Anaheim Angels The Angels selected Anderson in the fourth round of the
1990 MLB draft. He signed with the Angels rather than enroll at Fresno State. He began the 1992 season with the Class A
Palm Springs Angels and
batted .323 before being promoted to the AA
Midland Angels. In 1993, he played for the AAA
Vancouver Canadians and returned there to begin the 1994 season. Anderson made his major league debut on July 27, 1994. He had two hits in four at bats in that game, recording his first career hit on a single to right field off
Oakland Athletics pitcher
Ron Darling in the bottom of the third inning. He appeared in five games with the Angels in 1994, getting five hits in 13 at bats. In 1995, Anderson was called up to the major leagues on April 26 and spent the rest of the year in the majors. He hit his first career home run on June 13 against
Kevin Tapani of the
Minnesota Twins. He was named the
American League Player of the Month for July 1995, after batting .410 with 22
runs scored and 31
runs batted in (RBIs) in 25
games played. From that point forward, Anderson became a mainstay in the Angels lineup. Over the next eight seasons, he accumulated at least 600 at bats every year, breaking 90 RBIs and 20 home runs five times while compiling a batting average near .300. Anderson hit a career-high 35 home runs in 2000. In 2002, when the Angels won their first
World Series championship, Anderson finished fourth in the
Most Valuable Player voting after compiling a .306 average with 29 home runs and 123 RBIs, including a three-run double in the third inning of Game 7 which would turn out to be the series-winning hit. Anderson also scored a career-high 93 runs; however, the fact that he never scored 100 in a season was a result of his main weakness as a player – an inability to draw walks and achieve a high
on-base percentage. Anderson had a similarly strong performance in 2003, and was named an
American League All-Star. That All-Star weekend, he became the
Home Run Derby Champion and voted the Most Valuable Player in the All-Star Game, the first player to win both since
Cal Ripken Jr. in 1991. In 2002 and 2003, Anderson tied for the American League lead in doubles with
Nomar Garciaparra and
Vernon Wells, respectively. On April 13, 2004, Anderson agreed to a $48 million, four-year contract extension through 2008. The deal included a team option for 2009 with a $3 million buyout. Anderson began experiencing chronic ailments in 2004 that limited his playing time and production, including an
arthritic condition and
plantar fasciitis in his feet. In , he began to see more regular time as a
designated hitter to ease the wear and tear on his body. Anderson's production in 2006 was roughly on par with his 2005 production, with both seasons seeing him hit 17 home runs and drive in at least 85 runs. He recorded his 2,000th career hit on July 1, 2006. On August 21, 2007, Anderson drove in a team-record 10 runs, including a grand slam and a three-run home run, in the Angels' 18–9 win over the
New York Yankees. Anderson became the 13th player in major jeague history to have 10 RBIs in a game. On September 7, Anderson drove in a run on an RBI single, to set a franchise record for most consecutive games with an RBI with 11. The streak lasted for 12 games, during which time he drove in 22 runs. On October 28, 2008, the Angels announced they would decline their $14 million option on Anderson's contract and exercised a $3 million buyout.
Atlanta Braves On February 24, 2009, Anderson agreed to a one-year deal with the
Atlanta Braves for $2.5 million. On July 2, 2009, Anderson hit the first career
pinch-hit home run of his career. On October 1, 2009, Anderson became the 89th MLB player to reach 2,500 base hits, getting a single off
Washington Nationals pitcher
Garrett Mock.
Los Angeles Dodgers On March 3, 2010, Anderson agreed to a minor league deal with the
Los Angeles Dodgers. He made the 25-man opening day roster as a reserve outfielder. In his first at bat with the Dodgers, he hit a pinch-hit single off
Brendan Donnelly, his former Angels teammate. His first home run with the Dodgers came on April 22, when he hit a pinch-hit 2-run homer against the
Cincinnati Reds. Anderson was
designated for assignment by the Dodgers on August 8, after hitting only .181 in 155 at bats, and he was granted his release on August 10. ==Retirement==