Swisher is loving life
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Apr 11, 2009 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
Nick Swisher through five games:
.538/.625/1.385.
“I’m loving it,” he said. “It’s like I almost don’t want to wake up. I don’t want to soak it in right now. I want to keep that fire and keep that passion and keep that attitude going right now. I know in this game you’re going to go through ups and downs. But right now it’s going pretty well.”
Yeah, a 2.010 OPS would qualify as “going pretty well.” Getting into numbers now is silly, obviously. But what these first five games have shown is that the Yankees have options they didn’t have before.
That have scored 31 runs in five games without A-Rod is tremendous as every day they they find a way is another day closer to his return.
Meanwhile, the last three starters have allowed three runs over 20 innings.
“Just like we drew it up,” Joe Girardi said.
Because he is quickly becoming your favorite, here is some Swisher postgame audio:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Thanks for reading tonight. Back at it tomorrow, weather permitting.
That Swisher is really in the zone…I can’t remember a new acquisition getting off to a better start can you?
I still believe that he’s an underrated player who, still being under 30, has enough upside to make a significant contribution to this team for the next few years as Damon, Matsui, and Nady likely depart.
That was a lot of fun to listen to, thanks!
“That Swisher is really in the zone…I can’t remember a new acquisition getting off to a better start can you?”
David Justice, 2000.
2010 OF: Swisher, Gardner, Austin Jackson???
Also, out of Matsui, Damon, Nady I think Damon has the best chance of being resigned. A lot will depend on Gardner’s year.
Scoring all these runs and the best hitter in the league not even playing.
This team is scary good. Scary.
He owes it all to thunderbolt
Nick is hilarious – I don’t know how he gets any sleep, he’s so wired. I appreciate people who are passionate and Nick is certainly that, lol. He loves the game, he loves people – and, as an aside, he’s a good ballplayer. What more can you want?
I love all of our new guys -they all bring different things to the table, but the important thing is that they are quality on and off the field
miggs
2010 OF: Swisher, Gardner, Austin Jackson???
__
Gardner has a ton to prove (not that AJack and Swisher don’t).
I think they’ll add a big time OFer who can SLG. Holliday?
I agree that Damon has the best chance to remain of the others.
My god it is exhausting listening to Nick.
How does anyone keep up with him.
jennifer
My god it is exhausting listening to Nick. How does anyone keep up with him.
__
By drinking as many Red Bulls as he does?
Manny Banuelos: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R. 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 WP, 1 Balk
(Remember that name)
P.S. Austin Jackson 3 for 4 w/ a triple, he’s off to a .462 AVG ..keep it up kid can’t wait to see you in Sept.
Go yankees
at this rate, Swisher is forcing Cashman to trade Nady.
Swisher’s twitter account is pretty amusing as well
‘at this rate, Swisher is forcing Cashman to trade Nady.’
*coughs* SF, ATL, etc… (excuse me)
I don’t know. With a team that’s this old, it’s all hands on deck. Imagine if we had gotten rid of Nady, and, heaven forbid, someone should go down? Then we need to scramble.
Brandon – someone will bite.
m – there’s always the trade deadline. of course we gotta see when Swisher will cool down, heaven forbid.
Ed,
Have always thought there’s a strong possiblity that some NL will need a RH bat for the final push. Believe me, the ladies are dreading the day.
And whoever the heck said that they only get excited for Wright and Church? He or she must be blind, or not aware that Nady’s on the team.
with 3% of the season over already i agree we need to trade Nady. Depth is overrated and Swish will win MVP.
please calm down. enjoy things how they are. next week Swish might hit like Matsui, Matsui might hit like Cano, Cano might hit like Gardner and Damon might hit like Swish.
Nick’s place on the team is just like his personality. He’s like Tigger, bouncing around on his tail. If he was the starthing RF, we lose flexibility.
