It’s been a rough year for Tim Anderson. After back-to-back All-Star campaigns in 2021 and ’22, the shortstop has floundered at the plate in 2023, slashing a meager .248/.290/.300 with just a single home run. By wRC+, he has been the second-worst qualified hitter in baseball, trailing only Javier Báez. Moreover, unlike Báez, Anderson is hardly an elite defensive shortstop. He has made 14 errors this year, accumulating -4 Outs Above Average and -16 Defensive Runs Saved.
The 30-year-old has a $14MM team option on his contract for 2024, and prior to this season, it seemed like a no-brainer the White Sox would exercise the option. Now, however, new general manager Chris Getz has a big decision ahead of him.
According to Getz, Anderson’s option “deserves an exhaustive discussion because of what he has meant to this organization,” reports Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Indeed, the shortstop has done tremendous work for Chicago since his debut in 2016. Selected by the White Sox in the first round of the 2013 draft, he has played nearly 900 games for the big league club across eight seasons in the majors. He led the Sox to a Wild Card berth in 2020 and a division title in 2021.
Furthermore, this decision isn’t just difficult because of what Anderson has done in the past but because of what he can do in the future. A $14MM price tag is a lot to pay for one of the worst hitters in baseball, but if Anderson can return to anything resembling his All-Star form, that same salary will be a steal. If the White Sox choose to exercise the option, the worst that can happen is they end up eating a few million dollars. In the best-case scenario, however, they could have a star shortstop for a fraction of what he’d cost on the open market.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise the White Sox are considering numerous possibilities to keep Anderson on the roster next season. Getz mentioned that the 2019 AL batting champion has the skills to play “a lot of different positions,” although he stopped short of saying the team would ask the shortstop to move off of his long-time position. Instead, the executive re-emphasized that he and other members of the organization would be meeting with Anderson to discuss his future. Presumably, that will include a conversation about where he’ll play on the diamond.
In other White Sox news, new assistant GM Josh Barfield addressed members of the media on Wednesday (including Vinnie Duber of CHGO Sports). Barfield will have various duties in his new role, including involvement with roster construction and player acquisition, so it stands to reason he’ll also be involved in conversations about Anderson’s future.
Sign him, sooner rather than later, and look at trading him during the off season.
The sad thing is that the Sox are so lacking in talent as an organization that they really have no choice but to bring him back.
Montgomery is their future SS and he’ll be ready in 2025. Besides, they’re gonna suck anyway no matter what they do.
There are always a glut of middle Infielders available every winter that would cost a third of that $14 million dollars and produce the same or better without being clubhouse cancers.
And the Sox have zero chance of competing, so why spend $14M on a guy you’re hoping will bounce back.
Anderson would probably get a MiLB deal. Maybe a very low salary MLB deal. The option is a terrible idea and good GM’s don’t make decisions based on mediocre value player contributions. It’s not like Tim Anderson is the face of the franchise.
In order to sign/trade, other teams have to want the player. At $14MM, you couldn’t trade Anderson for a Snickers bar.
I’m a certified Tim Anderson hater as a Guardians fan, but Anderson is in no way only getting a minor league deal. If they send him to free agency he’s a good pickup for any rebuilding team to play for half a year, see if last year was a fluke, and hopefully trade him for future help. Considering that the MLBTR list for the position starts with a guy traded for Noah Syndergaard (Amed Rosario) and a third baseman (Urshela), it’s not impossible that Anderson could get a multi year deal in free agency (he would likely want to bet on himself on a one year deal though).
He’s as good as gone. Not because he had a down year offensively and defensively, but because there’s no way Reinsdorf is paying anyone $14m. I hope he stays, but if he leaves, he’ll no doubt reach his potential with a team that doesn’t have a dark cloud hanging over it, larussa’s legacy.
Col_chestbridge;
The thing is this – there’s currently a glut of middle infielders in MLB, particularly young ones. Part of that is the ridiculous length of multi year contracts given out the past 2 seasons. Those players are getting to get paid so they’ll play, which in turn will hold down youngsters from coming up and pretty much do what most of them do for a fraction of the salary.
