Swish Traded to the Yankees

[DBAHO]

All I know is Nick Swisher had an OBP 16 points lower than Luis Terrero had in 2007. He also had an OPS only 19 points higher. Terrero was released. Swisher was owed at least $22 million. No one complained when Terrero was jettisoned. Swisher is awful. I don't blame him for being upset when he didn't play. I would think guys that didn't care if they played or not would be a bigger problem. He had no position. Betimet may be able to help out a little bit. Maybe one of the pitchers shocks the world and develops into something useful. The money is the big part. It will be used for something else. KW cut his losses.

That's the key.

 

If KW goes out and signs Hudson and Viciedo, due in part to dumping Swisher, I'll be very happy with that.

 

[RockRaines]

Can I ask why everyone thinks Jordan Danks will be ready for a starting job in 2010?

Because he has the talent, is already our #3 prospect, and is RAKING in the AFL.

[DBAHO]

Because he has the talent, is already our #3 prospect, and is RAKING in the AFL.

2010's too early though IMHO.

 

Danks will need to develop power, or have very good BA/OBP skills if he wants to become a starting OF in the majors.

[southsider2k5]

Joe Cowley gets his arson job in...

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...T-sox14.article

 

rade to Yankees makes Swish a New York Nick

ENERGY DRAIN | Swagger, icy bat go for infielder Betemit, pitchers Marquez, Nunez

 

November 14, 2008

BY JOE COWLEY [email protected]

 

It was an easy Kool-Aid to drink in April, when Nick Swisher was bringing a solid resume from Oakland and giving the White Sox a new-look, high-on-base-percentage mentality atop their lineup.

 

By September, the Sox were trying to find a dark corner in which to regurgitate that ''Dirty 30'' juice they all had taken big gulps of.

 

That happened Thursday, when Swisher was traded to the New York Yankees for infielder Wilson Betemit and right-handed pitchers Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez. The Sox also threw in right-handed pitcher Kanekoa Texeira.

 

''Very simply, we assessed where we stood today and where we finished the season,'' general manager Ken Williams said. ''And while we still love [swisher] and the energy he brings -- and he will certainly have a bounce-back year next season -- the fit wasn't good enough to continue down this road.''

 

By the end of the season, the fit seemed awful.

 

Swisher was hyped as a say-anything class clown who would bring a swagger to a clubhouse full of choirboys, and in the early stages of the season, he more than fit the bill. Whether it was his ''Dirty 30'' T-shirt persona, his ever-changing facial hair or his celebration dances in the dugout, bravado was not an area in which Swisher was lacking.

 

His numbers? That was a different story.

 

After hitting .176 in May, the switch-hitting Swisher had lost the leadoff spot and seemed confused on both sides of the plate. Because of his success in Oakland, he seemed to ignore the advice of a coaching staff that was trying to help him.

 

''I'm trying to do too much,'' Swisher said on several occasions. ''Coming to a new team, a city like this, I wanted to make a big splash.''

 

He showed signs of life in June, which could have been his downfall. A Sox source told the Sun-Times that because of that brief hot streak, any coaching advice thrown his way fell on deaf ears. By the time he wrapped up July hitting .193 for the month, a frustrated Ozzie Guillen began benching him for Brian Anderson and Dewayne Wise.

 

''One of the indicators that you can look at from year to year, and this is really the case with Nick, there were a lot of balls he hit right on the nose and they went right at people,'' Williams said. ''What happened is he started to change a little bit of the mechanical aspect, and that led to a change in the mental aspect, and he was a bit confused by the end of the year. I expect him to bounce back, and the guys in New York will love him.''

 

While Williams wouldn't say that Swisher had worn out his welcome on the South Side, he did find a spot in Guillen's doghouse for what the manager deemed pouting over his lack of playing time the final month.

 

Swisher then started turning down media requests, becoming clearly distant from his teammates.

 

Asked if he regretted acquiring Swisher, Williams said: ''I look at things in a black-and-white way, and bottom line is we didn't win the championship last year. That's not just isolated [with Swisher]. I'm left to wonder where we could have been if I would have made different decisions.''

 

Where Williams hopes to be now is with an arsenal of young pitchers for years to come.

