Ozzie vs. Dirty Thirty

[Dick Allen]

David Kaplan had an shot for Swisher around the time when he got traded. He basically called him a fraud. All an act. He said early on he was really easy to get to come onto comcast and do his crazy interviews where he said everyone was the best. Once things slowly rolled downhill he said he was the hardest person to try and talk to and hard to get him on tv.

 

Things are good, he's everywhere. Things go south and he's no where to be found apparently.

There's no doubt he's at least a partial fraud but there is nothing wrong with what he said. I never was a Swisher guy, but I don't find it wrong for a guy to be upset when he doesn't play. Obviously the person who asked Ozzie about it knew it would bother Ozzie at least a little bit and Ozzie would have something to say. I know some will say it doesn't bother Ozzie, but if it didn't he wouldn't talk about having more friends than enemies and how he will be managing long after Swisher is done playing, etc.

 

The media knows what buttons to push to get Ozzie going. Hopefully it won't cost him his job some day.

Edited April 20, 2009 by Dick Allen

[Scwible]

The media knows what buttons to push to get Ozzie going. Hopefully it won't cost him his job some day.

 

totally agree

[ThunderBolt]

The hatred that some people have for Swish is completely absurd. So, what if he makes a good interview? He’s clearly a really witty and nice guy, that seems to wear on some people, who expect ball players to be professional, a fair percentage of the time. Guys, like Ozzie. I’m hearing guys like Lawrence Holmes and Cowley just unleash on the guy, and for what? ONE BAD YEAR. That’s it, there’s nothing to suggest he’s a villain, a roider, or anything else like that. He’s just a guy who had a bad year, at the wrong time, and in the wrong environment.

[Kyyle23]

The hatred that some people have for Swish is completely absurd. So, what if he makes a good interview? He’s clearly a really witty and nice guy, that seems to wear on some people, who expect ball players to be professional, a fair percentage of the time. Guys, like Ozzie. I’m hearing guys like Lawrence Holmes and Cowley just unleash on the guy, and for what? ONE BAD YEAR. That’s it, there’s nothing to suggest he’s a villain, a roider, or anything else like that. He’s just a guy who had a bad year, at the wrong time, and in the wrong environment.

 

 

There are a few rumors that Swisher may have had some enhancements, and playing in Oakland didnt help that.

[Chisoxfn]

I doubt that because there were supporters of the doll incident. There were guys who loved Swisher on the team. I wouldn't be surprised if Konerko was one of the guys who didn't though.

 

I'd like to know what you heard though through PM if you would be comfortable. You don't have to give up your source.

 

Good stuff JD, and Nite, I'm going to just say one thing, JD has a history of being incredibly accurate on this stuff.

[ThunderBolt]

There are a few rumors that Swisher may have had some enhancements, and playing in Oakland didnt help that.

Where? All i've heard of them have been here.

[Kyyle23]

Where? All i've heard of them have been here.

 

I said it was a rumor, not a fact. And most of the people I have seen discussing the possibility of him being on roids while in Oakland point out how his power numbers spiked and then declined bigtime when testing started to get tougher.

[ThunderBolt]

16 NICHOLAS SWISHER OHIO ST U 1B S/L 6'0" 200 11/25/1980 4YR 56k | 300k

 

COMMENT: Muscular, athletic build on large frame. Body similar to Rusty Greer. Quiet hitting approach. Quick bat through zone. Takes hands to ball well. Aggressive hitter. Shows power from both sides. Instincts for the outfield. Playable arm. Son of former Major Leaguer Steve Swisher.

That was Swish when drafted. This is him now:

33 Nick Swisher S/L 6-0 210 11/25/80

There's a ten pound difference, in seven years, which is to be expected. He's always been a big kid, now he's a big guy. The stories i've heard have been that he's a work-out freak, that really shouldn't damn someone as a user.

