White Sox SS Tim Anderson’s goal for 2018: Have fun

GLENDALE, Ariz. — White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is in a much better place this spring, almost a year removed from the personal heartbreak of losing a best friend who was murdered during the season.

Branden Moss, the godfather of Anderson’s baby daughter, was shot and killed in the parking lot of a bar in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in May. Moss was coming to the aid of a man who had been assaulted when he was shot.

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Anderson grieved and carried the burden and sadness through much of last season. He sought counseling to deal with it. And thankfully for him, time is healing the wound.

“Yes, for sure,’’ Anderson said. “I’m in a happy place. I learned from those things. It was tough going through it, but I had all the right people in my corner to help me through it. Good wife, good teammates, good coaches, good family.’’

They talked about life, family, parenting and faith.

“I feel like that opened my eyes on life, on what is really important in life,’’ Anderson said. “We’re human beings. People get wrapped up into we’re baseball players, but that’s our job. No matter what we do for a job, we’re human beings.’’

Anderson batted .213 in June and .198 in July, and his defense also suffered.

“I think he’s in a better place mentally after everything that happened to him,’’ hitting coach Todd Steverson said. “Numbers tell a numbers story; they don’t tell a humanistic story. They don’t say ‘your wife was sick’ or ‘your kids were sick, and you stayed up till 5 a.m. taking care of them.’ ’’

Or that your best friend died at 23.

After that, Steverson said Anderson wasn’t ‘‘always there’’ mentally.

“That was his best buddy; they were tight every day,’’ Steverson said. “I would say to him, ‘You all right?’ ’’

And Anderson would often respond with a shrug or not give an answer one way or the other.

But “he grinded every day and played through it . . . and he bounced back well,’’ Steverson said.

Anderson led the majors in errors last season with 28 and needed to rally late offensively to post a .257/.276/.402 slash line with 17 home runs, 56 RBI and 15 stolen bases. He hit .327/.345/.469 with three homers and nine stolen bases in September and October (one game).

His goals for 2018? They aren’t numerical.

“No, have fun, have fun, just have fun,’’ Anderson said. “The rest of the goals will get accomplished when I have fun.’’

Anderson, who has his wife and 2-year-old daughter with him, was an early arrival to camp, and it’s obvious the joy is returning to his life.

“This is the most comfortable I’ve been,’’ Anderson said. “I’m talking more, smiling more. I’m in a great position. I’m so honored and humbled and excited to be in the position I am.’’

This is only Anderson’s second spring training knowing he’s the starting shortstop, so there is another comfort level there. A 2013 first-round draft pick who signed a $25 million extension last spring, he is ready to embrace a bigger leadership role.

Anderson speaks softly but seems to know what to say and is one of the most well-liked players in the clubhouse.

“I don’t know what it is,’’ he said. ‘‘I attract a lot of people. I just love to rub people the right way. Treat people how they are supposed to be treated, and the rest comes with it. I definitely am planning to be more vocal and am ready to step into a leadership role, to lead these guys.’’

“He looks very, very relaxed,’’ manager Rick Renteria said. “He looks very happy.

‘‘The situation he had, the loss of a friend you consider a brother . . . this year he can come in with a fresh mind prepared to compete and do the job he finished up doing in the latter part of the season.’’

Follow me on Twitter @CST_soxvan.

Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com