posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 2:20 AM by Jim

Midseason Review: Brian Anderson

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA
 OBP SLG SB CS
182
 26 35 9 0 5 20 .192 .280 .324 3 2

Something nice:  He didn't give up when about 75 percent of Sox fans wanted him back in Charlotte, and his bat's finally coming around.  And he didn't take his offensive woes to the outfield, playing Gold Glove-caliber defense in center.

Must improve:  Confidence.  It's tough to have any when batting .159, but the difference in his plate approach is visible as he makes his rounds around the American League.  Now Ozzie needs to reward him by playing him six days a week. 

Three best games

April 24
Anderson hits a ninth-inning homer off Eddie Guardado to tie the game, buying him some time.  Of course, Pablo Ozuna's homer the next day showed that it wasn't all that tremendous of a feat, but we didn't know that at the time. 

June 9
After watching Rob Mackowiak run around aimlessly in center, Anderson solidifies his spot on the team when he makes a sprinting grab of a ball Travis Hafner smoked.  It was potentially game-saving, and the complaints about Anderson died down thereafter.  This is pretty much the turning point of his rookie season, as he's looked like a big-league hitter since then.

June 11
Here's where he started hitting, blasting a three-run homer to kick off a six-run ninth inning against the Indians.  It was his first multi-hit game in nearly a month.
 
Three worst games

April 14
This one replaces his May 1 game, because Anderson has arguably the worst night of any Sox hitter this season.  He goes 0-for-5, strikes out twice and strands nine runners.

May 26
After an 0-for-2 night, Anderson drops into a season-long 0-for-14 slump.  Ozzie's faith is so shaken that he pinch-hits Mackowiak for him in the ninth inning with the Sox down six. 

June 4
The lowpoint of Anderson's rookie season, as he misses the cutoff man twice, temporarily leading Sox fans to think that Mackowiak can play an equivalent center field.

Grades

Bat: D+
A .192 average and a 600 OPS isn't going to cut it, but since he made that catch of Hafner's liner, he's been outproducing the guy he replaced, Aaron Rowand, quite handily.  He just needs to keep progressing.

Running:  B
He's been a positive on the basepaths, for all I know; he just hasn't been on base much.

Fielding:  A
Like every other Sox fan, I loved Aaron, but so far I have no Rowand Remorse with the glove.  If Anderson were hitting better, he'd be a Gold Glover.  Plus arm, plus range, plus judgment -- his easy transition has been one of this season's nice surprises. 

Awards

Gold Glove, July 2-9
Gold Glove, June 4-10
Player of the Weak, May 14-20
Hands of Stone, May 7-13
Player of the Weak, April 16-22
Player of the Weak, April 9-15
Gold Glove, April 2-8

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