Edited April 20, 2009 by Thunderbolt

[beck72]

Ozzie likes to push back at guys who run their mouths. Esp. those who Ozzie thinks are bad mouthing his players in any way. What I like about Ozzie is that he takes heat away from his players and puts the bullseye/ media glare on him.

 

Swisher was seemingly all smiles for far too long--despite his slump that lasted nearly the entire year. Swisher didn't do what was expected of him and the sox didn't want him around and made sure he was gone. I trust Ozzie and KW in determining who is a good fit for the Sox. With guys like Dye, Thome, Buehrle and PK around--all professionals from the get go--the sox mgmnt/ coaching staff know who fits and who doesn't.

[Kyyle23]

16 NICHOLAS SWISHER OHIO ST U 1B S/L 6'0" 200 11/25/1980 4YR 56k | 300k

 

COMMENT: Muscular, athletic build on large frame. Body similar to Rusty Greer. Quiet hitting approach. Quick bat through zone. Takes hands to ball well. Aggressive hitter. Shows power from both sides. Instincts for the outfield. Playable arm. Son of former Major Leaguer Steve Swisher.

That was Swish when drafted. This is him now:

33 Nick Swisher S/L 6-0 210 11/25/80

There's a ten pound difference, in seven years, which is to be expected. He's always been a big kid, now he's a big guy. The stories i've heard have been that he's a work-out freak, that really shouldn't damn someone as a user.

 

Hey, I get it, you are part of the dirty thirty club and get the email mailer and dont want his name tainted. Thats fine, he is gone, I dont mind that he is gone, and I think in this day and age roids were possible for anyone in the past 30 years who had any varying degree of success. Just because they used roids or HGH doesnt mean they are going to get noticeably bigger. Raffy Palmeiro didnt fit the profile of a juicer, he didnt ever look noticeably bigger or smaller at any point in his life, and Roger Clemens was always pretty thick as well. The fact is that we dont know, which is why I said it was a rumor, but like I also said playing in Oakland during the time that he was there will always leave a doubt in my mind. He was teammates with some shady characters while he was there.

[BigSqwert]

I trust Ozzie and KW in determining who is a good fit for the Sox. With guys like Dye, Thome, Buehrle and PK around--all professionals from the get go--the sox mgmnt/ coaching staff know who fits and who doesn't.

How could you state that you trust KW in determining who's a good fit for us when he traded for Swisher in the first place? It's not like Swisher had a Thome-like personality in Oakland.

[Dick Allen]

How could you state that you trust KW in determining who's a good fit for us when he traded for Swisher in the first place? It's not like Swisher had a Thome-like personality in Oakland.

Swisher was probably more annoying than a cancer. Obviously KW brought in Cabrera and Swisher with one of his goals being change the attitude of the team. Obviously something worked because they won the division, but maybe it wasn't that KW felt those 2 had much to do with it because he obviously wanted no part in a return engagement for either.

[nitetrain8601]

Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of his, neither did I hate him. He was okay. I guess he liked to have fun. I'm not pissed that he was gone. I wish he worked out so we would have one more position solidified as I want BA to work out for the same reason. With that said, I will go on record stating, I don't think he 'roided up. It's possible, but I just don't think he did. I could see him getting annoying though. Whereever he goes, I hope he works out.

[beck72]

How could you state that you trust KW in determining who's a good fit for us when he traded for Swisher in the first place? It's not like Swisher had a Thome-like personality in Oakland.

The trade blew. No doubt about that. No one gets every trade right. But Kenny deserves credit for cutting his losses and getting rid of a guy who didn't fit, after learning first hand what Swisher the man and player was all about. If KW wanted to put his ego ahead of making the sox better, he could have easily held onto Swisher and talk about how he'd likely post better numbers in 2009 and beyond. Maybe it was Ozzie or the players who put the bug in KW's ears--who knows. But KW listened.

 

But, IIRC, the talk was that Swisher was a gamer who could get on base, hit with power from both sides of the plate, and improve upon his .260 avg. I don't think Swisher was a "cancer" there or here.