TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Arizona portion of Brian Anderson's Major League education came to a close on Thursday, with the center fielder finishing 0-for-3, with a perfectly-placed sacrifice bunt.

According to Ozzie Guillen, the rookie not only reached the manager's expectations as the White Sox new starting center fielder but exceeded them during Cactus League action. Anderson's next set of exams, beginning Sunday night at U.S. Cellular Field, will provide a more telling tale of his assets.

"This kid has adapted to the league, but Spring Training is Spring Training," Guillen said of Anderson, who hit .328 with one home run and nine RBIs over 64 at-bats. "I want to know how he plays when the lights come on."

"I couldn't be more excited," Anderson added of his first true Major League chance. "This is a great experience, a great time, a great opportunity for me. I'll do whatever I can to take full advantage."

Anderson doesn't have to do very much in order to help the 2006 White Sox find success. He's surrounded by a group of solid veterans, many of whom he got to know during a brief callup last year when he hit .176 with two home runs in 34 at-bats. If he can play solid defense in center, which he has already shown an aptitude for in the tough weather conditions of Arizona, and hit somewhere in the .260 to .280 range, Anderson would be a definite rookie gem.

Possessing an outgoing personality to match his high talent level, the 24-year-old has the baseball world in front of him for the taking. But Anderson's greatest attribute coming out of Spring Training might be his ability to differentiate the time for fun from the time to get down to business.

"This isn't high school anymore," said Anderson with a knowing smile. "If you do something stupid or make someone mad, the coach won't tell you to run a lap or something. This costs people money. People save up quite a bit of money just to watch us play, so they expect you to put forth your best effort.

"I mean, I like to say I matured a little bit. It's probably hard to believe," added Anderson with a laugh. "In my own eyes, I went out and had a plan every time I went up there."

With both Aaron Rowand and Chris Young traded away during the offseason and Jerry Owens still a notch or two away from the Majors, Anderson understood the job in center was his basically to lose. But Anderson took nothing for granted.

It's that sort of drive that should help Anderson grade high on all future tests throughout this upcoming season.

"I'm not stupid, and I know the job was mine to lose, but I could still lose it," Anderson said. "You could come here and [stink] and screw around and do something stupid. They could easily find someone else.

"That's the thing about baseball. Anyone is replaceable. So, I definitely try to come here and focus on getting the job done. I had to make a team this year. It wasn't like I could use that excuse that there's always next year or all the spots are taken."

Holding pattern: Scott Podsednik will not join the team during its final two exhibition contests in Atlanta this weekend, instead staying back in Tucson to play in Minor League contests both days. If Podsednik's strained left groin survives the test of six or seven at-bats per game, then he will hopefully be back in the starting lineup for Sunday's season opener.

"That's what we're hoping for," Podsednik said. "I did some work on the treadmill [Wednesday] and it felt pretty good. I think we're a little farther ahead than what I anticipated. I'm happy with the way it's responded.

"I can get more accomplished staying back here, being able to hit every inning. Just get some more game-time at-bats rather than going to Atlanta. It's a more controlled environment to where I don't really have to go all out, but somewhat test it and see where we stand."

Podsednik finishes the spring with just 22 at-bats in seven Cactus League games, but nobody seems worried about the left-handed hitter finding his swing quickly. Testing his legs on the basepaths could be a little more tenuous.

"That's tough. I have to do what I'm capable of doing that day," Podsednik said. "If it's feeling good, then obviously I'm going to open up and try and get some jumps on the bases. We're going to see how it feels and just go from there.

"I've said this before, but the focus is to put this behind us to where it's not creeping in the back of my mind," Podsednik added.

Guillen wants Podsednik for the opener, but also doesn't want any sort of unnecessary push just for one game.

"I don't care. [If] we have him, we have him. [If] we don't, we find somebody else," Guillen said. "I'm not going to lose sleep. If we have him, he plays, if not [Pablo] Ozuna is in the lineup. I don't want Scott to push it.

"We need him in the long run, not the short run. We want him to be 100 percent ready and not re-hurt himself and we go backwards."

Taking the fifth: After allowing one run on six hits over 4 2/3 innings Thursday against the Rockies, Jose Contreras characterized his pitching arm as 100 percent healthy and ready for Wednesday's start in Chicago. It was Contreras' first start against Major League competition since working four innings against the Giants on March 10.

"The arm doesn't bother me at all. I'm very happy and ready to go," said Contreras through a translator. "I'm ready to get back on schedule, throwing every five days."

Contreras struck out five Colorado hitters, but was wild with four walks. Controlling his forkball appeared to be the issue.

"My forkball was all over the place, and I had problems keeping it in the zone," Contreras said. "But I felt good."

Third to first: Bobby Jenks, who was working in his first of back-to-back games, allowed Matt Holliday's game-tying single in the ninth, blowing the save. Jenks was clocked at 97 to 98 mph. "He hung one pitch and got hit, but I like what I see," said Guillen of Jenks. ... It was a dress-up hazing for a quartet of young players on the trip to Atlanta. Jenks was given a Fred Flintstone costume to wear, Anderson received an Arizona St. female cheerleader get-up, while Ryan Sweeney had the male cheerleader version. Boone Logan dressed as a gladiator.