Anderson’s problem is that SS is a defensive position. He’s probably not just the worst fielding starting SS in MLB the past 4 years – he’s also a hot dog that has a low baseball IQ so he’s poor at anticipating situations and being in the right place on the field at the right time (don’t think there’s a stat for that – but ask White Sox fans how that turned games the wrong way). So without his bat, I don’t know why any team would touch him,
From the above you add in his me-first approach along with his attitude problem and confrontations, and I don’t care if a team is rebuilding – this is not a guy a PoBO should want influencing his younger players. I wrote the same thing about Javier Báez when the Tigers were talking to him – but they didn’t read my posts. Their bad.
He’ll be in his age 31 season, he’s got a terrible attitude/reputation, plenty of front page news bad press and he’s put up a wRC+ of 62 and -0.6 fWAR / -1.8 bWAR.
It’s not like he’s seen as a defensive wizard like Andrelton Simmons was so Anderson doesn’t have the benefit of potentially flawed defensive metrics edging his contributions into positive value territory.. Anderson brings literally nothing to the table right now, and he’s been in decline for 3 years now.
A multi-year deal is ludicrous. A single year $5MM deal is a possibility… maybe.
Tim,on behalf of the White Sox, we thank you for all that you’ve done for us. Here’s your punch in the face, now GTFO!
You just want the Mets to sign him.
The best indicator of future performance is how they performed in the past.
Get it? Stopped short?
Looking at his traditional stats would suggest he’s cooked. His slash line is ghastly and his OPS (.590) isn’t too far off from what his slugging percentage alone used to be (over .500 in 2019 and 2020).
But if you look at his EV and ratios (per B-Ref), maybe he just needs to tweak his approach. His EV (88.1 EV this year, 87.7 career), hard hit % (39.9% vs. 37.7%), and line drive % (26.5% vs. 25.4%) are in line with his career numbers. But his ground ball % is through the roof (61.6% vs. 53.2%) and his fly balls are way down (10.8% vs. 17.9%). He’s never going to walk a lot and strikes out a ton but maybe those numbers would make some team want to take a chance on him. I wouldn’t if I were contending but maybe a bad team will sign him and try to turn him around to flip at the deadline.
I think an underreported problem is his speed declining.
He’s been a guy who has used his above average speed to make hard defensive plays and turn ground balls into hits. His speed is evaporating this year. He’s been an average to below average runner.
I don’t know if he can make it without that tool.
I wouldn’t sign him to play SS and I certainly wouldn’t guarantee $14MM. He needs to be playing a position lower on the defensive spectrum. I highly doubt he’s ever back to his old level of production. Guys with his profile do not age well at all. He doesn’t have any experience playing anywhere else but he’s a horrendous SS.
He could be a U.S. Representative. Experience doesn’t matter there
…or community activist!
Even when Anderson is hitting fly balls, they haven’t gone anywhere. His HR/FB rate is a miserable 1.6%, and while you talk about his hard hit% being stable, that’s only his Statcast number. His hard hit rate is a tough to swallow 28.7%, after a 28.5% in 2022 in BIS methodology. That’s 241/288 for hitters with 300+ PA this year. The 3.0% barrel rate is among the worst in all MLB.
No power, no walks, not a new story.
A month later and still no official word on the shooting. Massive coverup by Jerry, BJ, and CPD. All this for an open and shut self inflicted GSW. No arrests, no lawsuits, no terminations. A smart marketing team would already be planning a bring your own weapon to Guaranteed Rate Field day next season.
Don’t need to… already happens…
The exercise any FO needs to do here is look at his career work and ask whether it’s more likely that going forward he regresses to his mean performance, or if the one outlier year means he’s done at age 30.
“One outlier year”…T.A’s been more trouble than he’s worth for quite a few years now. It’s simple addition by subtraction.
I know this guy is polarizing, but I am not talking about how anyone feels about his personality, only about his plate performance. So yeah, one outlier year.
8 big league seasons, will be 31 next season with diminishing speed and zero power in his bat. It’s easier to assume further regression over the possibility of a career revival. Given that Anderson is not the team-over-pride-type it’s unlikely he re-signs for less money and the possibility of being a utility player
Actually, regression in Anderson’s case would mean an improvement over last season. This term is used more often incorrectly than correctly. It means a return to an average. In this case, returning to average would be good.
