For you crazies who think the Yankees should decline Nick Swisher’s absurdly reasonably priced option based on the results of an inherently random small sample size

By On October 18, 2011 · 58 Comments · In Graphs, Statistical Notes, Whimsy

(AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Now you’ve done it. You’ve really done it. Just when I thought Yankee fans couldn’t get any battier, they want to run — one of the most productive right-fielders in the league, not to mention one of the Yankees’ top on-base threats — out of town, because of some unfortunately poor showings in three random samplings.

Never mind that were one to construct the ideal Yankee hitter from the ground up, Swisher ostensibly represents the perfect blueprint, leading the team in OBP in 2011, with a .374 mark despite starting the season in a horrid slump; notching the best BB%, at 15% — a massive jump from 2010′s 9.1%; and finishing 11th in the AL in pitches per plate appearance (20th in 2010 and 2nd in the league in 2009).

Though his power numbers took a slight dip this season he also has 30-home-run power, and has been a solid .370 wOBA player during his three seasons on the team. I bet you didn’t know that Swisher’s .370 three-year wOBA ties him with for 12th-most productive player in the American League since 2009. “Who cares?” the irrational fan scoffs. “He isn’t clutch in the postseason!”

Yes that’s partially true, you’d say. Swish hasn’t exactly been a stellar performer in the playoffs. But there’s also a decent chance that the Yankees don’t get there in each of the last three seasons without the 11 wins above replacement he’s been worth these last three seasons.

Additionally, outside of Jose Bautista, there really hasn’t been a better right-fielder in the American League than Swish both this season and the past two years. The following is a chart of the three-year wOBAs of players that have played the majority of their games in RF in two of the last three seasons:

Though put up a slightly higher wOBA than Swish this season, Zorilla only spent about 30 games in right, so technically I’m discounting him from “best right fielders in 2011.”

Here are those same players’ corresponding wRC+es:

Yup, Swish is still second-best.

Not only has Swish been a fantastically productive right-fielder, he’s also been an absolute steal:

Since 2009, Nick Swisher has been paid $21.2 million for his services by the Yankees. Per Fangraphs, he’s been worth more than double that amount — $47.6 million, and his $17 million of value in 2011 was a career-high, even with a down offensive year.

But, y’know, let’s not pick up his $10.25 million option based on 114 plate appearances spread across three Octobers. Even if Swish regressed to a 3.0-win player, he’d still be worth nearly $15 million. So the next time you suggest something asinine like cutting Nick Swisher loose, try to find me both a better and cheaper option first.

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58 Responses to For you crazies who think the Yankees should decline Nick Swisher’s absurdly reasonably priced option based on the results of an inherently random small sample size

  1. Mike Jaggers-Radolf says:
    October 18, 2011 at 11:21 am

    Downloading pictures from the internet: 30 seconds. Trolling through Fangraphs looking for all the right data: 30 minutes. Fidgeting with Excel until all the graphs look just right: 30 minutes. Getting a head shot of Nick Swisher on all your graphics for this post: priceless.

    Reply
  2. Faiaz says:
    October 18, 2011 at 11:35 am

    I have had a soft spot for Beltran ever since I found out that he was willing to take less to play for the Yankees AND he was a Bernie fan. Ah Swish, where do I start… If I had to choose a MLB player whose personality is most similar to mine… it would be him. I mean the dude has just been like glue for the team. In the end… I am 65-35 for Swish.

    Reply
  3. William J. says:
    October 18, 2011 at 11:42 am

    Let me get this straight. I wasn’t quite sure from the title, but you want to bring Swisher back next year? If so, I agree!

    Reply
  4. Joe says:
    October 18, 2011 at 11:42 am

    Regardless of what most fans want/say, there is no way Cashman doesn’t pick up this option. As he should.

    Reply
  5. Dan says:
    October 18, 2011 at 11:43 am

    Swish absolutely needs to be back on the Yankees next year! I just bought his t-shirt.

    Reply
  6. Faiaz says:
    October 18, 2011 at 11:44 am

    I WANT YU DARVISH… not in a gay way… not that there’s anything wrong with that(for the Seinfeld fans.)

    Reply
  7. Joe G says:
    October 18, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    Outstanding Larry. I have nothing else to add.

