Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishCHICAGO — Two former Chicago White Sox stars, returning with the Los Angeles Angels for the first time, have encountered two very different receptions.For infielder Tim Anderson, the former AL batting champion on the South Side, it was nothing but cheers. He received a standing ovation before his first at-bat on Opening Day.For Yoan Moncada, who spent eight seasons with the White Sox, hearty boos have followed his every move.“It was pretty cool,” Anderson said. “I feel like they were thankful for my time here. It’s such a great city, such a great city to be in. They showed it (Thursday).”“There’s fans that love me, there’s fans that hate me,” Moncada said. “But I don’t pay attention to it.”It’s been an interesting homecoming for two players once believed to be the core of a White Sox team that was supposed to compete for championships annually.Instead, Anderson went from an All-Star in 2021 and 2022 to arguably the league’s worst everyday hitter in 2023, recording just one homer in 123 games.Moncada’s debilitating injuries took him from a super-prospect to a below-league-average hitter the last few seasons. That is, when he was actually on the field.The 29-year-old from Cuba had a modicum of redemption on Saturday, notching the only RBI in a 1-0 Angels win, though it came on an infield single. He also struggled with his throws defensively and forgot how many outs there were when running the bases.
The Halos take the lead! 😇 pic.twitter.com/AyVbtaEFYD
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) March 29, 2025Still, it was a nice moment for a player in a city that had come to represent some of the toughest moments in his career.“It’s wonderful coming here to Chicago, facing my ex-team and have the opportunity to get a hit here,” Moncada said. “It feels wonderful.”Before the opener, Anderson reflected on his ups and downs with the White Sox, particularly the rough end to his tenure.He appreciated the organization and his time there, noting he’d spoken with the team’s higher-ups during spring training.“It will always be a huge part of me,” Anderson said. “It’s where I started. That chapter is all love. All love from me. I enjoyed my time here.”Time will tell just how effective either player can be for the Angels. Anderson said the time off helped him regain strength in his lower body. Moncada similarly said he feels good and ready to go.But they will have to prove there’s something still left in the tank. They’re both relatively young and have, at one point, shown how well they can perform. Neither has hit a big-league homer since 2023, and both were castoffs by one of the least successful organizations in the sport over the last three years.
“It’s where I started. That chapter is all love,” Tim Anderson said of his time in Chicago. (Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)The Angels also have infielder Yolmer Sánchez in their organization — another important piece of that old White Sox contingent. Chuckie Robinson, who caught much of last season in Chicago, is the Angels’ third-string catcher.For the White Sox, Saturday’s starting catcher was Matt Thaiss, the Angels’ former first-round draft pick in 2016, who spent six years with the organization. They also have three former Angels coaches — Matt Wise, Marcus Thames and Drew Butera — on their staff. And former Angels manager Phil Nevin is in Chicago’s front office.There is a lot of overlap between these two organizations, for better or worse. After all, they were the two worst teams in the American League last season. And the expectation is that they may well be again in 2025.Perhaps that plight could best be summed up by yet another overlapping player: Nicky Lopez. The utility man spent last season in Chicago as an everyday player on the team with the sport’s worst-ever record.The Angels signed him to play all over the infield. He has gloves for nearly every position. However, he probably couldn’t predict how he’d make his debut with the new team. That was as a pitcher, getting the last out with the Angels down eight runs on Opening Day.The Angels will rely on a lot of former White Sox this year. Maybe, sometimes, in ways they didn’t expect.“It’s ironic, for sure,” said the Chicago-native Lopez of starting the season against his old team. “It is weird. It was a tough year, but to be able to come back here is kind of funny.”(Top photo of Yoan Moncada by Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)
