Article on Boone Logan and Brian Anderson

[Gregory Pratt]

Adjusting to the Majors: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

An ESPN SportsCenter baseball highlight had just finished running Monday morning, a few hours before the White Sox contest against the Tigers at Comerica Park, when a headshot of Detroit first baseman Chris Shelton was flashed on the screen.

At that point, White Sox reserve Ross Gload couldn't resist having a little fun with his rookie teammate, Brian Anderson.

 

"He looks just like you," Gload said to Anderson of Shelton. "Look at him."

 

Anderson, rarely if ever at a loss for words, countered with the perfect self-deprecating response.

 

"If it were my picture, it would be up there with the strikeout leaders this year," said Anderson with a smile. "It wouldn't be with the home run leaders."

 

This particular joke underscores an up-and-down first week as a starter for the new White Sox center fielder. Anderson came firing out of the gates like a prized thoroughbred on Opening Night, putting up two hits and driving in two runs. Since that victory over Cleveland, Anderson has only two hits in his last 15 at-bats, with seven strikeouts along the way.

 

But the Major League change has not come solely in the spotlight for Anderson, who spent the postseason with the White Sox, after picking up 34 at-bats over 13 games during the 2005 season. Boone Logan is getting used to the success and disappointments in every day big-league life, only the left-handed reliever's work is on a slightly smaller scale than what transpires for Anderson.

 

Logan, 21, made his first career appearance last Tuesday at home against the Indians, allowing one hit and two walks over two scoreless innings, while striking out one. During that outing, Logan retired Travis Hafner on a double-play grounder after the first two hitters reached base safely in the sixth inning.

 

There lies Logan's initial success. One day later, Logan faced Hafner again leading off the eighth inning, protecting a one-run lead. Hafner launched a 2-2 pitch deep into the right-field stands for the game-tying home run in a contest Cleveland would win in 11 innings. Thus, comes the temporary moments of disappointment.

 

"There are going to be times like that. Everyone has those," Logan said of the Hafner home run. "It happened to get to me early. Better to get it out of the way. I'll be all right.

 

"I didn't do my job. It's disappointing not doing what you were pulled in to do."

 

Some pundits criticized manager Ozzie Guillen for using Logan in such a crucial late-inning situation, even in just the second game of the season. But everyone is accountable as an active part of Guillen's roster.

 

Guillen's philosophy doesn't mean he won't try to help his rookies survive to the best of their ability. Take Anderson's situation, for example.

 

With Jake Westbrook starting in Game 2 of the Cleveland series, a tough right-hander with a great deal of movement on his pitches, Guillen used left-handed-hitting Rob Mackowiak in place of Anderson in center field. On Monday against Jeremy Bonderman, one of the toughest right-handers in the American League, Anderson also gave way to Mackowiak.

 

The situation is far from a platoon, something Guillen has explained already on countless occasions this season. The job belongs to Anderson, meaning it's up to the 24-year-old to work through his expected small pockets of struggles at the plate.

 

It was an especially tough weekend in Kansas City for Anderson, who left six runners on base and fanned five times. He also doubled leading off the eighth on Saturday and scored the tying run. As a rookie, you learn to take the bad with the good.

 

"From a personal standpoint, I think I'm doing too much at the plate," said Anderson, hitting .222 with two RBIs. "I get too geared up in certain situations where I need to go out and relax and just play my game.

 

"I was put in RBI situations and I was trying to hit the ball 500 feet, when I should have just hit a line drive somewhere. I was trying to get 10 hits with one at-bat, and I was getting too geared up. But I'm going to make that adjustment, move on and do better from here on out."

 

Listening to Anderson for a few moments makes it easy to believe he ultimately will succeed. It's his high level of confidence and the fact that he's hit at every Minor League level where he played previously in the White Sox organization. Logan has that same sort of bravado.

 

When asked for his first thought after Hafner connected, Logan responded with a very mature approach of not getting too stressed out by the moment because he had work left to do on the field. The entire jump to the Major Leagues has been a whirlwind of emotion for the steady Logan.

 

The southpaw with the three-quarter delivery basically leapfrogged from three years with Great Falls of the Advanced Rookie Pioneer League to the Majors in the course of one phenomenal Spring Training. It's a story that some people associated with the game for four decades admitted they had never witnessed.

 

Logan gradually has grown accustomed to the ways of Major League living. He admits to originally having real trouble letting someone else in the clubhouse pack and carry his equipment bag, something he did on his own since he started playing. He also had a minor scheduling issue Thursday, showing up at 8 a.m. for the team's flight to Kansas City from Midway Airport, when he was supposed to be there at 8 p.m.

 

Undaunted, Logan returned to the city and found himself an apartment. He takes that same unaffected approach when asked about his Cinderella story striking midnight sooner than later.

 

"In my mind, I'm staying the whole season," Logan said. "In a lot of other guys' minds, I should stay the whole season. But that's all up to me. I'm not going to worry because it's really a day-by-day thing.

 

"This has been everything I've expected. I'm starting to get used to it now. It's starting to become routine. It's no big deal. Well, it is a big deal because it's the big leagues, but it's all flowing pretty good."

 

Life at the Major League level is all about adjustments for first-year contributors such as Anderson and Logan. But if you can approach the pitfalls with a sense of humor and security as they have exhibited, then the SportsCenter highlights aren't too far behind.

 

"Guys like [Paul] Konerko and [Jim] Thome are making adjustments," said Anderson, who has been flawless defensively in center field. "Every player, regardless of how good they are, or what their status is in the game, they all are making adjustments to stay alive and keep their head above water.

 

"That's the name of the game in baseball. It's the toughest thing I've realized about being in the big league is that it's tough to stay. It's tough to be consistent up here. That's what really makes you a Major League Baseball player."

 

Pretty good read.

[retro1983hat]

They seem pretty level headed. They just need to stay focused on the field.

[Texsox]

While it sometimes becomes maddening, there is some value in Ozzie holding everyone in the roster responsible at any time.

[YASNY]

While it sometimes becomes maddening, there is some value in Ozzie holding everyone in the roster responsible at any time.

 

I totally agree with that. Ozzie makes them earn that roster spot. Not just getting it, but keeping it. I totally supported the way Ozzie handled the players last year and I see he's still at it this year. Bmac can't pitch 3 innings every game.

[Damen]

While it sometimes becomes maddening, there is some value in Ozzie holding everyone in the roster responsible at any time.

 

Unless you're Ross Gload.

[Gregory Pratt]

Unless you're Ross Gload.

 

I wish Guillen would give him a break and play him in Left over Ozuna.

[Heads22]

I wish Guillen would give him a break and play him in Left over Ozuna.

 

Boy, you are morbid.

[Gregory Pratt]

Boy, you are morbid.

 

 

Ozuna blows.

[Heads22]

 

Ozuna blows.

 

 

By putting them in the field, it's like a choice between fish sticks and meat loaf. Either one would get the job done, I suppose, but you kind of feel sick when you're doing it.

[Gregory Pratt]

By putting them in the field, it's like a choice between fish sticks and meat loaf. Either one would get the job done, I suppose, but you kind of feel sick when you're doing it.

 

Are you suggesting that I.....eat Pablo Ozuna and Ross Gload?

[Heads22]

Are you suggesting that I.....eat Pablo Ozuna and Ross Gload?

 

 

Possibly.

[Gregory Pratt]

Possibly.

 

Ozuna looks like he might give me gas, but with a name like Gload how could I lose?

[Gene Honda Civic]

niffy = puff?

[Gregory Pratt]

niffy = puff?

 

Precisely.