New York YANKEES spring training thread......... 2 days until season starts: LETS GO YANKEES!

[illoquent aka dsk]

Originally Posted by CarolinaPack04

swisher should be a nice fit in CF. need to step that avg up tho

Nick Swisher in 2008 had the worst batting average among players with at least 502 plate appearances, the number needed to qualify for the batting title.
[table] From the bottom up [tr][td]Nick Swisher, White Sox[/td] [td].219[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Daric Barton, A's[/td] [td].226[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Michael Bourn, Astros[/td] [td].229[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Jack Cust, A's[/td] [td].231[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Mark Ellis, A's[/td] [td].233[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Rickie Weeks, Brewers[/td] [td].234[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Kevin Millar, Orioles[/td] [td].234[/td] [/tr][/table]

Originally Posted by Stringer Bell 32

The "Good Swisher" is a patient switch hitter that takes a lot of pitches and draws a lot of walks. His average could probably get as high as .280 with a good OBP.


Defensively, he's solid at 1B. The outfield is another story.


My biggest concern for Nick in NY is that he's an emotional guy and you have to kind of handle him with kid gloves.

To provide a little context for the trade, no one I know is really upset with this trade and Nick was a pretty big fan favorite

Hmm...so he's like the poor man's Bobby Abreu, except he plays with passion? His power #'s are better than Abreu's, but seems likehe gets a lot of outs...

 

[dland24]

A question for Yankee fans.....

Do you guys still believe Phil Hughes is going to be good? I mean, he was one of the main reasons you fans thought it was good you didnt trade for Johan right?

Last night, before his Fall League team's game started, I talked to the manager of his team (there are like 100 people at these games, so its easy to talkto players/coaches.) Here was our short convo:

Me: Is Hughes going to be pitching tonight?
Him: No.
Me: Why not? He's your best pitcher.
Him: Ha....our best pitcher? He's gotten shelled everytime he's pitched. He isnt even here...we sent him home.

I've been to 4 fall league games this week, and I gotta say this is some of the worst hitting I have seen. NO ONE can hit an offspead pitch. The players onmy high school team I coach seem to have a better idea of how to hit than what I have seen. With that being said, how is someone as highly regarded as PhilHughes getting shelled in this league? To someone who has never followed his career (me), I assumed that he is a stud in the making. I've heard nothing butgreat things about him.

After my experience last night, I couldnt be more shocked that the Yankees passed up a chance at the best pitcher in baseball for someone that MIGHT be good.And again, after last night, the chance that he MIGHT be good seems to be less and less.

So Yankee fans...I have to ask. Do you guys still think he will be good?

 

[briannnnn]

I still have confidence in Hughes.

He's only 22...just gotta give him some time to refine his pitches.

He struggled this season because he had a rib that was bothering him and because he actually couldn't see well (especially at night). Poor vision meant hislocation and command were off. That's why he was sporting glasses when he returned to the team near the end of the regular season.

Some lament the Yankees could've gotten Santana in exchange for Hughes and others but it's easy to speak in hindsight.

And if anything, the Yankees just rushed him too early to be a starter in 2008. I hope he will be more prepared going into 2009.

 

[illoquent aka dsk]

Originally Posted by briannnnn

I still have confidence in Hughes.

He's only 22...just gotta give him some time to refine his pitches.

He struggled this season because he had a rib that was bothering him and because he actually couldn't see well (especially at night). Poor vision meant his location and command were off. That's why he was sporting glasses when he returned to the team near the end of the regular season.

Some lament the Yankees could've gotten Santana in exchange for Hughes and others but it's easy to speak in hindsight.

And if anything, the Yankees just rushed him too early to be a starter in 2008. I hope he will be more prepared going into 2009.

All excellent points. Especially the Yankees rushing him early...we all heard good things about this kid. If i'm not mistaken, he was in thetop 3 of pitching prospects of all of baseball at one point...he's shown flashes of brilliance at the majors, but just needs to have an injury free seasonand to get it all together. He's still 22...hopefully the Yankees don't give up on him and he doesn't give up on himself.

 

[im cool c]

PERFECT! Traded for a .219 batting average.

How do some of you even justify this dumb trade.. What's his contract like BTW. I hope we're not stuck with this dude.

BTW wasn't he the dude that replaced Giambi in Oakland & now he's doing it again in New York.. lol

 

[MON5T3R]

Originally Posted by iM COOL C

PERFECT! Traded for a .219 batting average.

How do some of you even justify this dumb trade.. What's his contract like BTW. I hope we're not stuck with this dude.

BTW wasn't he the dude that replaced Giambi in Oakland & now he's doing it again in New York.. lol

Yeah, I dont really like this trade either.

