A cryptic “like” of a little-seen social media submit on Frank Thomas’s profession created an immediate buzz Thursday on Chicago White Sox Twitter.
That’s as a result of the account that loved the submit belonged to Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, the two-time All-Star and purported face of the franchise.
It all started when an account that calls itself Kenny William’s Shades tweeted: “I’ve seen Frank Thomas wear a different uniform. I know TA will eventually as well.”
TA, after all, is Anderson’s nickname. The account had solely 53 followers, however Anderson, or whoever runs his Twitter feed, apparently noticed it and hit the ”like” button. No massive deal. Who would even be paying consideration?
But the tweet was seen by a Sox fan named Tim Froehlig, who captured Anderson’s response on a screenshot earlier than the Sox shortstop deleted it.
As usually occurs on Twitter, the submit shortly unfold when it was talked about by a number of different shops, together with a outstanding nationwide web site. Anderson’s like instantly was the topic of intense debate.
Was Anderson trolling Sox followers by hinting he would go away the group when he turns into a free agent in two years? Was he saying he anticipated the Sox to commerce him earlier than then?
Or was he simply bored and making an attempt to create a stir after a comparatively uneventful week for the Sox on the winter conferences in San Diego?
We’ll have to attend for Anderson to elucidate himself, and that’s most likely not taking place anytime quickly.
In truth, most of Anderson’s tweets over the previous few weeks have been cryptic one-liners that haven’t any context, which even he appears to acknowledged on Nov. 27 when he wrote: “I need to shut up sometimes…. fr.”
For the file, Anderson by no means has publicly voiced displeasure with Sox administration or stated he needs to go away the South Side. No participant on the roster has been marketed greater than Anderson, who arguably is the preferred participant on the Sox. He was the centerpiece of their ”Change The Game” advert marketing campaign, and the Sox created digital billboards round city in May calling him “The Face of Baseball,” picturing him shushing New York Yankees followers after hitting a game-winning dwelling run in Yankee Stadium.
Anderson went on to be elected because the beginning American League shortstop for the 2022 All-Star Game, offering extra proof he was among the many elite gamers on the place and a nationally acknowledged star as nicely. He beat out Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who agreed to an 11-year, $280 million take care of the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.
That was nice information for Anderson, who is because of develop into a free agent after 2024, assuming the Sox choose up his $14 million choice after the 2023 season, as anticipated. Anderson signed a team-friendly, six-year, $25 million deal in spring coaching of 2017, with two choices years that elevated the full to $50.5 million for eight seasons.
At the time it was one of many greatest offers in major-league historical past for a participant with lower than one season of service time and a danger for the Sox.
“One of the things we talked about before engaging was if there was anyone in the organization who felt that if Tim got guaranteed money that it would change how he approached the game and how he prepared,” Sox GM Rick Hahn stated the day of the extension. “And everyone I had that conversation with immediately, to a man, said no. He’s about trying to be great and trying to win championships. He’s not doing this for the money.”
Anderson already has outperformed the contract, serving to lead the Sox to 2 playoff appearances in 2020 and ‘21. But he’ll be 31 by the point he reaches free company after the 2024 season, so its unlikely he’ll obtain an 11-year deal like Bogaerts or Trea Turner. But if Anderson continues to carry out at his present degree, there’s no motive why he shouldn’t command a take care of a median annual worth of $25 million or so for six or seven years.
But first he’ll should return to type after a disappointing end to his 2022 season. A ligament tear on the center finger of his left hand led to surgical procedure in early August, sending Anderson to the injured checklist for what was anticipated to be six to eight weeks. Though he rehabbed exhausting and was making ready to return for the stretch run, the Sox fell out of rivalry and Anderson by no means returned.
Anderson performed solely 14 video games within the second half, and his energy numbers drastically decreased in his last months of motion. In his final 32 video games from June 29 to Aug. 6, Anderson hit .241 with one dwelling run and 6 RBIs in 137 at-bats. Meanwhile, his short-term substitute at brief, Elvis Andrus, hit .271 in 43 video games with the Sox, with 9 dwelling runs and 28 RBIs.
Andrus additionally excelled within the subject with just one error in 42 begins. Anderson dedicated 12 errors in 79 video games.
But Andrus is a free agent whom the Sox have proven little curiosity in re-signing, that means the job belongs to Anderson once more. While Hahn has steered they are going to be extra prone to make trades than spend in free company, to date the Sox have completed little of both.
The solely signing has been beginning pitcher Mike Clevinger, who inked a one-year, $12 million deal. Anderson reportedly won’t be shopped, although Hahn has stated he’ll take heed to any provides.
Hahn politely requested Sox followers for persistence, which is like asking somebody strolling by a desert if they may dangle on and not using a drink of water till the following oasis. Most Sox followers have proven nice persistence by the rebuild and are completed ready for his or her reward.
Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf didn’t assist issues by making a joke in regards to the crew’s lack of success on Wednesday after receiving a philanthropy award from MLB on the winter conferences
“It’s so much more important than winning a baseball game, which is good because we don’t win that many,” he cracked.
Sources stated there have been uncomfortable chuckles throughout. Because the Sox solely made Reinsdorf obtainable to debate his award, nobody was allowed to ask a follow-up query about why his crew doesn’t “win that many” video games with all of the expertise on the roster.
It was classic Reinsdorf, dictating what can and can’t be requested. It’s virtually as if he was in no way accountable for the crew’s disastrous season underneath his hand-picked former supervisor, Tony La Russa.
Maybe Reinsdorf ought to have taken the recommendation Anderson gave to himself on Twitter.
Sometimes you simply have to shut up.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com