Anderson's speed is intriguing for White Sox

KANSAS CITY -- The intangible of Tim Anderson's high-end speed was on display during the White Sox 7-5 win in 10 innings over the Royals on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
Anderson delivered a two-out single off Royals starter Edinson Vólquez in the fifth and came around to score on Melky Cabrera's single to right-center. The rookie shortstop understands the potential power of this lighting fast skill, as he works to refine that part of his game much like many other aspects.

"Yeah, it's something I definitely work on. Gives me more options of what to do when I'm at the plate, make more room for me to improve," Anderson said. "It kind of comes naturally."
"Any time you see him run at full speed, you just see what it does," manager Robin Ventura said. "When he's an everyday guy who plays shortstop, that becomes an element that not a lot of people have. It's a special gift to have him as an everyday guy and you don't score that run without it."
Ventura pointed to the Royals, with the usage of Jarrod Dyson and Terrance Gore last season, as an example of how speed can kill another team. Anderson talked about cutting the bases the right way as part of the speed work he has learned, with the possibility of becoming a 20- or 30-stolen base sort of threat lingering in the future.
"As I continue to get more reps and break down the pitchers a lot more, for sure," Anderson said of increasing his stolen-base potential.
"Everybody wants him to be fully established and their game is never going to have to improve, and that's just not the way it is," Ventura said. "The speed at which he's learning is pretty fast. I would see him being able to steal some bags and being one of those guys that can steal it when you need it. When everybody knows that you're going to steal the base, he's going to be one of those guys."
Burdi moving up the ranks
Zack Burdi, one of two first-round selections for the White Sox in the 2016 Draft and the 26th pick overall, has been promoted from Double-A Birmingham to Triple-A Charlotte. The 21-year-old Burdi, whose fastball has been clocked at 100 mph, threw 9 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings over his last six appearances with Birmingham, giving up one hit with 12 strikeouts.
The right-hander from Downers Grove, Ill., is averaging 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings (29 strikeouts in 22 innings) over three Minor League stops. There was a belief when he was drafted that Burdi was advanced enough to see the Majors this season, but the White Sox have not commented on their No. 4-ranked prospect's future past Charlotte.