The Diamond Fan

The Yankees have made the first really interesting move of the offseason by acquiring Nick Swisher from the White Sox for Wilson Betemit and two minor leaguers.  This move is interesting because it says a lot about the direction the team is heading.

Signing Swisher is a sure sign that the Yankees are going to focus almost entirely on pitching in the free agent market.  Cashman says that this does not rule out going after Mark Teixeira, but realistically I think it makes it highly improbable.  I’ve always thought Teixeira’s most likely destination is to remain in Anaheim, and this makes that outcome even more unlikely.  I also think it means the Yankees are going to throw some big money toward Sabathia.  They will probably also make a pitch for A.J. Burnette and Derek Lowe.

All-in-all I really like this deal for the Yankees.  Swisher is a good player coming off a down year who by all accounts is a good guy to have in the clubhouse.  I expect he will be an improvement over Giambi at 1B, and provides added flexibility in being able to play all three outfield positions. As a Yankee-hater I hate to see it, but I think this trade improves the team significantly. It also improves Swisher’s value in fantasy baseball.  I think he will do well in that Yankees lineup.

For the White Sox, the key to the deal was pitcher Jeff Marquez, who is a pitching prospect with a chance to make the big league team this season. Overall, though, I think the Yankees got a darn good player without giving up a whole lot.