When Yankees COO Lonn Trost spoke of sluggish sales on luxury boxes in the new Steinbrenner Monument To Greed & Avarice, who knew he was all but promising Brian Cashman wouldn’t be pursuing Mark Teixeiria? Earlier today, the Bombers traded infielder Wilson Betemit and minor league pitchers Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez to the White Sox in exchange for the switch-hitting 1B Nick Swisher and minor league pitcher Kanekoa Texeira. Here’s Peter Abraham of the Journal News’ initial reaction :
It™s impossible to quibble with the Yankees giving up three players like Betemit, Marquez and Nunez. Marquez is a former sandwich pick (2004) who had a solid 2007 season but never really got on track in 2008. He was in that second-tier group of pitching prospects, much like Karstens, McCutchen and Ohlendorf were.
Swisher finished the 2008 season poorly but he can play first base and center field. He has been an on-base guy in his career and hits for power. He is at worst serviceable option at both positions. We™ll hear soon where Cash sees him fitting in. I have predicted from the start that the Yankees would go the trade route for a 1B. Maybe this is it.
Cashman just said that if the season started today, Swisher is the 1B.
Swisher also has some experience as a corner outfielder, but perhaps the New York Mets figure Fernando Tatis is in the prime of his career. Or, more hopefully, The Chicago Tribune’s Mark Gonzalez is on to something when he hints at the White Sox sending Jermaine Dye to Flushing in exchange for Bobby Parnell or Eddie Kunz
The Cubs’ acquisition of Marlins closer Kevin Gregg today means the end of Kerry Wood’s long tenure at Wrigley Field. Wood could be a fiscally savvy alternative to the Mets’ splashing out on K-Rod, particularly if ownership place a large wager on Wood spending multiple stints on the disabled list.
That headline is pretty much it, isn’t it. As for Dye…yes, please. I read about that a couple days ago, in much more speculative form, but that guy is a good player and apparently a pretty decent dude. Like Cliff Floyd, but better and righthanded and could probably play 120 games in a season in a pinch. He’s not the answer in 2012 — that’d be Palin, I think — but for the next couple years he’s a steal for Kunz or Parnell, for sure. Perhaps they’d like Jason Vargas, too?
You guys need to knock off the political witticisms. War is over, if you want it. Sarah Palin’s gone back to make child porn and moose cookies. Stick to your brilliant sports analysis, Dave.
You’re right, I am brilliant. To be fair, though, the “you guys” should just be me. Gerard and everyone else generally steers clear of that. I’m just, you know, pushing the envelope. Of readability.
I was actually hoping the Mets would pick up Swisher as well. I thought he was a good cheap option for left field and could possibly bat 2nd as a high OBP guy. Then I saw his contract. $5.3MM in ’09, $6.75MM in ’10, $9MM in ’11, and a $10.25MM club option for ’12 with a $1MM buyout. Swisher does have a huge upside but being committed for 21 million and 3 years to a guy who hit .219 last year doesn’t sound like an awesome idea. I just hope those Abreu rumors aren’t true.
Abreu wouldn’t be a horrible option as long as he doesn’t get more than $10M/year. The guy’s still got high OBP and fair amount of power, which wouldn’t be a bad thing for the Mets. Swisher is a much worse idea for anybody who really wants to contend. Can’t believe this trade isn’t being scrutinized more. The odd part is that it would seemingly create more of a logjam at 1B with rumors of Posada eventually playing there full-time and guys like Johnny Damon playing there on occasion. What, no Teixiera? That team has too many guys playing the same positions and now they add Swisher. Hmmm…