Minor League Roundup: Heartwarming Cubs story; Tim Anderson stays hot

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Each week, CSNChicago.com goes down on the farm for a minor-league report from both the Cubs and White Sox system, presented by Service King.

CUBS

Cubs minor leaguers have been making headlines since Theo Epstein took over the front office nearly five years ago. Everybody has been enamored with what guys like Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber and Addison Russell have been doing at ridiculously young ages.

But this week, it was actually a 66-year-old Cubs minor-league consultant who took the baseball world by storm.

Mike Roberts, the father of former big-leaguer Brian Roberts, is a roving minor-league consultant for the Cubs and just finished up the trip of a lifetime with the big-league club.

Roberts lost his wife of almost 46 years in February, yet still reported to spring training just days later and the Cubs have responded by rallying around him in a time of need. Epstein invited Roberts up to hang out with the big league club on its recent road trip to San Francisco and St. Louis.

FOXSports' Ken Rosenthal has a fantastic account of Roberts' grief and how the Cubs - and players' wives and girlfriends - have helped one of their own. Worth a read for all baseball fans and serves as a perfect reminder of the human aspect of the game.

WHITE SOX

Tim Anderson is really starting to find his groove this season.

In the last 10 games, the 22-year-old shortstop is batting .375 with a homer and three RBIs. His season average has increased to .313, which is the highest it’s been all year.

The Charlotte Knights also added a new outfielder to the mix last week. The White Sox acquired 34-year-old outfielder Jason Bourgeois from the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 16 and he was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.

Bourgeois has been absolutely on fire right from the get-go in 2016, even before he got to the Sox. In 40 games this season, the outfielder is batting .397/.437/.534 with one homer, 14 RBI, three triples and seven stolen bases.

A change of scenery hasn't thrown him off. 

In seven games with the Knights, Bourgeois is batting .556/.600/.889 with one homer and five RBIs. 

If those numbers continue, the White Sox will certainly attempt to make room for him on the main roster – especially with the offensive struggles the team has been having as of late.

Kevan Smith returned to Triple-A after missing a month of action due to a back injury. 

The 27-year-old catcher went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run on Wednesday in his first game back.

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