I have no opinion about whether he’s all washed up at 30. I’m only saying whether he is or not is the only thing the White Sox need to think about. If they think not, then the option decision is a pretty easy one. This is more or less what the article is saying too.
He’s definitely not signing for more money. They have an option for 24. Its not about resigning him. Its $14mm or decline the option.
You’re right that regressing would be a positive thing for Anderson. I would remind you, though, that the “peak age” for production at shortstop has historically been 27. The youngest of the positions, and what that suggests is that a 30 year old shortstop can be viewed roughly the same as a 33 year old 1B. Further, a ton of shortstops who recently signed big money deals didn’t perform to it this year, on the wrong side of that aging curve.
It’s absolutely possible that Anderson is really truly cooked. But for sure a team will take a flier on him, and there’s a good chance he can rebound.
Yup, all that stuff is possible, but the question isn’t what’s possible, it’s about what is the most likely.
Pick up the option. Trade him at deadline. simple.
Even if he rebounds, the likelihood of getting a prospect of significance in exchange for a pure rental player next season would be slim.
Only pick up the option if they think he helps the team. If he doesn’t then that 14 million is better spent elsewhere.
With the sell-off, this team is not gonna go crazy on the FA market, bet on the rebound and hope you can sell high.
He’s going to work for Chock Full o’ Nuts
Welcome to Pittsburgh.
At one time his offense had picked up, but that didn’t last. Since the ASB he’s hitting .283/.333/.354/.687 The power is completely missing.
The White Sox will have a low team salary next season so they should bring him back for one more year and if he’s decent trade him. However they may be better without him because every season there have been reports he is not a good teammate in the clubhouse
He provided one of my favorite moments of the season, when Jose Ramirez dropped him with one punch.
Word on the street is that T.A’s agent is negotiating a million dollar fight with Jake Paul. The main holdup at this point, is whether Paul’s camp will agree to a rule allowing no hitting above the neck, because of T.A’s well known glass chin.
Jackie!!!
White Sox are the most unlikable team in sports,Grandahl is gone, Moncado has a ridiculous contract so he’s back, Tim Anderson and Mike Clevinger should be gone, they look like they’re not even trying
Clevinger, love or hate him, has pitched very well this season.
Non-descript team. Non-descript stadium. Long, lackluster history. It would suck to be a White Sox fan.
White Sux fan, you mean.
Let him go. He may bounce back, but he’s a me-first guy. If the Sox are serious about improving their culture, they need to get rid of all the cancers they can.
White Sox should cut Tom Anderson immediately! Save $14 million dollars and spend it anywhere else. Tim Anderson is done! He’s a cancer in the clubhouse and is full of himself.
Down goes Anderson!
Down goes Anderson!
Move on from him. it will be better for all parties involved to do so!
I didn’t know Tom Anderson was a professional baseball player, no wonder why he is bad at it since he is always hanging out with Beavis and Butt-head.
Sox would be smart to move on, but having said that, they will pick up the option and let the worst franchise continue being awful
Say goodbye to the headache. I’d rather see Andrus for a lot less for a yr.
I like Tim Anderson.
Remember Mohammed Ali?
When was the last time you heard him disparaged? 1967?
Tim is awesome.
Negotiate a lower salary on the option and keep him for 2024.
If ANYONE needs a change of scenery it’s this dude!
Bring Tim back and he is already getting reps at 2B so he can move when Montgomery comes up. This shouldn’t be a convo honestly. We aren’t really great at replacing what we lose.
I doubt Anderson gets the option picked up.
The offensive numbers have fallen off a cliff
the suspension didn’t help
reisnsdorf thinks $14 million is for one large free agent. Getz should pass, decline the option offer a lower annual value, Anderson signs elsewhere. I don’t see twins Ortiz or Cubs schwarber numbers with Anderson.
Chris Getz wasn’t qualified to be Director of Player Development, let alone the GM of the White Sox. Reinsdorf is 87. Getz is a continuity hire to continue the same path to franchise destruction. These comments are simply verbal masturbation, everyone knows the option will be exercised.
