Tim Anderson confident Pollock will fit in White Sox clubhouse
AJ Pollock takes his first at-bat in a White Sox uniform in a Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks Saturday night. (Daryl Van Schouwen)
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Shortstop Tim Anderson welcomed the latest addition to the White Sox, knowing veteran outfielder AJ Pollock will add depth to the lineup and specifically the outfield.
Anderson, Liam Hendriks, Dallas Keuchel and Giolito stress the value of a good clubhouse, where players have to coexist for six months a year. From everything they’ve heard, they are confident Pollock will fit in.
Not that it’s so hard.
“Anybody can come in and get along with us,” Anderson said. “New guy, old guy, young guy. No matter where you come from. We have that good chemistry.”
Whether the clubhouse has to make room for one more remains to be seen.
“The front office is doing the best they can to put us in the best position to win,” Anderson said.
The Sox can use more starting pitching, and left-hander Sean Manaea is still out there for the taking in the right trade with the Athletics, although the Sox might not match up with enough prospect and young controllable players they’re willing to part with to reel in Manaea, who is in the last year of his contract.
“There’s always one more move to make,” general manager Rick Hahn said once again Friday after the Craig Kimbrel for Pollock trade.
“The offseason ends Opening Day and then obviously there’s probably going to be fewer transactions over the early part of the season. And then before you know it, the opportunity to improve ourselves in June and July will probably present itself.”
Crochet set for surgery
A second opinion confirmed what Garrett Crochet suspected, that he will need Tommy John surgery. Dr. James Andrews will perform the procedure Tuesday.
Crochet said he felt a pop on his second to last pitch against the Reds Thursday.
“Threw another one just to kind of make sure and I felt some sharp pain in the same spot,” he said.
Crochet said he hadn’t dealt with much soreness before Thursday.
”I felt like I took care of my body pretty well this offseason and had put myself in a good position to move on to the regular season,” he said. “But obviously freak things happen.”
Crochet, who will miss the entire season, and manager Tony La Russa both looked at the positive.
“It’s not good for him or for us this year,” La Russa said. “But as young as he is, he has potential promise and that potential promise will take care of him. So next year, clear sailing and he’ll have a great career.”
“I’m very confident going into the surgery that [after] the recovery I can be even better,” Crochet said.
This and that
La Russa said he promised left fielder Eloy Jimenez, who does not like to DH, that “he can play left field a lot if he hits .300.”
“If he hits under .300, he may be DHing and if he hits near .200 he’ll be sitting next to me,” La Russa said. “He’s smiling like I was kidding.”
*La Russa said the Sox might carry up to 15 pitchers on the expanded 28-man Opening Day roster.