Yankees trade for Nick Swisher; Wilson Betemit, and P's Jeff Marquez & Jhonny Nunez to CHW

[crewcrazy]

From ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3700869

 

The Yankees trade minor league pitcher Jeff Marquez to the White Sox for Nick Swisher. It'll be interesting to see if this trade eliminates the "Cameron to the Yanks" rumors.

 

Edit: An update -- Wilson Betemit and Jhonny Nunez also head to the ChiSox. At first ESPN was just reporting Swisher for Marquez.

[MillerParkSouth]

this is very disappointing. I was really hoping that we could buy low on Swisher. is OBP would have been very welcome on the Brewers.

[endaround]

Unless the Brewers were moving Hart, Swisher just doesn't fit here. He really isn't a CFer. That said this is exactly why the trade of Inman was looked down upon. Not that Inman was going to set Milwaukee on fire but that he was sold cheap to San Diego.

[Oldcity]

Ah, boo. Also had pipe dreams of Swisher.

[TooLiveBrew]

Love this pickup for NYY. Another LH (switch-y) power bat with good OBP. I'd imagine he'll fill in for the loss of either Abreu or Giambi. I still think the Yanks should re-sign Giambi.

 

 

EDIT: It'd be cool if the thread title indicated that this was not just a 1-1 swap http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[jjfanec]

I dont see Swisher being their CF so I think Cameron to NY is still an option. Swisher can play a corner OF spot or 1B if they do not get Tex

[bball123h]

If this takes them out of the running for Teixiera, it is good news. Assuming the Yankees win the Sabathia auction, this means we would still get their first round pick.

[fondybrewfan]

That seems like a pretty weak package. Despite the poor year, Swisher is still capable of . 260-270 average, a ton of walks and 25-30 HR's

[Ennder]

His career AVG is now .244 so I think expecting .260-.270 is a stretch. he has some value for sure and I think it is pretty silly they gave him away. When the Sox regress to the mean next year and win like 75 games we can all laugh about it I guess.

[StearnsFTW]

I also was hoping to somehow get Swisher if Hart or Fielder were moved...............too many dominoes to fall in the right order I suppose.

[princeginterhallhelms04]

Count me in on the bandwagon of posters that wanted Swisher. If I remember right did he not also play some first base with the whitesox? He would have looked nice as a UTL. guy here in Milwaukee. Although for this to have happene I am sure we would have had to move Billy Hall or some other big contract. But still think it's a steal for the Yankees!

[valpocrewsader]

Grrr, there goes my dream of a Weeks for Swisher deal. (Swisher has a spot here when Hart or Fiedler -- hopefully both -- are traded this off-season.)

[bklynbrewcrew]

Dont be surprised if Swisher is traded to the Crew for Cameron.

[trwi7]

Dont be surprised if Swisher is traded to the Crew for Cameron.

Assuming we can't sign Sabathia and the Brewers feel that makes Cameron expendable, I wouldn't mind that. It cuts about $5 million off the payroll next year, it adds a switch hitter and he wasn't as bad as his numbers looked this year. I don't know if I'd want him in CF, but I don't think he would be horrible there.

[JohnBriggs12]

That seems like a pretty weak package. Despite the poor year, Swisher is still capable of . 260-270 average, a ton of walks and 25-30 HR's

He's coming off a year where he hit .219 and he's still owed $22 million. True, he might be capable of hitting .260-.270 again but so might Bill Hall but would you take his contract now? That would be a pretty risky move for a team like the Brewers. It would leave them with nearly $38 million owed to 2 guys that you're hoping can regain form. He's a lousy CF too. The Sox had no place to play him. The White Sox are doing hand stands that the Yankees took his contract off their hands. They would have given him away for nothing, but instead they got insurance at 3B.

 

Basically, he's a guy who doesn't hit well enough to play a corner OF spot, doesn't field well enough to play CF (he is horrible out there trwi7 or Sox would have kept him), and doesn't hit enough to play 1B. Yankees can have him.

 

Even what should be his biggest plus from a Brewer perspective (that he's a switch hitter), really isn't that significant. He's a better hitter righthanded. He gets on base at much higher rate righthanded, hits for a higher average, and has a much lower K rate from the right side.

 

Lefthanded his career: .240/.338/.459. No thanks.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Listen I dont want Swishers contract but he might be headed here anyway. I am starting to get really concerned about this offseason.