 

Marquez is penciled in as being ready to compete for a starting job, while Nunez is believed to be on the cusp, either as a reliever or a starter. In Betemit, the Sox get a reserve infielder who can push Josh Fields at third base.

 

Landing Betemit also likely ends any chance of the Sox re-signing free agent Juan Uribe.

 

''We felt we were at a juncture where we certainly needed some starting pitching, and we ended up getting two quality arms in return,'' Williams said.

 

So now what? The addition of Marquez -- a Jon Garland-type of pitcher -- could open the door for Williams to trade Javier Vazquez, and there's still a hole atop the Sox' lineup.

 

Williams said no player on his roster is safe from being traded.

 

''I'm not committing to anyone right now,'' he said.

[RockRaines]

2010's too early though IMHO.

 

Danks will need to develop power, or have very good BA/OBP skills if he wants to become a starting OF in the majors.

We have a small sample size for him already. He had 10 games in Kanny and raked, he went to the AFL and raked, and if he ends up in AA this year and rakes then he could very well be in the running for 2010.

[Princess Dye]

All I know is Nick Swisher had an OBP 16 points lower than Luis Terrero had in 2007. He also had an OPS only 19 points higher. Terrero was released. Swisher was owed at least $22 million. No one complained when Terrero was jettisoned. Swisher is awful. I don't blame him for being upset when he didn't play. I would think guys that didn't care if they played or not would be a bigger problem. He had no position. Betimet may be able to help out a little bit. Maybe one of the pitchers shocks the world and develops into something useful. The money is the big part. It will be used for something else. KW cut his losses.

 

I dont think Swisher was awful

 

but he's more of what we had, all-or-nothing. I like moving that money elsewhere as well.

 

 

 

Kenny made the deal for Swish having no idea that CQ would come along to lock down LF. I think they always felt Swisher could be LF in 09-10 no matter what...now there's no spot.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Princess Dye

[DBAHO]

We have a small sample size for him already. He had 10 games in Kanny and raked, he went to the AFL and raked, and if he ends up in AA this year and rakes then he could very well be in the running for 2010.

1 - He should be raking in low A ball.

2 - The AFL is a hitter's paradise, so it doesn't really shock me to see him doing so well there also.

3 - It's not easy to hit well at B-Ham in that park, and I'd at least like to see him hit well at Charlotte before I have any thought of giving him a starter's job.

[Princess Dye]

One of this morning's articles brings this up....

 

but it was such a weird year in that the intended change agents (Swisher/Cabrera) werent what turned this thing around. it was the small roster moves (CQ/Alexei).

 

 

If Swisher had put together a career year this couldve been a WS year. This is the one thing that gives me pause about the trade...but of course i wait til the offseason is over to judge it. That money is needed elsewhere though, for sure.

[Dick Allen]

Joe Cowley gets his arson job in...

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...T-sox14.article

 

If any White Sox was really friendly to Cowley with all the BS he writes, it would raise an eyebrow for me. I expect hatchet jobs on every player who leaves from this hack. I also think the White Sox put up with some of his BS on twitter etc. because they know this "inside scoop reaming" will come and will help with the fanbase on trades that are deemed not so popular.

 

I wasn't a Nick Swisher fan, but it is understandable for a guy who was as bad as he was to be down if he has any pride in his performance. The "pouting" when he wasn't playing didn't bother me either. I'd rather have a bunch of guys who wonder why they aren't playing than a bunch of guys who have no problem sitting out all the time. I wonder why Cowley thinks its wrong for a guy to want to play.

 

I'm sure Cowley already has his piece written for when OC signs elsewhere.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Dick Allen

[wbicker2424]

"I know one thing about Nick Swisher from afar," general manager Brian Cashman said. "He's a very competitive player. He's a grinder. He plays at one level at all times."

 

I found this quote humorous, no further explantion really needed.

[Steve9347]

"I know one thing about Nick Swisher from afar," general manager Brian Cashman said. "He's a very competitive player. He's a grinder. He plays at one level at all times."

 

I found this quote humorous, no further explantion really needed.

Yeah, I heard him say that on Sportscenter last night, and I laughed. Kenny really must have sold his ass.

