Anderson on his notorious bat flip: ‘I know that woke the black community up’ – NBCSports.com
Anderson on his notorious bat flip: ‘I know that woke the black community up’ NBCSports.com
White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson did an interview with The Undefeated on Monday in which he discussed bat flips, generating more interest among the youth …
White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson speaks on his infamous bat flip: ‘I know that woke the black community up’
USA TODAY
“I don’t care about what anyone has to say, I go out and do me.”
These were the words White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson in an interview with The Undefeated that was released on Monday.
Anderson has made quite a name for himself in 2019. The 26-year-old shortstop is in the midst of a career-best season. As of Monday evening, he has a slash line of .324/ .347/.492 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI.
Anderson has gone on at length explaining his reasoning behind his bat flips and vibrant displays of emotion that are not commonplace in MLB action.
Earlier in the year Anderson was on Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum’s podcast and stated, “You’re playing a game that you’re failing most of the time and the times that you do succeed they don’t want you to enjoy those moments. For me man, y’know, I think that’s just a lot of pain showing…..from struggling, that’s just that emotion that’s coming out man…..those moments that I want to remember and I want people around me to remember. That’s why I play the way that I do.”
When asked to described the current culture of Major League Baseball for The Undefeated, Anderson was quick in his response, “Boring.”
And Anderson has indeed been a part of the crusade to make baseball more exciting for the viewer with his high energy style of play.
He made national headlines and ignited a huge discussion about the “unwritten rules” of baseball with his bat flipping antics following his 50th career home run against the Kansas City Royals on April 17. Anderson knew how big the moment was and says things got “more interesting” following that day.
“I know that woke the black community up. A lot of black people don’t watch baseball, when they seen a black guy flip a bat…[they said] ‘he’s one of us.’
But Anderson—the lone black player on the White Sox—also wants to make sure he is doing his absolute best to inspire other young black athletes to pursue their dreams of becoming MLB players and he has already helped a large number of young athletes find a suitable role model. Amateur elite outfielder Winston Hill said, “Ever since Tim Anderson’s been in the league I’ve always kept my eye on him…..he plays the game the right way but yet still has fun with it and that’s what the game’s all about to me.”
Anderson will continue to motivate the youth to achieve their dreams and do all that he can to help baseball resonate within the black community. “If you see a guy that’s close to your area, at a high-level playing and having fun, you know, I’m sure they’re [kids] gonna want to go out and do the same thing.”
Ultimately, Anderson’s long-term goal is to “motivate the culture to try and learn more about baseball and motivate kids to get into baseball” and if he keeps the momentum built in 2019 rolling well into 2020 and beyond, Major League Baseball will be all the better because of it.
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White Sox Talk Podcast: Geoff Blum on his World Series home run and the rebuild
USA Today
With the Houston Astros in town, Chuck Garfien caught up with 2005 World Series hero Geoff Blum. They talk about Blum’s game-winning home run in the 14th inning of Game 3 (5:10), what he saw from the TV booth as the Astros went from a rebuild to a World Series title (9:30) and what he thinks about the White Sox rebuild (11:40).
Listen here or in the embedded player below.
White Sox Talk Podcast
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Yoan Moncada heading out on rehab assignment as he nears return from hamstring strain
Yoan Moncada is nearing his return to the White Sox lineup.
Manager Rick Renteria said Wednesday that his injured third baseman will head out for a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte.
“You see him out there running, and he’s looking really good,” Renteria said before Wednesday’s game. “Yesterday was a really good day. He didn’t complain about anything. He’ll be going out to Charlotte to conitnue his rehab and play in a couple games, and then we’ll see where we’re at.”
Moncada has been on the injured list for the entirety of the month of August, his last game coming July 30 against the New York Mets, when he departed in the first inning with a hamstring strain. He’s been working his way back ever since.
Moncada’s return would certainly be a welcome one for the White Sox. He’s been the team’s best hitter this season, with a .301/.358/.535 slash line to go along with 20 home runs and 59 RBIs.
The White Sox have emerged, somewhat, from the disastrous 4-16 start to the second half, with seven wins in their last 12 games. But despite solid pitching, runs have still been difficult to come by, the White Sox outscored by an 18-9 margin in the first five games of the current homestand against the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros.
So getting Moncada’s bat back into the lineup would obviously be welcome.
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