'A lot of searching' for Anderson in 2023

CHICAGO -- Tim Anderson once wanted to prove other people wrong when he took the field at shortstop or stepped to the plate for the White Sox.

Now, as the most disappointing season of an overall solid eight-year career comes to a close, Anderson wants to prove himself right.

“The hunger is there probably more than it ever has been,” Anderson said during a Saturday interview before the White Sox reached 100 losses this season with a 6-1 decision against the Padres at Guaranteed Rate Field in game No. 161. “I’m just excited for the offseason and curious to see how things are going to go.

“All I can do is control what I can control -- and that’s getting the body back right, the swing back right and just work on defense. Speed and agility, bring back what I had in this game -- every tool, plus one. Get back to being that player I was, the player that I am, and go from there.”

Anderson, who turned 30 on June 23, entered this 2023 campaign with, at the very least, visions of a multiyear, big-money contract in his future, as other elite shortstops like Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa, Dansby Swanson and Javier Báez have achieved. Anderson played well for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic and hit .350 with five multihit efforts through his first nine regular-season games.

So how did his quick start turn into a slash line of .245/.286/.296 with just one home run? Sitting in the White Sox dugout, Anderson was asked what went wrong. He took an eight-second pause before providing his take.

“Obviously, injuries. I had an MCL injury,” Anderson said of a left knee sprain sustained during a defensive rundown in a game at Target Field on April 10. “My front leg, so that kind of messed with me hitting. I kind of was not really hitting up against anything on the front side.

“I’m really not trying to make that excuse. This year has been a lot of searching. The body is working a lot differently, especially coming off injury. I just could never grab hold to what I was searching for.

“Some days, I feel good. I’d have a good series. It kind of really was all over the place with trying to grab that consistency and that feel. The body felt different every day.”

During this 14-minute interview, Anderson spoke of a conversation he had with general manager Chris Getz during this final homestand. Anderson didn’t go into details but said they understood where each other was coming from.

“His ultimate goal is really trying to fix what’s going on here,” Anderson said. “And I get that.”

Shortstop remains the preference for Anderson, but second base is not out of the question. Anderson simply wants an opportunity to prove this season as an outlier.

“Really, at this point, it doesn't matter,” Anderson said. “I’m a shortstop/second baseman. It’s whatever to allow my career to keep going. I’m not going to wrestle with a team that I’m this or I’m that.

“It’s just an honor and a blessing to fit in any lineup as a starter considering how hard this game is. Short would be my first choice, but I also understand how older guys are viewed, now that I’m stepping into that phase, which sucks and is different. I just want to continue to keep building on what I started and get back to what I used to be.”

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol believes Anderson can return to his All-Star level, pointing out he hasn’t lost his ability, has a desire to be great and the '23 adversity only will make him stronger.

But will Anderson be bouncing back with the White Sox? His guess was “yeah,” adding the White Sox would have traded him at the Deadline if they had a different idea, even with his value down. But with a $14 million club option and a $1 million buyout for ’24, Anderson also is ready to bet on himself somewhere else.

“You just never know,” Anderson said. “I understand we don’t know what is here for right now. We don’t know what culture [Getz] is trying to build or what moves they are trying to make.

“All I can do is understand whatever process it is and live with it. It’s not my decision if I want to stay or leave. I just have to hang with them. I mean I would love to [stay], but I understand if I don’t fit into what they are trying to do.”