Chicago White Sox basic supervisor Chris Getz needed to have a troublesome dialog with shortstop Tim Anderson.
“What Tim Anderson meant for the organization, there is not enough time to go through the impact he’s made on the organization, the city, his teammates, the game,” Getz stated throughout Tuesday’s MLB basic managers conferences at a resort in Paradise Valley, Ariz.
“A guy that was drafted, went through the system and performed at the major-league level. So a decision like that needs to be as thorough as it possibly can. There was a lot of factors involved.”
The Sox declined the two-time All-Star’s $14 million membership choice for the 2024 season on Saturday. He receives a $1 million buyout.
Getz mentioned the choice with reporters Tuesday.
“He’s my son’s favorite player as well so not only is TA disappointed in me but so is my son,” Getz stated. “With the route we’re going, and sadly a choice on a TA state of affairs needed to come when it did, just about instantly after the World Series.
“We have a lot of holes to fill on our club. We had 101 losses last year, so to have to fill so many holes in both near-term and long-term, felt like it was the best decision to decline that option.”
Anderson grew to become one of the crucial recognizable gamers in baseball throughout his eight seasons with the Sox, profitable a batting title in 2019 and hitting the dramatic walk-off, two-run residence run on the Field of Dreams sport towards the New York Yankees in 2021.
He slashed .245/.286/.296 with 18 doubles, one residence run, 25 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 123 video games throughout an injury-impacted 2023.
“We are open to bringing TA back, but he’s earned the right to see if there is a better opportunity for him,” Getz stated. “We want TA very effectively. We have nice recollections with him. I do know he shares the identical sentiment and I want him luck and we’ll keep in contact.
“There is going to be a healing process that needs to take place just because his life changed fairly dramatically with this decision. But he’s part of the White Sox family. I want TA to go out there and do well. I really genuinely do. If that’s with someone else, I’ll be rooting for him. We’ll see where the offseason goes for him.”
Getz stated shifting to second base — the place Anderson moved in the course of the World Baseball Classic and for 2 video games with the Sox in 2023 — was not a part of the dialog the 2 had.
“He has a self-evaluation and other organizations have their evaluations whether it becomes defense or offensive potential,” Getz stated. “But we didn’t dive into the place he’s greatest match defensively.
“He’s a very athletic player, he has the ability to play some shortstop. He could easily go over to second base and I believe he could play in the outfield, too. He’s versatile and he’s going to have options.”
The Sox already had plenty of work to do that offseason, together with second base, proper area, behind the plate and with their rotation and bullpen. They’ve added shortstop to that listing.
“You have to find a way to allocate resources, and figure out the best way to do that,” Getz stated. “We have plenty of pitching holes to fill and the center infield to deal with.
“I really like to focus on our defense. That’s going to be a large focus of us this offseason. I want it to be an attractive place where pitchers want to pitch. We’ll set out to do that.”
Which route the Sox go at shortstop turns into one of many high questions for the workforce this offseason. And the subsequent steps for a shortstop of their system, 2021 first-round decide Colson Montgomery, stay to be seen.
Rated the group’s high prospect by MLB.com, Montgomery entered Tuesday with a .244/.302/.423 slash line, three residence runs and 20 RBIs in 19 video games in the course of the Arizona Fall League. He earned Fall Stars Game MVP honors Sunday in Mesa, Ariz. The 21-year-old performed most of his video games in 2023 at Double-A Birmingham.
“He’s been the talk of the Arizona Fall League,” Getz stated. “Not simply the White Sox speaking, different organizations as effectively. That simply speaks to his potential and the way a lot he’s getting higher and each time he goes out and performs, I don’t need to set limitations on a Colson Montgomery. He’s a man that may be very distinctive and has the flexibility to be a particular participant on the major-league degree. He’s ending sturdy within the fall league.
“We hope for a productive offseason out of him. He’s still growing into his body. But he’s played a pretty solid shortstop here in the fall league. He has some zone awareness, he has a hit tool, he has some power he’s tapping into so he has a chance to be a well-rounded player. I don’t want to have the expectation for Colson to think he’s going to be our Opening Day shortstop, but I also don’t want to cap anything for him either because it’s important for him to stay motivated and be ready to go in spring training, because who knows how 2024 unravels for him.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com