 

[briannnnn]

The acquisition of Swisher is more of like an insurance policy; if the Yankees can't get Teixeira (or even Adrian Gonzalez, as some people on the internetsthink the Yankees would trade for him) then they at least have a fairly-decent 1B who can also play RF if needed (since it's not guaranteed Abreu isreturning, either).

Keep this in mind as well (pretty sure I mentioned it before, but I'll repeat)

Betemit = bum. Any attempts by me in the past to hype this guy up were not meant to be taken seriously

... He wasn't the epitome of the offensivecatalyst off the bench. His defense was only so-so at virtually every position in the IF. And he's at a point in his career where any chance of an upswingis long gone.

Marquez and Nunez: both were pitchers in the minors with pretty good stuff (Marquez was one of the Yankees top prospects according to Baseball America, orsomething) but they didn't have the stuff to make it to the major league club. I don't know enough about Nunez but Marquez was okay (doesn't havethe stuff that would generate buzz like Phil Hughes).

So basically, the Yankees got rid of nothing and got something in return. They also freed up spots on the 40-man roster (so they can protect a couple moreplayers from the Rule 5 Draft.

 

[jordan201]

I don't like this trade much man. I really liked Marquez.

And this dude batted only .219? Wow.

Also, is it just me or does he look he and Damon are gonna be Shower buddies?

P.S.

briannnnnnn- No more Betebum avy and sig

 

[stringer bell 32]

He only batted .167 in September and lost his job to a combo or Brain Anderson and Dewayne Wise

but again he's a great guy and you will root for him

 

[DeadsetAce]

Originally Posted by JoRDaN201

Also, is it just me or does he look he and Damon are gonna be Shower buddies?

 

[tbone95860]

I like this trade for sure.
Good trade.

Walks since 2006

Adam Dunn 335
Pat Burrell 314
David Ortiz 300
Ryan Howard 296
Albert Pujols 295
Jim Thome 293
Lance Berkman 291
Bobby Abreu 281
Nick Swisher 279

Only 25 of those walks were intentional.

Here are the two key things Brian Cashman said today about Nick Swisher:
"We acquired him for the purpose of plugging him into the lineup on an everyday basis."

Then a few minutes later:

"He's at average at best in center field and it's as simple as that. He's a guy who can give us plus defense at the corners and at first base and we could play him in center field if we chose to do that. But we'd be looking for a different type of profile for that position, quite frankly. … Center field would be more of an insurance policy for us."

So if Swisher is playing every day and he's not playing center field, he's the first baseman. Unless Cashman blows it all up and starts trading corner OFs.

Swisher also fits what Cashman and Girardi have been saying since August: That the Yankees need to be younger, more athletic and better on defense.

Yankees acquired first baseman-outfielder Nick Swisher and RHP Kanekoa Texeira from the White Sox for infielder Wilson Betemit, RHP Jeff Marquez and RHP Jhonny Nunez.

We still think Betemit can be an adequate regular, but this is a great trade for the Yankees. Three pieces they had little use for in return for a possible 30-homer guy still in his prime. Swisher was quite a disappointment while hitting .219 for the White Sox last season, but he still had 24 homers and 82 walks in 497 at-bats. If he bounces back to .260 or so, he's a well above average regular. Plus, he gives the Yankees plenty of flexibility. He should be penciled in at first base for now, but he can shifted to right or center if the Yankees go and get that other Teixeira fellow.

According to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, the White Sox will receive two minor leaguers and one big-league reserve from the Yankees for Nick Swisher and Kanekoa Texeira.

If ESPN is correct, Jeff Marquez is one of the minor leaguers. We're guessing the major league reserve in Wilson Betemit. Hopefully for the White Sox, the other prospect is better than Marquez, who is shaping up as nothing more than a middle reliever. But this could be a great deal for the Yankees regardless.

 

[DeadsetAce]

i always liked swisher...one of those hard nosed guys

 

[tbone95860]

Swisher is plenty capable, clearly the White Sox were not a good fit....


[table][tr][td]SEASON[/td] [td]TEAM[/td] [td]G[/td] [td]AB[/td] [td]R[/td] [td]H[/td] [td]2B[/td] [td]3B[/td] [td]HR[/td] [td]RBI[/td] [td]BB[/td] [td]SO[/td] [td]SB[/td] [td]CS[/td] [td]AVG[/td] [td]OBP[/td] [td]SLG[/td] [td]OPS[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2006[/td] [td]Oak[/td] [td]157[/td] [td]556[/td] [td]106[/td] [td]141[/td] [td]24[/td] [td]2[/td] [td]35[/td] [td]95[/td] [td]97[/td] [td]152[/td] [td]1[/td] [td]2[/td] [td].254[/td] [td].372[/td] [td].493[/td] [td].865[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2007[/td] [td]Oak[/td] [td]150[/td] [td]539[/td] [td]84[/td] [td]141[/td] [td]36[/td] [td]1[/td] [td]22[/td] [td]78[/td] [td]100[/td] [td]131[/td] [td]3[/td] [td]2[/td] [td].262[/td] [td].381[/td] [td].455[/td] [td].836[/td] [/tr][/table]

 

[stringer bell 32]

Swisher is plenty capable, clearly the White Sox were not a good fit....