    Reply
  8. Matt Imbrogno says:
    October 18, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    Needs more Brennan Boesch.

    Reply
  9. Professor Longnose says:
    October 18, 2011 at 12:29 pm

    Even if it were true that Swisher chokes in the postseason, he’s still worth that option.

    If you get to the postseason and he’s been struggling pathetically for a month from one side of the plate, don’t play him so much from that side.

    Reply
  10. theboogiedown says:
    October 18, 2011 at 1:34 pm

    I think for the money he has, and will continue to get, anything he does in the playoffs is gratis. It’s the other guys that the burden falls upon. If the other starting 8 on the field were getting paid what he is making, that’s a $90mm starting nine. Swisher looks like a super star on a roster that cheap!

    Reply
    • bornwithpinstripes says:
      October 18, 2011 at 2:31 pm

      getting rid of mr. big time choke. is addition by subtraction..this guy killed us three years in a row in the playoffs.. what are you thinking..

      Reply
      • CC says:
        October 18, 2011 at 2:41 pm

        There is no “US”. You are not on the Yankees.

        Reply
        • bornwithpinstripes says:
          October 18, 2011 at 7:02 pm

          HMMM. really, maybe that is the way you root, i root and pull for the team like i am part of it, like so many other fans, when our country goes to war and you are not in the military, are you part of the fight or you say them?

          Reply
  11. bornwithpinstripes says:
    October 18, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    forget these numbers, just go by yours eyes..he is brutal..

    Reply
  12. Michael P. says:
    October 18, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    We might all be statheads but it never hurts to hear the other side of the argument. You can never be one dimensional. And the numbers never really tell the whole story because many of them are too fluky to be consistently counted upon. If UZR shows that Gardner is the best defensive player in all of baseball thats nice. Is Tex really an overrated defensive 1B? I don’t believe so, but UZR says he fluctuates yearly. So don’t be hard on bornwithpinstripes for ignoring stats. Who would we debate with?

    Now that I have defended bornwithpinstripes I hafta say I strongly disagree with not picking up that option, but lets entertain the idea. Now we don’t have a RF…who do you get to replace Swisher’s team leading OBP, his 25+ homer power, and above average defense? Keep in mind our pitching staff is far from certain and we will need every bit of offense we can get just to get into the postseason.

    Reply
    • bornwithpinstripes says:
      October 18, 2011 at 7:24 pm

      thank you MICHAEL, if those guys just go by stats..they solidify my position..take every playoff game for nick..three years worth .tell me what we have..if he just hit this year with out those other two failures, we move on..that has been the case with him over and again..if you stat guys live your lives by numbers, you better get out more..what stat supports damon taking that base , going to third..what stat supports gardner freezing up in the middle of the year, not coming home on a wild pitch vs stink sox.. back to RF..his defense is brutal, his arm is weak.i know the stats say other wise, how many times does he jump up on the RF wall with zero clue where the ball is, he got surprise at the end of the year and the ball came close to hitting him in the head.this is my opinion. he swings so hard in the playoffs changes his whole approach..he wants to hit the ball to bklyn. for me i would not take him for 400k. no future in swisher..lets make like he retired, the way these guys think no body can fill his shoes..o.k. lets all panic and start taking meds, lets try and make a trade or at worst..start dickerson.what did swish hit .260?23 homers.we let damon and matsui go ..melky had 200 hits…. no loss at all with swisher..take that 10mil and put in starting pitching..hopefully a lefty.. trade for andre ethier..great arm..great glove..moves can be made..

      Reply
      • T.O. Chris says:
        October 18, 2011 at 9:33 pm

        Nick Swisher has been a better player than Andre Either for 3 consecutive years. In fact since 2006 Swisher has been better than Either in every season outside of 2008. Though those are just stats, so I guess you don’t care.

        Reply
        • bornwithpinstripes says:
          October 18, 2011 at 10:00 pm

          hey chris back to your normal sarcasm, if you noticed i highlighted his defensive skills, and that can not be compared..and again you are putting these graphs and acronym based stats ,,thats can be nice, but swisher is brutal in the post season..that is the big STAT…what do you not see..but i respect your opinion..post season in NY is what counts.. he chokes ..thats my opinion..any major league outfielder should hit .250 or they don’t belong in the majors.. tell me he is better than melky? or damon.and i would not have either one of them..we need new blood..can you give me your factual position on swisher in the playoffs..if your going to get sarcastic don;t bother, like most people who can not a logical answer .

