Nick Swisher

I recall, occurs once or twice a season, in 2009 there have already been five such instances.  Nick Swisher (Yankees), Cody Ross (Marlins), Jonathan Van Every (Red Sox), Josh Wilson (Diamondbacks), and Paul Janish (Reds) have taken the hill with their teams down late in the game.

Continue reading "Put me in, Coach! I’m ready to…pitch?"

They've got him slotted in at center, where he's still adequate and no worse than Nick Swisher, but Junior's most valuable as a DH, and Jim Thome has been one of the few players to start cold and then get hot again. With both being lefties, it doesn't make sense to platoon them, either. And so there will be a rotation of sorts among Griff, Thome, Konerko and Swisher at first, DH and outfield.

Continue reading "Twins in First"

that belief, they went out and acquired the hyper active Orlando Cabrera and boisterous, fun-loving Nick Swisher via trades with Anaheim and Oakland, hoping they will re-energize the team.

While Swisher and Cabrera should help improve the offense, the White Sox face the bigger problem that they are getting old. Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko, their three main run producers will be 38, 34 and 32 this season and there is plenty of question on whether Thome’s and Dye’s bodies can hold up. After Mark Buehrle, the pitching staff is full of questions marks and the front office made no move it in the off season. In fact, it was weakened by the loss of Jon Garland in the trade for Cabrera. Without pitching help and the big hitters proving that they aren’t wearing down, energy is not going to be enough for the White Sox in 2008.

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: AL Central"