[PKBadger]

Lefthanded his career: .240/.338/.459. No thanks.

 

"No thanks" to an .800 OPS? Okay....http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/eyes.gif

 

He's only 28 years old, and there's a good chance that last year was an anomaly. Looking at his 2006 and 2007 seasons and saying that he "doesn't hit well enough to play a corner OF spot" is laughable.

 

He may have hit .219, but he walked 82 times....somehow I don't see Bill Hall doing that.

[yoshii8]

Listen I dont want Swishers contract but he might be headed here anyway. I am starting to get really concerned about this offseason.

Do you have an inside source, or is that just a gut feeling? According to MLB trade rumors, Ken Rosenthal said he thinks this is a prelude to something bigger.

 

I think last year was a down year, I consider him a big time bounce back candidate. He can somewhat play all 3 outfield positions and 1B, he had a very low .249 BAbip last season, so bringing that up to normal would of made his season look a lot better.

 

He did play 2 seasons under Macha, so if he liked him as a player that could make a difference.

[MillerParkSouth]

If we're going to trade Cameron to the Yanks, i'd much rather get back Swisher than the pile of garbage that was being talked about before. I think Swisher could bounce back in a big way. He'll never hit for a high average, but he's got solid pop and takes a lot of walks.

[bklynbrewcrew]

I have a friend that works for the Yankees. He told me about there interest in Cameron awhile back and told me they were willing to give Melky and a bullpen arm like Marquez. I was also told that the Brewers were very leery of Melky but the Yankees didnt want to give up Kennedy or Austin Jackson for one yr of Cameron. I havent been told anything about Swisher so that is all guesswork on my part but I do know that NY wants Cameron. I am not sure if they want Cameron as an inducement for CC to sign there but they definitely have interest in cam.

[TooLiveBrew]

Assuming we can't sign Sabathia and the Brewers feel that makes Cameron expendable, I wouldn't mind that. It cuts about $5 million off the payroll next year, it adds a switch hitter and he wasn't as bad as his numbers looked this year. I don't know if I'd want him in CF, but I don't think he would be horrible there.

 

Swisher's OPS & BABIP by season (all stats via FanGraphs) --

 

2005: .768; .266

2006: .864; .287

2007: .836; .308

2008: .743; .251

 

 

Swisher is someone I'd like to see the Brewers acquire (not for CF). The argument that gets used about Cameron -- 'He does things we already have' -- can be used in reverse here for Swisher. Not saying that I personally care about that, but clearly some people do. Swisher is not a top-tier player, but he does things we don't have... that people seem to want. He bats lefty (obv. switch) & draws BBs very well. Of course he does K quite a bit, and I know there are many fans that just can't get over that.

 

Anyway for a stab in the dark at a reasonable BABIP to expect from him next year, I'd guess .275. Where would that put his production? Well, conveniently, his career BABIP is .279, with a line of .244/.354/.451/.805. And fwiw Bill James's 2009 projection for Swisher is .240/.359/.451/.810.

[And That]

I like Swisher as much as the next guy but with an OF of Braun, Hart and Swisher who plays CF? The drop off defensively from Cameron to any of those guys might be drastic.

[MJLiverock]

Having a switch hitter would be a nice addition for the Brewers but what they really need is someone beside Fielder who can hit from the left side of the plate. Swisher carries career .338 OBP vs. RH pitching so like much of the Brewer lineup he really feasts on the LH pitchers. Cameron's career OBP vs. RH is .331 so not a whole lot different. Even just last year when Cameron was at .309 vs. RH, Swisher was only at .321.

 

Given the hole it creates in CF I just don't see it as that much of a change. Slightly better OBP vs. RH pitching, similar power, weaker defense.

[bklynbrewcrew]

I would hate to see Hart or Swisher as our CF next yr. After years of poor defense it was nice having Cameron playing CF and I hope he is there for us next season as well.

[StearnsFTW]

While I agree that Swisher is a pretty big risk, a guy who can play both corner outfield spots, 1B, and CF in a pinch and is a switch hitter is a pretty darn valuable commodity. I look at his contract more as a plus than a minus. He's locked up for three more years, and assuming he bounces back toward career norms (very possible, particularly considering a league switch), he screams 'bargain' to me.

 

To lump him in with Bill Hall is ridiculous to me.

 

Hall can certainly play a lot of postitions, but is a flat-out horrible hitter.