          Reply
          • T.O. Chris says:
            October 18, 2011 at 10:29 pm

            I very rarely post with a lot of sarcasm… It doesn’t translate well to the internet so I try to keep it to a minimum. However when you bash stats in general it kind of irks me. Calling anyone a “stat guy” doesn’t sit well with me either.

            Nick has only ever hit under .250 3 times in his career, and once was his first full year in the league. Outside of that year, and his down year in 2008 he has never posted a WAR below 3.2. Besides batting average means very little, and Swisher’s career OBP is .360, with a career OPS of .826. Very much the opposite of someone doesn’t belong in the major leagues.

            Also Andre Either has a career UZR/150 of -7.5 in RF, while Swisher’s career UZR/150 in RF is 4.7. So stats don’t back up your defense argument.

            You have an irrational hate of Nick Swisher, and despite his bad numbers in a small sample size in October he is a very good player. For his contract, and one year of play, you aren’t going to find a better player.

            To actually say you wouldn’t take him for 400K proves that you can’t view Swisher from a non biased point of view. So to say someone else doesn’t have a logical answer when you post that is silly. No one is going to change your mind on the subject, because you don’t want to. That’s fine, it’s your life to believe as you wish. But don’t be surprised when people disagree, and then try and use stats to back up why they do.

            I also have no clue what Melky or Damon has to do with anything, but yes Swisher is a better bet than either one for next year. Yes Melky had an incredible year this season, but it was also the first time his WAR has ever been above 1.7. I don’t expect him to now be a 4 WAR player every year. Damon literally can’t play the field, and outside of Yankee stadium his numbers are exactly what I expected them to be.

            I agree with you that in 38 games a triple slash line of .169/.295/.323 isn’t good, but he’s walked 21 times in 38 games proving that he is still working counts and taking his bases. 38 games is an extremely small sample size, and Swisher is as likely to have a good postseason next year as he is a bad one. But that isn’t the point. The point is he is the very best option, for the very best price available, and that’s not arguable. Sure you could possibly trade for a better option. But that would cost prospects and money, and the guy you get might still not do well in the postseason.

            Agree with me or disagree with me, I honestly don’t care. But if stats don’t matter, and the regular season doesn’t matter, and if you think Chris Dickerson would be a better option, you simply hate Swisher illogically.

            Reply
            • bornwithpinstripes says:
              October 18, 2011 at 11:15 pm

              i don’t know the person to hate , where does it say i personally hate him? the ‘small sample size ” you refer to is what playing sports is all about..the playoffs. and it is not worth a guy playing for free if he fails over a three year time frame..and then you go back to stats,, and where does it say i write stats off totally..in this guys case stats mean zero because that is what he has been in the playoffs …zero..and along with other guys we are watching texas…here you go with war..melky had 200 hits how many homers, twice as good in the field..but how i mention them is we let those players go..we can let this guy go..if tex or arods contracts were up i would be saying the same thing..but it is his that is up. if walking and hitting .169 is good for you for a 10mil player, hey be a g.m. tex walked and drove in a run in game 5, do you think that was good?..he had about six pitches down the middle to crush and that was just this at bat..his job is to get hits not get by with a walk..i know dickerson ethier or golson could have hit better than .169..that is a fact..did he playoff time before the yanks? look it up ..let me know if and how he did then also..maybe the sample gets larger..

              Reply
              • T.O. Chris says:
                October 18, 2011 at 11:29 pm

                38 games includes his entire postseason career, not his 3 years with the Yankees. his 3 years with the Yankees is a smaller sample size than that even.

                You know for a fact career minor leaguers like Golson and Dickerson would have hit better than Swisher?

                “FACT: something that actually exists; reality; truth:”

                “SPECULATION: the contemplation or consideration of some subject”

                You actually speculate they could have done better, there is no fact in saying they would have.

