Brian Anderson (outfielder)

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**Brian N. Anderson**
Major League Baseball debut
Chicago White Sox — No. 32
Center Field
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
August 16, 2005 for the Chicago White Sox
Selected MLB statistics (through October 3, 2006)
Batting average	.221
Home Runs	10
Runs Batted In	36
Runs	49

Brian Nikola Anderson (born March 11, 1982 in Tucson, Arizona) is an American baseball player and the centerfielder for the Chicago White Sox. Brian is a graduate of the University of Arizona and or Canyon del Oro High School in Oro Valley, Arizona, a suburb of Tucson.

Brian was named the top pro prospect in Arizona and ranked number 27th in the nation by Baseball America. He was named to the Baseball America and USA Today Second-Team All-America team as a junior.

Anderson mades his debut on August 16th, 2005 and appeared in 13 games for the 2005 White Sox. That offseason, Chicago traded Aaron Rowand to the Philadelphia Phillies in a deal that brought Jim Thome to Chicago and Anderson was slated to become the starting center-fielder for the White Sox. In 2006, Anderson has shown himself to be a gifted defensive outfielder, though he has struggled offensively. Anderson is yet to commit an error at the major league level. On May 20, 2006, Brian was ejected from an interleague game against the Chicago Cubs for fighting with Cubs first baseman John Mabry. Mabry had X-rays taken on his ribs, but did not miss any games due to injury. Anderson was fined and served a five game suspension.

Though Anderson has struggled to get his major league career batting average above .200, he has shown steady improvement, batting .313 and maintaining a .469 slugging percentage in the month of July 2006.

Anderson gave up his uniform number 44 to veteran catcher Toby Hall who recently joined the team. Anderson is now number 32 in honor of Magic Johnson, who he idolizes as a basketball player.