White Sox, Tim Anderson ready to get something right

Tim Anderson tries unsuccessfully to backhand a ball in the hole in the second inning against the Tigers before the opening day game at Guaranteed Rate Field Tuesday. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

It’s early, but very little has gone well for the White Sox this first week of the season. Opening Day at Guaranteed Rate Field was rained out after the opening ceremonies Monday, then a small crowd watched Jose Quintana get tagged for three home runs in the Tigers’ 6-3 triumph in the delayed opener Tuesday.

On Wednesday, they were rained out for the second time in three days. The game will be made up May 26, a Friday, as part of a doubleheader beginning at 4:10 p.m.

Shortstop Tim Anderson, still basking in the glow of a $25 million contract extension and already enjoying it — he bought his mom a new car last week, and it was hard to tell who was more thrilled, mother or son — was brought back to earth, too, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against the Tigers’ Justin Verlander and Bruce Rondon.

Anderson was eager to get back to the park Wednesday to put that one behind him — he left four runners on base and was standing in the on-deck circle as the potential tying run when Tyler Saladino made the final out — but had to wait another day, and probably for a colder, windy one at that with Thursday-morning temperatures expected to be in the 30s.

“A guy like [Verlander], he’s going to be dominant; he’s been dominant for many years,’’ Anderson said. “We gotta keep fighting and keep going.’’

And learning. A good fastball hitter, he struck out on elevated fastballs each time.

“I couldn’t quite find my zone,’’ he said.

The Sox view Anderson as a building block at a premium position, and his progress is a key part of their rebuild. He’s a bit of a free swinger, and some would like to see him raise his on-base percentage with more walks. Manager Rick Renteria isn’t going to push that because he thinks it will evolve naturally.

“Everybody talks about walks,’’ Renteria said. “He swings the bat and puts the bat on the ball pretty well, and he ends up getting pretty good results. For the most part, experience and time will help him recognize pitches. He’s young.’’

At 23, as he works at that in the majors, “everybody has to understand [pitchers will] adapt to him,’’ Renteria said, “and he’s going to have to continue to work through that process to give himself a chance to have good at-bats and swing at strikes.’’

That process resumes Thursday.

“The best thing about it is I get to come back out tomorrow and compete again,’’ Anderson said.

NOTES: Tickets for Wednesday’s postponed game are now a gift certificate, the Sox announced, and fans should exchange those game tickets and parking coupons for tickets of equal or lesser value to any future regular-season home game. All exchanges must be done at the Guaranteed Rate Field box office or by mail. Tickets for Wednesday can’t be used for entry May 26. Fans with tickets for the 7:10 p.m. game May 26 may attend both games of the doubleheader.

† The Tigers will skip right-hander Jordan Zimmermann on Thursday and start lefty Matt Boyd against James Shields.

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Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com