Anderson's bat flips, exuberant celebrations and passion have been showcased regularly in the first month-plus of the season, and he's backing it up with an American League-best .385 batting average and 10 stolen bases to go with a 1.009 OPS entering play Monday. He's fearless in his style and his defense of a new wave of baseball entertainers.
"This is a long season," Anderson said. "I don't want it to be a long, boring season. So we will try to do something interesting and have a lot of fun."
"I don't say much. I am more about showing it on the field when it comes to being a leader. I just go out and try to be an example. Hopefully, these guys just play hard beside me."
The way Anderson sees it, his approach is what fans want to see -- particularly the younger generation that MLB has struggled to attract in recent times. Drawing the interest of them is key to the game's health in the future, and Anderson's type of style is one way to get youngsters talking.
"That is definitely it," Anderson said. "Let's keep it from being boring. A lot of people don't watch baseball, so you have to do something to draw that crowd. Whether it's bat flips or whatever, I think that is going to get the kids into it. I think the kids like that stuff, so I am going to keep doing it."
Anderson, 25, is aware there's a line between expressing great enthusiasm and becoming a sideshow or a distraction for his team. And at times, he has drawn the ire of his foes.
That was the case on April 17, when Anderson flipped his bat on a homer off Royals right-hander Brad Keller, who later retaliated by purposely hitting Anderson. That started a benches-clearing incident, during which Anderson shouted an epithet at Keller, which drew a one-game suspension for Anderson.
"It is important that we all agree as a team what we do on the field," White Sox utilityman Leury Garcia said, speaking generally and not to that specific altercation. "We also need to allow each other to be ourselves. I was not playing in the old times of baseball. Times change. I think the young players and rookies play the game with more joy. I think that is what Tim's game is about. With no disrespect to how the game was played before, times change and that is how it's being played now."
White Sox manager Rick Renteria came up amid the old-school ways of baseball, but he manages his club with freedom, allowing their spirit to shine through.
"Timmy is just a very emotional kid," Renteria said. "He wears it on his sleeve. Some people may take offense to it. He is very energetic. Ultimately as he continues to grow and mature, he will know the degrees (that) he can manage his emotion. We will continue to let the whole world know what Tim is all about. He is really coming into his own. Some people will continue to take umbrage at times when he acts out. We will deal with those things when we cross that bridge. We want our players to show heart and bring as many people to the ballpark in the right way. There is a lot of love and passion for baseball and his teammates. Hopefully, everything will settle out and people will understand what he brings to the table."