(670 The Score) Before each new season, MLB Network publishes rankings of the top 10 players at each position. This year, the outlet ranked White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson as the 10th-best player at his respective position.
Anderson wasn't pleased to see that.
"That's bulls---," Anderson said on the White Sox Talk podcast at NBC Sports Chicago.
MLB Network's shortstop rankings was headlined by the Rockies' Trevor Story in the top spot and the Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. at No. 2. The Cubs' Javier Baez was ninth, one spot ahead of Anderson.
The American League batting champion in 2019, Anderson posted a slash line of .322/.357/.529 in the 60-game 2020 regular season.
Anderson ranks sixth among full-time shortstops in WAR over the last two seasons with a 5.6 mark, according to FanGraphs.
“I’m not supposed to be 10," Anderson said of the rankings. "Everybody knows that. That’s not me thinking too much of myself. Let’s be realistic. Let’s go check the numbers, let’s go check the history. That’s a realistic fact, for me to say that. I’m better than No. 10, definitely, for sure. But that’s really not much to speak on, because they’re human, too, and those are their opinions and that’s fine.”
Where would Anderson rank himself?
“One,” he told NBC Sports Chicago. “What, you think I’m going to sit here and say there are other guys better than me?
“I feel like I’m in the top five, but for me, I’m No. 1. I’m always going to be No. 1 because that’s how I see myself. I don’t think there are any other guys out there better than me. That’s just my opinion. And it’s OK for me to have my opinion.”