I agree. Getz is just priming the fan base for the outrageous decision to exercise Anderson’s option. The real message here is they have no better options at the moment in house.
1 hr in almost 500ab what a piece of garbage
I would no tender TA.
I realize that White Sox fans are frustrated. But man, these are some really bad takes. The dude has had injury-plagued season. Even then, he’s managed to bat .282 in the second half, and is stealing bases at his normal pace.
We see lost seasons all the time, and then a player bounces back the following year. Plus, ‘24 will be a walk year, so he’ll be extra motivated to hit the ‘24-‘25 market for his last opportunity at a big payday. So, if the Sox are bad again, they can flip Anderson at the deadline for some real prospects.
It’s most definitely worth picking up the option.
‘Bad takes’? Did you even watch the Sox this season? Never mind the season before this one he spent chunks of that season hurt as well. If you pay a guy like he was paid, they better be in great shape, and free of distraction which he obviously did not do in both instances. He already had something to prove this season, and boy did he. Poor hitting, no power, his defense was also atrocious with, IIRC, at least 2 ‘three error’ games this season. Then there is the issue with his infidelity which apparently effected his play (maybe even last season as well). Never mind his antics with shoving a ump, ‘putting up his dukes’ and starting a fight for no good reason only to not even finish it with his glass jaw (then his bizarre twitter rants afterward)… At this point I think he is just a distraction the locker room does not need. Keeping him around just goes to further underscore a lack of accountability and you do not want impressionable young players seeing that.
“According to Getz, Anderson’s option “deserves an exhaustive discussion because of what he has meant to this organization,””
Barring showmanship, this quote shows why I have no faith in Getz, its a no brainer to dump Anderson. In baseball, given the money thrown around (and how much is tied up in a bunch of primas donnas who only hustle when its time to grab their checks), Getz should have the attitude of ‘What have you done for me (us) lately?”If you as an org are going to save money ANYWHERE, its getting rid of the guy who is not producing and only causing issues (and Im guessing he is one of the guys sending the wrong message in the clubhouse to other, and younger, players). If Getz is going to play the GM that wants to be friends with everyone, expect more floundering for this org. Cutting Anderson loose should not be an ‘exhaustive discussion’.
Nrd, we’re generally on the same track… and this is no different. The question is, will the Sox compete next season?… the answer is no. As you suggest, turn down the option, say the $14M and throw whoever out there. The elephant in the room is Cease. The only argument to keep Cease is that the Sox would be selling low… Right now Cease still has value. What happens if his ’24 season is the same as this year?. Reality last year is the outlier. Cease is not an ace or a #1. He had 1 elite year and 4 below league average years. The 2nd issue is he’s a free agent in 2 years. Does anyone believe they will be competitive in ’25? It makes zero sense to hold onto Cease… I hold onto Robert… everything else must go.
Next season will be exactly like this season. I have no confidence in Getz or Grifol.I agree with you about Cease though, hope he starts hot and move him, OR sell teams on the fact that he needs a real pitching coach and not just someone who is napping with his clipboard in the dugout. I hate to say this as I think Robert could be a generational talent that you can build around. However as this org is clearly going no where for the next season or two, I just look at Robert as a guy who will put butts in the seats next season, so I doubt the ‘chairman’ will let him be moved.. at least until MAYBE the end of next season where I hope the Sox see the error of their ways and part with Grifol.
There is no logic reason with why the White Sox should pick up Tim Anderson’s $14 million team option in 2024 due to his lack of production at the plate to his poor defense along with his attitude due to his off the field issues. Anderson getting knocked out by Jose Ramirez should be an indication that the White Sox should move on from him. Heck, the White Sox should give Yolbert Sanchez a chance to play short stop next season since he has a great glove.
This organization has an identity problem and Tim Anderson was crowned the leader once Abreu left. It’s time to allow Robert and Jimenez and I dare say Moncada take over as leaders because you have invested in them long term. They need to find a manager that can make Jimenez and Moncada lose 20lbs, trade Dylan Cease for some MLB ready players and hire a pitching coach to maximize Kopech and Crochet.