He is not Mark Teixeira, but the New York Yankees recent trade for Nick Swisher from the Chicago White Sox is a very good trade that the Yankees quietly pulled off.

Not only will the deal allow the Yankees to fill a void at 1B or a possible need in CF, but it also allows the Yankees to allocate the majority of their available money to pitching which is their biggest need.

Additionally, the trade allows the Yankees to bring in three players as opposed to only two if the Yankees were able to sign Teixeira.  Having Swisher, C.C. Sabathia and either A.J. Burnett or Derek Lowe is more valuable than just Teixeira and Sabathia.

This trade also allows the Yankees to not only gain three impact players possibly but also to save money long term due to the current details of Swisher’s contract. Swisher will be paid $5.3 million in 2009, $6.75 million in 2010 and $9 million in 2011 with a club option for 2012.

Despite Swisher’s manageable annual salaries considering today’s market, I know a great deal of Yankee fans will still criticize the deal mainly due to Swisher’s .219 average in 2008.  But Yankee fans need to look past last year and look ahead to having a 27-year-old switch hitting 1B/OF who is a high on base percentage player and who has the ability to hit 30 homeruns.

Even more important is the fact that Swisher is a throw back player who will run through walls, who hustles and will help to add chemistry to the clubhouse. 

Swisher is the unselfish type of player who does the little things that do not show up in the boxscore, but that enable teams to win championships.

And even if many Yankee fans do not initially see the potential of this trade right now.  It is good to see that they are getting back to the formulas that enabled them to win their four recent championships.

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