The big acquisition before the 2008 season for the White Sox was Nick Swisher, now one year later Swisher was dealt to the Yankees. As a White Sox fan, how do I feel about all this?
I was excited when the Sox landed Buckeye Nick. He seemed to be just what the doctor ordered, a switch-hitter, with a good eye, good power, and a batting average that would go up coming to hitter friendly US Cellular Field. The plan was for Swisher to play LF with speedy Jerry Owens patrolling centerfield. An injury to Owens changed those plans, moving Nick to CF, opening a LF opportunity for Carlos Quentin. Quentin tore it up! Ozzie Guillen tried high onbase Swisher as the club’s leadoff batter. So he was trying two things he’d never done before, a leadoff hitting centerfielder. Things didn’t workout too well on either front. Pitchers threw strikes to Swisher, putting him in a hole, and while he did an adequate in the field, alot of balls fell in.
After Swisher was moved out of the leadoff spot in favor of Orlando Cabrera, he seemed to find his bat. But then late in the year Nick succumbed once again to his early season bat woes, often times taking pitches right down the pipe, while swinging at pitches in the dirt, arguing with umpires about called strikes. Late in the year he was benched in favor of Dewayne Wise & Brian Anderson, so I guess the writing was on the wall.
It’s kind of weird Swisher & Cabrera were brought in last year to wipe out the losing of 2007. Things worked out well with the team winning the AL Central Division, losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Rays of Tampa. Now both are gone.
So how does it all shake out? Last year we dealt corner outfielder Ryan Sweeney (batted .286 in 115 games for Oakland), lefthanded starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez (1-4, 7.68 ERA, in 34 innings for the A’s), and Fautino De Los Santos (2-2, 5.87 ERA, 23 IP, for Stockton high A). The numbers don’t tell the whole story as Gonzalez was the key to the deal and should be a successful starting pitcher for years to come.
Now let’s look at this year’s trade sending Swisher out of town. Relief pitcher Kanekoa Texeira (0.93 ERA, 38″ IP, high A & 2.01 ERA, 22′ IP, AA) was also traded to New York. The White Sox received switch hitting infielder Wilson Betemit (.260 lifetime average, 42 homers in 1098 at bats), starting pitcher Jeff Marquez (43-40, 3.60 ERA, 560″ IP, minor league totals), & recently converted reliever Jhonny Nunez (1.50 ERA, 27′ IP, AA).
The Swisher trades comes down to this, Sweeney, Gonzalez, De Los Santos, & Texeira for Betemit, Marquez & Nunez. Wilson Betemit should see some action for the White Sox at thirdbase for the White Sox in 2009, with possibly Dayan Viciedo waiting in the wings, then Betemit would become a quality bat off the bench and utility infielder.
There’s a little bit more to Nick Swisher in Chicago. I manage the Chicago Champions of the Illowa APBA League a diceball APBA League, where I traded outfielder Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Rising Bammbeanos for Swisher, after Nick was traded to the Southside. Bammbeanos skipper John Brandeberry has been a Dodgers fan since the Brooklyn days of yesteryear (more on this trade from an APBA standpoint can be found on APBABLOG.COM). Also if anybody’s interested in a pre-worn Nick Swisher White Sox teeshirt, lemme know.
Here’s a word of warning to Mike “Moose” Mussina, who today announced his retirement, stay away from Alaska! Sarah Palin’s no longer got a shot at being VP, so she’s now focused her sights on shooting moose, ya betcha . All kidding aside, Mussina did announce his retirement, after winning 20 games this past season for the first time in his career, Sandy Koufax is the only other pitcher in the history of major league baseball to retire after winning 20 games in a season. Mike finishes tied with Burleigh Grimes for 33rd on the alltime win total with 270, two ahead of Jim Palmer. He also finished 19th alltime in strikeouts with 2,813, ten ahead of Cy Young. Not bad company at all.