                Yes we let Melky go, because he never produced one season in prinstripes as good as Swisher’s worst year. In fact his best year was worth half of Swisher’s worst year with the Yankees. Had he constantly been a 3.2 – 4.1 WAR player they wouldn’t have. Had Damon not been about to turn 36, and could actually field they wouldn’t have let him go either. Citing the fact we let those 2 go has nothing to do with Swisher.

                The fact that every time stats come up that disagree with you, you then dismiss them, kind of implies you write them off. Or you only do so when they don’t fit your argument, either way it’s not unbiased.

                He also didn’t “fail over a 3 year time period”. In fact he really succeeded and surpassed expectations over a 3 year time period, he simply failed over a 28 game time period. Which is an extremely small sample size. It makes no sense what so ever to dismiss 3 years of production (450 games) because of 28 games in October. That isn’t how teams are run.

  13. Steve S. says:
    October 18, 2011 at 8:16 pm

    I just adore the title of this piece.

    Reply
  14. bornwithpinstripes says:
    October 18, 2011 at 11:42 pm

    chris why do you stick with small sample..it is just oct.?? when it comes to playoffs you throw the season away.. it is how you do then why do you not count oct.? chris i could hit better than .169 thats a fact..dickerson would have hit better..fact..just like your stats, probability says so

    Reply
    • T.O. Chris says:
      October 18, 2011 at 11:49 pm

      “it is how you do then why do you not count oct.? ”

      I have no idea what that means…

      small sample sizes are not what baseball is made of. It’s why they play 162 games schedules, the stats play out over long periods of time. Baseball is not meant to be decided in 4 or 5 games, it’s why the best team doesn’t always win in the playoffs.

      If you think Chris Dickerson is a better player than Swisher you are mad. He isn’t, never was, and never will be a better option than Swisher. There is a reason he’s a career minor leaguer, with not that good a numbers in triple A.

      You would have hit better than .169? Good luck with that… Your irrationality has gone too far for me.

      Once again

      FACT: “FACT: something that actually exists; reality; truth:”

      Reply
      • bornwithpinstripes says:
        October 18, 2011 at 11:58 pm

        chris did you ever play competitive baseball? you don’t know me so how can you come to that conclusion.do you know now for a fact i would not have hit .169 also? if so how do you know.. and how can you say the season counts and not oct. on that note how do you feel about tex..he hit 38 homers, but stunk again in the playoffs, is it o.k. for him to stink also, and then lets trow arod in..forget 09 for a minute ,lets talk about how he was getting abuse for being me biggest choke ever….oct counts in baseball.

        Reply
        • T.O. Chris says:
          October 19, 2011 at 12:15 am

          Can we please stop? I have tried to end this conversation 5 times…

          Sure man, you would have hit .400, with 20 HRs, and been WS MVP. If that’s what you want to hear fine. I just don’t want to do this anymore. You don’t want to have your mind changed so it won’t be, I’m not interested in running into a wall over and over again.

          Reply
        • michael says:
          October 19, 2011 at 12:55 am

          I’m imagining you sound like Sylvester Stallone being impersonated in South Park each time I read your comments.

          Reply
          • T.O. Chris says:
            October 19, 2011 at 1:03 am

            Is this a shot? Not sure what I’ve done to offend you, but OK, have at it if you wish.

            Mel Gibson would have probably been a better insult though, since they made him completely crazy in the show.

            Reply
            • Joe G says:
              October 20, 2011 at 11:25 am

              Glad you tried explaining Swish’s worth Chris, but next time I’d say don’t bother. The guys that hate Swisher obviously aren’t going to have their mind changed, no matter what evidence we put forward. As someone said before, I think this is the wrong board for them.

              Reply
  15. bornwithpinstripes says:
    October 18, 2011 at 11:51 pm

    chris here is a simple question..if you knew how swisher was going to perform and had all his numbers before game one.. all his times up with guys on base ..every at bat ..but you did not see in the future with dickerson. who would you play..

    Reply
    • Matt Imbrogno says:
      October 18, 2011 at 11:58 pm

      The only time Chris Dickerson should be starting over Nick Swisher is if the latter is injured.