[shipps]

I found it interesting that Cashman used threw the words "from afar" to kinda distance himself from that statement.

 

 

[Chisoxfn]

I know that the whole idea of sites like this is essentially to second guess everything our GM does, but what the hell does Kenny Williams need to do to gain the respect of the folks who post on this cite. As best as I can tell, the tone towards the moves he makes is continuously critical. The vast majority of posters here think Kenny always overpays in the trades he makes. And, the vast majority think he sucks at drafting talent.

 

I am left to wonder by what stroke of incredible luck does he manage to come up with players like Carlos Quentin, Alexi Ramirez, John Danks, Jermaine Dye, Bobby Jenks, Tadahito Iguchi, AJ, Gavin Floyd, Matt Thornton, etc...

 

It's not that I don't think its acceptable to question Kenny's decisions. It's simply that there is a stupid level of criticism towards him in which it is continuously suggested that somehow he has a history of bad decisions when frankly the opposite is true.

Draftin talent falls on a lot of people, but look at the history of guys who have suceeded via the draft during Ken Williams reign. Case closed on that and this is coming from a guy that backed Kenny when practically everyone wanted him ousted (I'm a huge KDub fan).

[DBAHO]

Draftin talent falls on a lot of people, but look at the history of guys who have suceeded via the draft during Ken Williams reign. Case closed on that and this is coming from a guy that backed Kenny when practically everyone wanted him ousted (I'm a huge KDub fan).

I think at least now they're taking steps to rectify that, and our draft haul this year was probably the best it's been for about 5 seasons at least.

 

Still I'd like to get them more involved in Latin America.

[Chisoxfn]

Can I ask why everyone thinks Jordan Danks will be ready for a starting job in 2010?

The guy is a phenomenal athlete who is a better wood bat player. I don't know if he'll be ready in 2010 or not, but one things for certain the guy has the tools to be a Grady Sizemore like player (a bit less power, but that the type of all around athlete he is). Again I'm speaking purely from a tools standpoint and I'm also a guy that has drooled about Danks since the Sox initially drafted him and continued to do so after seeing him play in college multiple times (in person and on tv).

[Chisoxfn]

I think at least now they're taking steps to rectify that, and our draft haul this year was probably the best it's been for about 5 seasons at least.

 

Still I'd like to get them more involved in Latin America.

I don't disagree that they've made progress the past two drafts, but there is a much longer track record of failure. Kenny has done a great job of selling his prospects at high values though.

[elrockinMT]

If any White Sox was really friendly to Cowley with all the BS he writes, it would raise an eyebrow for me. I expect hatchet jobs on every player who leaves from this hack. I also think the White Sox put up with some of his BS on twitter etc. because they know this "inside scoop reaming" will come and will help with the fanbase on trades that are deemed not so popular.

 

I wasn't a Nick Swisher fan, but it is understandable for a guy who was as bad as he was to be down if he has any pride in his performance. The "pouting" when he wasn't playing didn't bother me either. I'd rather have a bunch of guys who wonder why they aren't playing than a bunch of guys who have no problem sitting out all the time. I wonder why Cowley thinks its wrong for a guy to want to play.

 

I'm sure Cowley already has his piece written for when OC signs elsewhere.

 

 

I was bothered by it. You didn't see Paul Konerko do that. You also saw how BA turned his attitude around, etc. I liked Swisher too, but I agree he wasn't the fit we thought we were getting. Building the winning team is what it is all about

[Steve9347]

I was bothered by it. You didn't see Paul Konerko do that. You also saw how BA turned his attitude around, etc. I liked Swisher too, but I agree he wasn't the fit we thought we were getting. Building the winning team is what it is all about

I'd venture as far as to say that Pauly's attitude's never really that great to begin with...

[DBAHO]

Saw this on MLB.com about Marquez and Nunez;

 

From the Yankees to the White Sox:

Jeff Marquez, RHP

Taken by the Yankees in the supplemental first round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Marquez had slowly made his way to the top of the Yankees' farm system, spending much of the 2008 season with Triple-A Scranton. He missed nearly two months of this season with a right shoulder strain, finishing the season with a combined 8-8 record and a 4.47 ERA. For his career, he's got a steady 3.60 ERA, with the best year of his career coming in 2007, when he went 15-9 with a 3.65 ERA for Double-A Trenton.

