Chicago White Sox star shortstop Tim Anderson is going to flip his bat if he has the chance at the World Baseball Classic. Anderson plays for Team USA.
The World Baseball Classic is well underway, with the Americans playing their first game against Mexico on Thursday night in Arizona. Tickets are hard to get, as the event has been sold out for weeks.
Tim Anderson is expected to start at shortstop for Team USA, which are one of the favorites to win the entire tournament. The Americans won the last tournament, as well.
Anderson is one of the more controversial players in the sport in terms of how he plays. He’s unapologetically himself, and from this writer’s perspective, there’s nothing wrong with that. If Anderson hits a bomb in the WBC, he will show up the opposing pitcher and celebrate.
World Baseball Classic: Will Tim Anderson flip his bat?
There’s no doubt about it.
Anderson already discussed bat flips with manager Mark DeRosa prior to the event. Per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, DeRosa doesn’t have a problem with it these days.
“Me and Tim Anderson have discussed that. We really have…I’m into it, if done the right way…I have a 13 year old son that wants to flip it to the moon when he goes deep,” DeRosa said.
Anderson was surprised by how open DeRosa was about the bat flip. Given his opposite experience with Tony La Russa, it’s easy to see why.
“That was a first, definitely,” Anderson said. “But I think it’s the right setting. We’re playing exciting ball. We don’t just have one town behind us. We’ve got the whole country. Of course they want something that’s going to get them fired up.”
Someone keep La Russa away from a television screen this spring. He’s not going to like what he sees.