      Reply
    • T.O. Chris says:
      October 19, 2011 at 12:09 am

      This is a ridiculous question… No part of the question is based in facts, it’s all some weird what if thing to try and prove a weird point.

      The bottom line is Nick Swisher is a much, much, much better player than Chris Dickerson will ever hope to be. I would start Nick Swisher in any game, in any inning, in any AB over Dickerson outside of a simple rest game in the regular season.

      How Dickerson would have done in the playoffs this past year is something no one can ever know, but it’s also irrelevant because you don’t know how things play out before they happen.

      In the playoffs you play your best players, period. You do your team, fans base, and yourself a disservice by playing an inferior player in any spot.

      I’m sorry Nick didn’t come up big, I’m sure so is Nick, but all this other stuff doesn’t change the fact that in 19 ABs he didn’t come up big. However I’m not going to toss him to the curb because of 19 ABs this year, 28 games in his Yankee career, or 38 games in his entire career, when he is clearly the best option. The rest is irrelevant.

      Like I said before. You don’t want to change your mind on that, and so it never will be. I’m sorry for that, but it’s your life to do with as you please.

      Reply
  16. Matt Imbrogno says:
    October 19, 2011 at 12:02 am

    Also, BWP, I have a legit question:

    Obviously, we all appreciate that you read and comment so frequently. I speak for every writer when I say that it means a lot to us. That doesn’t mean, though, that I’m not curious about something. You seem to disagree with us a lot, and not just our conclusions, but how we reach those conclusions (lots and lots of stats). In fact, you frequently show contempt for these methods. So, honestly, what keeps you coming here if you disagree so vehemently with our process and conclusions? I’m not trying to be combative or trying to tell you to go away, I’m just very curious about this.

    Reply
    • bornwithpinstripes says:
      October 19, 2011 at 12:49 am

      that’s easy .contrary to what you feel or believe, i like to hear all opinions, but maybe you have alot of common ground and feel good hearing guys parrot what positions you have .it feels good for you to hear most agree with you. i don’t have a problem telling my position. if you or anyone can show me how i am wrong on any issue,i don’t have a problem seeing it. but for the last two years, swisher subject, i don’t see how the swish fan base are not upset with his performance in oct. you say all of you , i see the game maybe from a different point of view than most of you.using your collective position. i have heard you matt on some radio outlets, you seem to know the game pretty well.i have watched at least 150 yankee games a year for decades, i go to spring training games , trenton games, tampa yanks.. i been following the yanks for 50 years.. i am not an expert on anything..but i have an opinion..and what i know about business , baseball, friends, and most other things in life, you just don’t go by the book or stats every time to back an issue..stats don’t show /…pressure and instinct for the game..if by your means we base swish on stats in the playoffs how can you defend him..but you say you like him so like him..but for my money he can never be on my playoff roster, and this has been my position this year again. before he choked again. matt i don’t feel attacked or anyone being combative..i did not start with sarcasm. if you all .feel you don’t want me to post here, just say it..but i never will go along with anything i don’t believe in..if it bothers some that i don’t high five you guys on your positions and players that are fan favorites just say so and i will drop out..

      Reply
  17. Michael P. says:
    October 19, 2011 at 12:09 am

    You can’t say for sure you know Dickerson would do better than Swisher. Your dealing with hypothetical scenarios, and neither side can be proven. Your assuming Dickerson would have done better. Well maybe he would have done worse? Maybe he goes up there and is so excited about somehow being the starting RF for the Yankees in the playoffs he swings at the first three pitches he sees and strikes out. And does so again, and again, and again. He ends the postseason not having worked any counts, no walks, no hits, no nothing. That would make him worse than Swisher.

    See as long as we are dealing in a hypothetical world, this is entirely plausible. So there, in my “what if” world I made my Dickerson unclutch, and now we all wish we had Swish because Dickerson sulks after and goes to the media and writes a tell all book about how much he hates the Yankees. Because thats what would happen if Dickerson was the starter. I am basing my knowledge on this from the same place you most likely got your knowledge, your gut.

    Reply
    • T.O. Chris says:
      October 19, 2011 at 12:12 am

      I love this response… I know I’m agreeing with you again Michael (Mike?), but I do haha.