Instead, just let him bounce around. Just like they drew it up.
mel,
lol, no comment on Nady’s looks. of course a NL contending team with lots of lefty in their lineups will need a RH bat. I’m guessing it will be the Braves, if they continue their fire throughout the season.
The Easter Bunny just finished up here.
I asked P-Cotton if he was a baseball fan and he muttered something about athletes, superstition and his feet which I didn’t quite understand but he seemed like a nice enough guy.
He did say he’s bringing Swisher a big basket of Red Bull, 5 Hour Energy and coffee beans for being so good lately.
My last believer is sure to make for an early wake-up call tomorrow morning so night all.
I think Nady would be a lot hotter if he was a better player…
I say leave the team the way it is if they can keep it up. Swish offers a lot of flexability with the lineup, and he seems like the type that wants to perform when the pressure is on. I know it’s only the first week, but still…
As for ’10, I think depending on what Boras asks for, it could be Swish in left, AJax in Center and Nady in Right.
I complained about Swisher batting 2nd prior to this game.. Now I don’t care where he bats as long as he’s in there. Hopefully Joe keeps playing the hot hand.
I feel like the media is trying to make Swisher a fan favorite because he’s a great quote machine for them. Is he the only one that’s talking to the media these days? Seems like it…
‘As for ‘10, I think depending on what Boras asks for, it could be Swish in left, AJax in Center and Nady in Right.’
Dude Nady is gone after this yr., we got robbed in the PIT deal, right now they might shop him somewhere by the summer.
I-Brandon (I LOVE ME SOME ME !)
‘10, I think depending on what Boras asks for, it could be Swish in left, AJax in Center and Nady in Right.’
Dude Nady is gone after this yr., we got robbed in the PIT
deal, right now they might shop him somewhere by the summer.
__
The Pittsburg deal was bad. It will likely always remain so. Nady does not have the skillset to remain on this team. Re-signing him would be akin to thinking that two wrongs can be remade into a right.
yes team chemistry is way overrated, but isn’t it wonderful to sign guys that are all high character, fit right in and go to work.
Just pay attention to the post game interviews of tex, CC, and swish, you cant’ ask for anything more.
Just think for a sec about our starting pitching… we are on a three game winning streak and our starter tomorrow… he is just one of the best young pitching prospects in the game, sporting a 2.6 era in 12 starts last yr with 118 k’s in 100.1 IP. Following Joba you have Chien Ming Wang and A.J Burnett. IDK, I’f be a little nervous if I was the opposing manager.
Then consider the starts of Robbie and Swish – and Posada coming off injury… When you insert Arod back into the lining up protecting Tex that is a complete team
Our bullpen hasn’t given up a run in 11 plus innings.
I think it is pretty safe to say this is going to be a resurgence of great april baseball in NY.
Trading Nady now would be stupid. Matsui often looks like he can’t walk much less hit with those bad wheels.
Matsui can’t play everyday even as the DH and Damon needs his share of days off as well to keep his legs fresh.
Having a decent bench has never hurt anyone.
Great question Pete
“I love it, I mean I absolutely love… It’s like I almost don’t wanna wake up”
–swish
I have to believe your able to ask this question bc you understand the fan base bc of this blog more than any other beat writer.
Thank you
Loving the Swish starter. Not that we should put any stock in small sample sizes, but if it convinces Joey G. that Nick needs to start every day, then shove it down his throat.
Nady really should be restricted to lefty-only duty, spelling either Damon or Matsui when the Yanks face a southpaw (not that they can’t hit lefties, but it’s the optimal time to give them a blow). Next year, I think they let Damon, Matsui and Nady all walk. Should Gardner show he can at least develop gap power, forcing pitchers to not just throw him fastballs down the plate and allowing him to work the count and get on base, he can stay on as the center fielder, wtih A-Jax in the other corner. If not, A-Jax becomes the center fielder and the Yankees finally move Jeter to the outfield, getting a shortstop who can actually get balls that are more than two feet to his left.
