Nick Swisher, A MUST for the Red Sox

[Captain]

last 4 years:

 

Swisher : 15 WAR

Victorino : 16.7 WAR

 

their both the same age so I'd take the shorter contract

 

The difference is that Victorino is coming off a major down year. Swisher is coming off a pretty typical year. .272/.364/.473/.837 are all good numbers, as are the 24 home runs and 93 RBI.

 

I don't know know how you can justify signing Victorino for $1M per year less than Swisher. It's different if Swisher was already signed and off the market, but he wasn't.

 

Also, that stuff about Swisher's option easily vesting and the deal essentially being a 5/70 is nonsense. It vests based on plate appearances in the 4th year of the deal. If he is still playing well he will get those plate appearances and option will vest, but if that happens it's likely to be good for the Guardians.

[SoxSport]

Swisher's numbers on the left side are probably inflated somewhat because of that RF porch in Yankee Stadium. GMs should factor that in for any LHd hitter coming from the Yankees. Ibanez is another example. Damon, too. The Yankees know this, and are always in the market for aging LHd hitters whose value might be better in Yankee Stadium. Ichiro is the latest.The Yankees have the most asymmetric park in MLB, and have long used it to their advantage stocking their team with LHd hitting and pitching.

[Behindenemylines]

Thank you Cleveland for signing Swisher. If Victorino hits for average in the long run the Sox will be alright in RF. His defense in the OF is way better then Swisher. He is a top of the order guy who can get on base, steal them, and score runs. You lose some power, but I think the D will make up for a lot of that.

[TeddyBallGame9]

Swisher hit MORE home runs last year AWAY from Yankee Stadium so your premise is bunk.

[SoxSport]

Swisher hit MORE home runs last year AWAY from Yankee Stadium so your premise is bunk.

 

Which premise are you talking about? That the Yankees don't stock their team with LHd hitters because of their ballpark? That's bunk.

 

Show some data please. And it isn't all about HRs.

[User Name]

Actually he's talking about Swisher specifically, and he's right:

 

Over the past three years, Swisher has an OPS of .848 at home and .841 away from NYS, and he's hit an identical 38 HR's at home and on the road, but actually hit more XBH away from home than at home. His lefty/righty splits at home and on the road are almost identical as well.

 

The premise that Swisher is a product of NYS is dead wrong.

[Behindenemylines]

Actually he's talking about Swisher specifically, and he's right:

 

Over the past three years, Swisher has an OPS of .848 at home and .841 away from NYS, and he's hit an identical 38 HR's at home and on the road, but actually hit more XBH away from home than at home. His lefty/righty splits at home and on the road are almost identical as well.

 

The premise that Swisher is a product of NYS is dead wrong.

 

That is why he was in such high demand on the FA market? For him to end up in Cleveland means that a lot of teams thought he was a product of NY and their stacked lineup.

[Dojji]

That is why he was in such high demand on the FA market? For him to end up in Cleveland means that a lot of teams thought he was a product of NY and their stacked lineup.

 

IS that exactly what it means? Are you sure it has nothing to do with the fact that teams would be giving up a pick?

 

And what's wrong with Cleveland exactly?

[User Name]

IS that exactly what it means? Are you sure it has nothing to do with the fact that teams would be giving up a pick?

 

And what's wrong with Cleveland exactly?

 

Yeah i don't understand how he jumped to that conclusion after looking at the numbers. Sometimes people want to find an argument where there isn't one.

[Behindenemylines]

IS that exactly what it means? Are you sure it has nothing to do with the fact that teams would be giving up a pick?

 

And what's wrong with Cleveland exactly?

 

The fact that teams weren't willing to lose that draft pick proves that they questioned his ability to put up the numbers away from NY and that lineup. If teams really felt that the numbers he put up in NY could put up anywhere then more teams would have been after him. Come on a switch hitter that can play 1B and the OF (Though not to well). You don't think more teams would have jumped at the chance to get him. There is nothing wrong with Cleveland, but if it wasn't for Minnesota they would my pick to finish last in the Central in 2013.

[User Name]

The numbers are there. He hit as well on the road as he did in New York during his tenure in NYC. You can argue that his lack of postseason success, poor defense and age came into play, but not that he's a product of Yankee stadium, because the numbers are clear as lake water.

[mvp 78]

The numbers are there. He hit as well on the road as he did in New York during his tenure in NYC. You can argue that his lack of postseason success, poor defense and age came into play, but not that he's a product of Yankee stadium, because the numbers are clear as lake water.

 

A million times this. Overwhelming evidence here.

[Behindenemylines]

Well if Swisher puts up numbers like he did in NY with a weaker lineup around him in Cleveland, then me and many GMs in baseball will be proven wrong and I will be the first to admit it.

[User Name]

Well if Swisher puts up numbers like he did in NY with a weaker lineup around him in Cleveland, then me and many GMs in baseball will be proven wrong and I will be the first to admit it.

 

What do you mean by "many GM's in baseball"? The idea that he's a product of Yankee stadium has not been mentioned by any GM of a team that was interested in Swisher. That's pure fabrication on your part.

[jung]

It has been an interesting off season relative to how picks are allocated now. It will be interesting to try to figure out how many deals were effected once this offseason is completed.

[Lucienbel]

Well if Swisher puts up numbers like he did in NY with a weaker lineup around him in Cleveland, then me and many GMs in baseball will be proven wrong and I will be the first to admit it.

 

I typically try to stay out of things, but assuming that he signed in Cleveland is a bad thing,and assuming other GMs weren't interested in him because they thought his numbers were a part of the Yankee lineup and Yankee stadium is silly and nothing more than assuming. Tossing every GM in baseball that may have had interest in Swisher into this category is beyond silly.

[jung]

Wonder if Cleveland is going to try to make some noise in the Central. Tigers did not exactly destroy the Central last year.

[User Name]

Wonder if Cleveland is going to try to make some noise in the Central. Tigers did not exactly destroy the Central last year.

 

Isn't that why they traded away their RF for a haul of pitching prospects ready to help and dropped 56 mil on Swisher?

[jung]

Guardians might even be able to generate some fan support for a 2013 run. Browns are....well the Browns. Cavs are still trying to figure out what they do next. Who else are you going to give your heart to in Cleveland?

[Spitball]

Isn't that why they traded away their RF for a haul of pitching prospects ready to help and dropped 56 mil on Swisher?

 

The Guardians received former first-round pick Trevor Bauer plus relievers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw.

[User Name]

The Guardians received former first-round pick Trevor Bauer plus relievers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw.

 

As well as out-of-favor CF Drew Stubbs, and the signing of Brett "Wifebeater" Myers for the rotation. But i was pretty sure they made a separate deal where they got a pitching prospect or two, but i guess i was wrong.