      Reply
    • bornwithpinstripes says:
      October 19, 2011 at 1:05 am

      MICHAEL ,,he could have done worse by stats, but swishers factual performance we “know” and we are watching texas.that is a fact he stunk..if dickerson or anybody would have done worse what does it matter ..we lost. but what if dickerson would be the guy who smashed felix up there michael? what if he could have gotten to balls swish did not or make a great throw, or guys not run on swish arm vs dickerson..this issue is not dickerson it is swisher..nobody could do worst in rf than swish that is the point he was another player who bombed out..did i know before the series started that for a fact he would melt ..no..but i would never have put him out there, more so that he had elbow problems..but after the loss, my opinion became fact again. do you people really think i wanted him to crash..i rooted for him to get the big hit every time up..i am a yankee fan.. if he would have gotten one hit in game 5 with bases loaded we would not be talking about this and i would not say swisher must go..he reinforced my position on his worth …can not handle the big stage in the big moment

      Reply
      • T.O. Chris says:
        October 19, 2011 at 1:12 am

        So 1 AB would have changed your entire position on the guy? This is the argument against small sample sizes… You can’t make decisions like should you, or should you not pick up on option like that. Otherwise things would change from AB to AB, minute to minute.

        No one is denying he didn’t do well… However that is not the point, the point is he is the best man for the job available. Plus he has an extremely friendly 1 year option to do so.

        You seem to think this is about people liking or not liking Swisher as a person, or being a “Swisher fan”. When in reality it has to do with business, and Swisher is the best business decision for the Yankees in RF for 2012. Which is why the option will be picked up, and he will be the starting RFer in 2012 for the Yankees.

        Reply
        • bornwithpinstripes says:
          October 19, 2011 at 1:33 am

          yes one pressure moment would have gotten the yanks to texas and maybe he would have proved himself in another series.. have you ever heard players say hey maybe that bad hop single or that bloop hit may get him out of that funk.. playoffs are at bat to at bat moments..ask girardi when he tripled or leyritz hitting that homer vs braves.. thats what makes player to remember the postseason. and like i said last year after the postseason trade this guy, he will falter in the big game ..if you are happy when we get there in 2012 again and he fail for not just a one year contract but 4 years of failure ..get ready because he will melt.. be careful what you wish for ..again. i wanted to be wrong on him this year like i said on this site and to all the yankee fans i speak with. i would have loved to be wrong and still be playing.. but remember next year..when he is looking up to the sky again, blaming the ump again…. hey i hope next year you ask me to say i was wrong.. 10mil to a .250 hitter/…only the yankee fans can want that..we are spoiled

          Reply
          • T.O. Chris says:
            October 19, 2011 at 1:49 am

            The argument you are making is based off of 7 games this year, or 28 games in his Yankee career he doesn’t deserve to be brought back. I could find 7 games, or 28 games in his Yankee career where he was red hot. If I were to then use that sample size to say he deserves a 5 year 100 million dollar contract, it would be just as silly as what you are saying now.

            This is where you are missing the boat. 1 hit can snap you out of a slump, but we aren’t talking about a player being in a slump. We are talking about picking up a relatively cheap team option on a player more valuable to the team than the 10 million he will be paid.

            Playoffs are at bat to at bat moments, business however is not. You won’t separate personal from business, this is the problem. There is no better option than Swisher for the Yankees in RF, this is simply facts. Any player we bring in through free agency won’t be as good as Swisher is, and some of them will cost more to be worse. Any player you have to trade for you not only have to pay money, but also give up prospects for. To trade for any player better than Swisher you would have to give up top prospects for. Because of this you should be glad we have a 10 million dollar club option on Swisher, because I guarantee he would get more per year on a long term deal in free agency.

            Why do you keep bringing up .250? Batting average is a useless stat, and not a stat define Nick Swisher at all. He is a worker, a guy who works pitchers, works counts, and draws walks. Swisher is a OBP/OPS kind of player. His numbers more than justify a 10 million dollar contract.

            In fact over the last 3 years Nick has been worth much more than 10 million. According to fangraphs Swisher was worth 14.2M in 2009, 16.4M in 2010, and 17.0M in 2011. To ONLY have to pay a player of this caliber 10 million for 1 season, is a contract any team in baseball would jump on.