“Trading Nady now would be stupid.”
seriously.
do some of you ever learn your lesson? You panic when CC has a bad start. You clamor to waive guys after a couple games. Now Swisher is an MVP candidate after 3 games.
Stop making final judgments based on miniscule sample sizes.
Depth is a key in this game and it looks like the Yankees have it. They shouldn’t mess with that.
“I feel like the media is trying to make Swisher a fan favorite because he’s a great quote machine for them.”
Someone has been paying attention!
Swish is the new Giambi. So glad we have someone who brings that energy to the team and is totally dedicated to giving everything he has no matter where they stick him.
Can’t wait to see Joba up there tomorrow, he’s definitely going to be fired up!
Don’t usually copy & paste from the other beat writers, but thought you guys would enjoy this:
Swisher looked like a spare part after the Yankees signed Mark Teixeira, and in time he might be. But for now, Swisher is doing everything the Yankees could have wanted, and they have the notorious Ruben Rivera to thank.
Makes no sense, right? Well, follow the evolution of the trade that brought Swisher to the Yankees.
1990 – Yankees sign Rivera from Panama.
1997 – Yankees trade Rivera to Padres in Hideki Irabu deal.
1999 – Yankees trade Irabu to Expos for Jake Westbrook (and others)
2000 – Yankees trade Westbrook to Indians for David Justice
2001 – Yankees trade Justice to Mets for Robin Ventura
2003 – Yankees trade Ventura to Dodgers for Scott Proctor
2007 – Yankees trade Proctor to Dodgers for Wilson Betemit
2008 – Yankees trade Betemit to White Sox in Swisher deal
There you have it. How Nick Swisher became a Yankee, in eight easy steps.
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/
#Boston Dave
seriously.
do some of you ever learn your lesson? You panic when CC has a bad start. You clamor to waive guys after a couple games. Now Swisher is an MVP candidate after 3 games.
Stop making final judgments based on miniscule sample sizes.
Depth is a key in this game and it looks like the Yankees have it. They shouldn’t mess with that.
__
I don’t think it makes sense to trade anyone now because there are no good deals to be made until at least June, but there is no “minuscule sample size” issue with Nady.
To the contrary, we have 2242 ABs and a 108 career OPS+. That is what he is, a slightly better than average offensive player and a slightly below average defensive player. This team doesn’t need that going forward.
The other reason not to trade Nady now is that we don’t know that the team’s primary needs are. Will it be a CFer, or a catcher, or INFer to supplant Ransom?
But overall, Nady is expendable when and if the right deal comes along and value can be gotten back.
“I feel like the media is trying to make Swisher a fan favorite because he’s a great quote machine for them.”
How can he NOT be becoming a fan favorite? He just got here, he’s full of energy, he’s hitting great, and he’s funny and engaging. He acts differently than the rest, so the media reports on that.
Granted, Pete saying “Because he is quickly becoming your favorite” is a little forward and supports your point of view, as a fan, he’s right. Swisher is quickly becoming my favorite. It was a joke anyway.
Anyway, nobody’s trading for Nady one week into the season. Non-issue for the moment.
Swish is a beast!
Nick Swisher for MVP!
Jeter in LF, while I like where your handle’s at, you ignored Nady’s career platoon splits, which allow him to be deployed in a more optimal fashion than your typical 108 OPS plusing corner outfielder. His tOPS+ for his career against lefties is 117; if I’m interpreting that correctly (I can’t find the exact formula on B-R’s new design), that essentially makes him a 126 (108*1.17) OPS+er against lefties, and that’s definitely worth having on the bench. Obviously, if somebody offers a godfather trade for him, you do it, but he does have a place on this team.
Thanks for the Audio Pete. Swish is the man.
Nick’s peaks are very high and his lows very low I’m guessing. swisher said he had three red bulls? maybe he should give one to matsui. He’s got that Here’s Johnny axe murderer look from The Shining when he’s at bat.
