Nick Swisher: Could Things Get Worse For Him?

With Jason Giambi walking out the door, the Yankees brought in Nick Swisher (probably as insurance more than any real need for the infielder/outfielder).

Swisher is a versatile player, who can play first base and all three outfield positions. He is a pretty solid hitter with a career .805 OPS. Having him on the team can fill any holes that the free agent market doesn’t. No Teixeira—Swisher at first, no center fielder—Swisher in the outfield.

One thing the Yankees didn’t think they were getting was a problem. Billy Bean loved him early in his career and it seemed like the White Sox were happy enough, besides his poor batting average. This was until the other day when their manager Ozzie Guillen came out and said he won’t be missed in Chicago.

“You’ve got to ask the players about that,” Guillen said. “To be honest with you, I was not happy with the way he was reacting at the end of the season. He wasn’t helping me either.”

The problems likely stem from Swisher’s failures at the plate. It was the worst year of his career in the batter’s box. He struggled all season long especially in the second half when he hit .191.

What happens if this carries over to New York? Yankee fans love a gritty player, but they hate guys who pack it in. If Swisher struggles all season and packs it in the way he did in Chicago, .164 average in September, he will become public enemy No.1.

The team is counting on him to play a decent role, and if he isn’t up to it, the Yankee offense might resemble the poor 2008 model instead of the sleek 2007 version. This could be an especially big problem if they fail to sign CC Sabathia and have to slug their way to the playoffs as some blogs are speculating.

I think Guillen might be doing what he does best and just spouting off, but if he is serious, this could be a major problem and certainly something to keep an eye on.

Original article appeared at Bronx Baseball Daily.