            You’re right about one thing, you are spoiled…

            Reply
            • T.O. Chris says:
              October 19, 2011 at 2:08 am

              Just to further show why we don’t judge players on a small sample size. I’m sure you would love to have Josh Hamilton play RF for the Yankees next year. Well Josh Hamilton went 2-20 in last years World Series. Is he someone who “melts”, doesn’t have the clutch gene, falls apart under pressure?

              Reply
  18. Michael P. says:
    October 19, 2011 at 11:44 am

    I don’t mind people saying Swisher shouldn’t be on the team. And sure I like every other Yankee fan am not happy he didn’t come through in the clutch again. Do I want Swisher here long term? No, actually I don’t. Despite the fact that power and patience which he has in abundance always ages more gracefully than the guys who rely on their legs, the fact that he doesn’t hit in the postseason is a big deal to me. Small sample size sure, but we can go back to his Oakland days and he was never really productive in the postseason. Bornwithpinstripes we agree there.

    However where we differ is how we go about solving the problem. Thing with Swisher is that he has been remarkably consistent over his career. And given his struggles I believe his numbers are due to even themselves out eventually. His option is 10 million, and if you count his homers, OBP, defense, and baserunning he is worth well over 10 million. And it is a one year prove it deal. You can pick it up and trade him, you can pick it up let him play it out and offer arbitration as he walks to another team, or if he proves himself in the postseason, you can extend a player who has year in and year out been a very very productive player. Its a deal that saves the Yankees money, and gives them options. There is no logical way that picking up this option is a bad idea.

    Without exercising the option, you lose the ability to trade him, and you don’t offer him arbitration so when he does sign with another team you don’t even get a pick. Also his departure leaves a gaping hole in RF. You can’t find .377 OBP and 25 homer power anywhere. Its your solutions I don’t find to be agreeable.

    Reply
  19. Dave M says:
    October 20, 2011 at 9:49 am

    I like Swish too. But my only issue with him is that he doesn’t really drive in or score a lot of runs. Some of that has to do with where he bats. But most of it has to do with his lack of clutch hitting. I’d still keep him though since he’s a good guy. And I don’t really see a better option out there.

    Reply
    • Matt Imbrogno says:
      October 20, 2011 at 10:24 am

      The average MLBer with 635 PAs drove in 67 runners while having 384 on base in front of him. That’s 17.45%. Nick Swisher drove in 85 while having 410 on in front of him, a 20.73% mark.

      Reply
  20. larry says:
    October 20, 2011 at 11:01 am

    If there are two ways to build a team the first is to make the playoffs and Swish is a moneyball play for that… But moneyball doesn’t work come post season… and there must be an option other than Swisher in right field come post season… He hasn’t just not hit… he has been unable to bunt or hit a fly ball in crucial situations… he also is not a good defensive RF… He should be a RH platoon player in playoffs… is that worth 10.5 million? maybe… but if you could get a real everyday RF for 5-7 million more it would probably be worth it… Money only matters to critics… I have no vested interest in Yankee payroll coming down… They are not lowering ticket prices or any other prices… so why should I not want them to spend more…

    Reply
    • Joe G says:
      October 20, 2011 at 11:27 am

      By this logic we should replace Mark Teixiera in October as well. Also what exactly is a “Moneyball” type of player? And finally, Swisher showed he was a good RF this year if you look at the information available. Sure he make look awkward at times making plays, but generally he makes the plays.

      Reply
  21. larry says:
    October 20, 2011 at 11:07 am

    The salary argument is a null set… why do we care about his value against salary? AJ Burnett has made bigger post season contributions than Swisher… If you can’t look at MLB in the duality… winning a marathon and then winning a sprint you will say keep swisher… but the fact is when it comes sprinting time he has been utterly useless… look at the spots he was up in post season… he just is not someone you can have in your line-up in the playoffs… utterly useless and he has even lost his eye in post season PA’s… he swung at ball 4 twice during his crucial bases loaded AB in game 5… also it isn’t one series… it has been every series… he hasn’t even really had a good game or back to back good at bats where he made outs… hamilton has had great series… swish has been awful awful and then hideous…

    Reply

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