Is swisher looking up at the count after every pitch? or is he just looking up at his batting avg to pump himself up?
gotta be honest. i’m on my way to ordering a “33″ jersey. is swish this generation’s paulie? time will tell.
Fair point, Kevin.
You’re right, he does have some value.
That said, his value is dependent on Girardi *realizing* that he should only play against lefties, but there is an optimal way to use him.
Jeter having fun in a club until he spots the camera filming him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LURDNH_aLk
I love how Jeter in LF responds to Kevin saying “…(Nady) does have some value.”
People open your eyes!
With Nady, Damon, Swisher, and Matsui on the team, one of them is a bench player for the day (except for a rare occasion one of them is covering CF). Whoever is sitting that day has more than “some” value to our team or any other team for that matter. This is a group of legit ballplayers. The flexibility the extra man provides us is a huge advantage. The simple fact that any one of them can go down with an injury should give us pause to believe one of them is expendable. Has an off-season caused us to forget what happened last year? What about the year before that? Keep them all.
sorry, i don’t mean to take a jab at Jeter in LF.
I just feel as though this should be obvious. Nady is very valuable to our team and lets be real, Swish is going to come crashing to earth sometime soon. We still have 97% of a season to play so we are better off playing it safe. I trust Cashman. Unless some team comes to us with a sweet deal, ok, but don’t go shopping our insurance policy.
Nady gives the team depth, and at this point in time, especially, it’s good to have depth. So early in the season, you really don’t know what’s going to happen. Someone could get hurt, or… Swisher has been showing what he can do when he’s going well. but it’s not realistic to think he’s going to keep up this kind of pace. Does he have the talent to go .285/30/100? Sure. And that’s why Cashman wanted to hold onto him throughout the spring, when the Braves kept asking about him.
I’ve always thought that Swisher is a more talented player than Nady. And he’s younger, and signed for the next few years.
But with Matsui a bit of a concern, I don’t think Cashman is going to be looking to trade Nady anytime soon. But if some need, or opportunity, arises, Nady makes a good trading chip.
Forget Tex. Forget CC. Forget A.J. If Swisher can keep hitting say, 270 with 75 RBI’s and more than 25 HR’s, NY will be Swisher’s town. His personality is perfectly suited to the city.
By the way, what was Sterling’s HR call of Swisher? I’ve been dying to figure that out.
Having two OFers on our team who both have the ability to start is a problem most teams would kill for. Keep Nady. He’s more than serviceable and just like right now when Swisher is hot and Nady’s out, one day Nady will be hot and Swisher will be out.
I expect todays game to get rained out….nasty weather in kc today and tomorrow
dave-I might agree except that so far every time the weather reports called for rain, the weather’s been fine.
>Jeter having fun in a club until he spots the camera filming him.
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LURDNH_aLk
Video is private.
Seems like we should get the game in. Today it calls for LATE showers, and it’s an afternoon game.
Yeah, it says occasional showers, but it doesn’t make it sound terribly bad.
By the way, NYS should have gotten a dome.
Happy Easter to everyone …Swish is one big bundle of fun especially when he’s contributing. I hope they get the game in …I want to keep the win streak going. Good Luck Joba !!!
Go Yankees 2009 !!!
I’m really enjoying the composition of the team this year, I think Swisher will be a nice fixture in RF for the next few years when Nady walks. Agreed that with the age of many of the roster mainstays, it makes sense to have a legit major league talent ready on the bench, someone will inevitably go down.
It’s clear right now in Kansas City but here’s the forecast:
“Cloudy. Showers likely early in the afternoon. Periods of showers late in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 40s. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.”
This is the Yanks only trip to Kansas City this year. I’m sure they will try to get the game in if possible.
beefy,
As Kevin pointed out, Nady is really a very good platoon player who will want a big contract after the season. It makes no sense for the Yankees to give him one. If at some point during the season trading him can fill a more pressing need, they should do it.