How were the White Sox the problem??

 

[stringer bell 32]

Ruth, Mantle, Gehrig........Swisher?

 

[tbone95860]

Originally Posted by Stringer Bell 32

Swisher is plenty capable, clearly the White Sox were not a good fit....

How were the White Sox the problem??

Batting him too high in the order?
White Sox free swinging aggressive approach that they want their players to have when that's not Swisher's style?
I don't know... could be a lot of things.

And could have just not been a good fit..... some players just don't play good on certain teams.... then go to a new team and play 180 degrees different.Happens all of the time in sports.

 

[stringer bell 32]

Batting him too high in the order?
And he excelled at it for a very brief stint

White Sox free swinging aggressive approach that they want their players to have when that's not Swisher's style?
And he was thrilled with it. His most memorable at bat in 2008 are all dingers.

It was funny because he started getting the nickname mini Giambi

He should have lost his job much sooner than he did but injuries and poor performance by Konerko kept him in the line up.

imo - this is a pretty high risk, high reward move by the Yankees because I very much doubt Swish has what it takes to handle NY fans and the media.

I love Swish btw...I'mma go cop a cheap player tee tomorrow at Grandstand

 

[tbone95860]

 

[tbone95860]

Originally Posted by Stringer Bell 32

Batting him too high in the order?

And he excelled at it for a very brief stint

Last year =

Batting 1st through 3rd =
25 for 131 = 191 AVG
5 HR......... (.038 per AB)
11 RBI......... (.084 per AB)
29 BB......... (.181 per PA)
35 K......... (0.267 per AB)

Batting 5th through 9th =
84 for 366 = 230 AVG
19 HR......... (.052 per AB)
49 RBI......... (.134 per AB)
53 BB......... (.126 per PA)
100 K......... (.273 per AB)


2006 through 2008 =

Batting 1st through 4th =
222 for 924 = 240 AVG
42 HR......... (.045 per AB)
130 RBI......... (.141 per AB)
176 BB......... (.16 per PA)
229 K......... (.248 per AB)

Batting 5th through 9th =
169 for 620 = 272 AVG
39 HR......... (.063 per AB)
112 RBI......... (.181 per AB)
103 BB......... (.142 per PA)
189 K......... (.305 per AB)

Other interesting stats (2006-200....
Bases loaded = 42 AB... 357 AVG... 4 HR... 52 RBI
Close & Late = 247 AB... 239 AVG... 12 HR... 35 RBI
Runners On = 687 AB... 240 AVG... 33 HR... 194 RBI
RISP = 363 AB... 223 AVG... 17 HR... 156 RBI

2006-2008 Overall = 1592 AB... 246 AVG... 81 HR... 242 RBI

 

[stringer bell 32]

Some people hear what they want to

 

[tbone95860]

Originally Posted by Stringer Bell 32

Some people hear what they want to

Well if he ends up starting... he won't be batting 1 through 6 we know that, so it's alright

1. Damon---LF
2. Jeter---SS
3. Nady---RF
4. A-Rod---3B
5. Matsui---DH
6. Posada---C
7. Cano---2B
8. Swisher---1B
9. ?????---CF

one potential line-up I suppose. I doubt it ends up being that though, but you get the point


Swisher's a good character guy though so that'll be nice to replace Giambi.... a really good character guy.... with someone similar

 

[ak nako]

word is yanks just got texeira...

EDIT

from my source

"see what I did there"

 

[yoda]

Basically a role player that we can plug in where we need fit..

Plus, dudes last name is

 

[deepinthajeep]

Great move B-Cash.

 

[lmbassclown]

SO WE MADE THE BIGGEST OFFER FOR A PITCHER IN MLB HISTORY.....TAKE IT, CC!

Yankees make offer to Sabathia, have Burnett and Lowe on radar

By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine
(Archive)

As expected Friday, the New York Yankees officially tendered an offer to free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia.

The offer is expected to be six years in length and have a total value of slightly more that the record $137.5 million deal that pitcher Johan Santana signedwith the Mets before last season.

Santana's deal had been the largest ever for a pitcher.

Friday represented the first day that free agents can be signed. The Yankees also are expected to make offers to free-agent right-handers A.J. Burnett andDerek Lowe.

Burnett has a four-year, $54 million offer from Toronto, while Lowe is looking for a five-year contract.