 

Largely because he missed so much time with the shoulder issue, Marquez has been pitching in the Arizona Fall League, posting a 4.50 ERA over eight games. A scout who saw him in the AFL liked what he saw, thinking he profiled as a dependable middle reliever or maybe a back-end-of-the-rotation guy. He's not a real impact type of player, but he's a very versatile and usable arm for a big league staff.

 

Marquez knows how to pitch and has a good idea of what he wants to do on the mound. He uses four pitches of varying degrees to get hitters out. In the AFL, he threw his fastball in the 89-93 mph range, comfortably sitting 90-91. His curve grades out as average, between 74-77 mph. He also threw a second breaking ball, a slider, which was a little more hit or miss. It clocked in at around 84-85 mph, but it needs to be tightened to be more effective. Of all his secondary pitches, though, it's Marquez's changeup that might be his best offering. He threw it 81-83 mph and showed a lot of comfort with it, commanding it well.

 

One word of warning was that Marquez didn't have the cleanest delivery in the world, which sometimes isn't an issue but is something that should be noted with a guy coming off of a shoulder strain.

 

Jhonny Nunez, RHP

Nunez wasn't a Yankees farmhand for very long, coming to the organization this past July from the Nationals in exchange for infielder Alberto Gonzalez. He began his career with the Dodgers before being dealt to Washington in August 2006 for Marlon Anderson. So if you're scoring at home, this is the third time the right-hander has been traded in just over two years.

 

He was a starter with the Nats, mostly, making a switch to relief work late in his tenure with the organization. He continued to work out of the bullpen with the Yankees, and it seems that it suits him. After making the switch to the 'pen, between Class A Advanced Potomac, Double-A Harrisburg and then Double-A Trenton with the Yankees, the 22-year-old Nunez had a 1.72 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 31 1/3 relief innings.

 

Nunez is a big-bodied kid with a nice and loose delivery. He throws his fastball in the 92-95 mph range, and it has some small sink at times. He's got an above-average slider when he gets his arm in the right position to throw it. He's also got a changeup, though it lags behind his other two pitches. He worked on it and was forced to throw it with regularity, especially with the Yankees, and he showed some promise with it.

 

With some more polish, he should be able to pitch in the big leagues, probably as a solid sixth- or seventh-inning guy, maybe a good setup man down the road some day. Like with many young pitchers, he just needs to hone his command and throw more strikes. More than anything, Nunez needs to maintain his arm slot. He has a tendency to get under the ball and sling it to the plate. When he's on top in his delivery, his slider is truer and his fastball location is much better. He takes to instruction well and there's every belief that he'll get it and get it pretty quickly.

[Chisoxfn]

I don't know, Kenny and Ozzie both love Paulie to death. He gets frustrated at times but I've never seen him call out a teammate not named Frank Thomas in the media. He has his fire (ie, when he gets out) but as a whole he's a big time professional in the clubhouse.

[nitetrain8601]

Well I personally don't like Paulie's "quiet" attitude. I loved the type of attitude OC and Swisher brought. And apparently, they had their supporters with guys like Uribe and Pierzynski dying parts of their hair and such. And they were the first guys celebrating a good play with their teammates. I think our clubhouse is way too serious and that won't change until guys like PK leave.

[Chisoxfn]

I loved the attitude OC brought.

[southsider2k5]

Saw this on MLB.com about Marquez and Nunez;

 

The last paragraph on Nunez is the exact thing that Coop preaches. He could be an interesting darkhorse to this deal.

[iamshack]

I loved the attitude OC brought.

 

It appears as though Ozzie may get a bit threatened when one or more of his players displays a similarly boisterous attitude in the dugout/clubhouse. Obviously this is all speculation, but it appears as though he enjoys being the one and only center of attention....

[southsider2k5]

It appears as though Ozzie may get a bit threatened when one or more of his players displays a similarly boisterous attitude in the dugout/clubhouse. Obviously this is all speculation, but it appears as though he enjoys being the one and only center of attention....

 

I would say more accurately boisterous and lazy.