good pitchers in high A too, but a lot of them don't know where it's going and don't spot it like the guys in Double A do."
Defense has been the biggest concern with Anderson, but he said he thinks he is improving in all areas. He has 11 errors this season and a .954 fielding percentage but has helped turn 36 double plays, including two big ones Tuesday.
Those helped out teammate Frank Montas in the field when Montas threw a seven-inning no-hitter against Tennessee for a 2-0 victory. Montas walked three and struck out three in the first Birmingham no-hitter in 20 years.
"When I found out, I was nervous because I didn't know if I could cover as much ground as I needed to make sure nobody got a hit," Anderson said. "It was great for him, and I really enjoyed it."
Anderson's work has been rewarded with a spot in the Southern League All-Star Game, along with Montas, outfielder Jacob May and second baseman Joey DeMichele, though Anderson has had a couple of mishaps on the field that have threatened to derail the run.
Last week, he collided in the outfield with May, who couldn't hear his calls for a fly ball. The scary accident resulted in bruised ribs for Anderson and time on the concussion disabled list for May.
After a sprinkler malfunction flooded the field in Tennessee on Wednesday, Anderson slipped rounding second base in the first inning, resulting in the game's cancellation. Anderson said he suffered a twisted ankle.
Staying healthy will be key as he tries to move up the ladder, which he said he tries not to think about.
"I can't go until they say go, so I don't think much about it," Anderson said. "I control what I can control and play where I'm at, and hopefully it happens soon."
