Heyman: Yankees Have No Interest In Giving Swisher Multi-Year Deal

From Jon Heyman:

The Yankees are still planning to make a qualifying offer of about $13.5 million to free agent Nick Swisher, but only to protect the draft choice, not with any hope or expectation he'd accept the offer and return to the Bronx.

While Swisher generally had a nice four-year run in the Bronx, the Yankees are ready to move on after a fourth straight postseason of struggle for Swisher.

The Yankees were certain all year they'd extend the qualifying offer, and it appears they still are extremely likely to do so since the chances for him to accept would still appear to be remote.The one-year qualifying offer amount is expected to be for about $13.5 million in the new set-up, so the great likelihood would seem to be that Swisher could beat that total on a multiyear deal elsewhere.

The Yankees haven't made a final determination about what to do. General manager Brian Cashman declined comment.

...

The Yankees have no interest in making Swisher a multi-year deal at the going rate, but that's mostly about their desrire to get their payroll below the lucury tax threshhold of $189 million in 2014 -- though of course Swisher's .167 batting average with only two RBI in 30 postseason at-bats doesn't help, either.

Also according to Heyman, other MLB execs expect Swisher to get a 3-year-deal.

Brett Gardner Could Start Game 3

From Andrew Marchand:

With the idea of shaking up the lineup going into Game 3 against the Detroit Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that Brett Gardner could be a starting outfielder.

"He still might play a role in this thing," Cashman said on ESPN New York 98.7 FM’s "The Michael Kay Show." "You could very well see Gardner in this big outfield that Detroit has. The way our offense is, it is a possibility. He deserves consideration considering what is going on right now."

Gardner could start in the outfield with Nick Swisher or Curtis Granderson or, in some arrangements, both sitting. Previously, Yankees manager Joe Girardi has said he is hesitant to play Gardner because he has only had three major league at-bats since April. Gardner missed most of the season with an elbow problem.

Gardner is 5-for-11 in his career against Verlander and at this point I'd have to imagine he'd put up better at-bats than Swisher, after all Swish got his feelings hurt. Also, and more importantly, Swisher is just a .180 in 61 at-bats against Verlander.

Yankees Fans Should Be Embarrassed

The title speaks for itself. Since the beginning of the postseason, I have heard some pretty ridiculous things from Yankees fans. One of my favorites was one female fan’s claim that because the Yankee players are clean cut, that makes them “classy.” Please, so now facial hair dictates what kind of a human being you are? For the most part, these were the type of humorously naïve comments I would be subjected to on a somewhat consistent basis. You laugh at them, poke a little fun, but ultimately, you just roll your eyes at the stupidity and carry on with your life.

Now we are learning that not only has the fans turned on Nick Swisher, but some of them are actually blaming him for Derek Jeter breaking his ankle. Are you kidding me? That brings ignorance to a whole new level. I get that in the postseason, especially in close games, emotions run high but the suggestion that Swisher had anything to do with Jeter’s broken ankle proves how dumb people can be. Everyone is frustrated with how this team is playing but there is no excuse for saying something like that to someone that has been a great player since he came to the Bronx. Not only has he been a great player, he has been one of the most likeable guys in the game, and one of the few celebrities out there that seems to genuinely care about his fans. If you want to be frustrated with his postseason performance, that is fair but leave the ignorance to the two fools that are campaigning for President.

Swish has also said these “fans” have made it personal with attacks on his family. Way to go whoever you are. There is a good reason why fans of the New York Yankees have a really bad reputation. Just like fans of Philadelphia sports teams, the popular opinion is not a positive one. It is absolutely vile to go after a person’s family. This is a game, people. Remember that. So if the New York Yankees and their $200Million payroll don’t bring home a World Series this year, is it that horrible of a thought? Is the idea so offensive that these fans feel it is their obligation to spew such hatred? I am not even 30 years old and I have already seen five World Series championships. Most people will not even get to see one in their lifetime. If they don’t win it all this year or the next, I will be fine. You all will be fine as well (unless you placed big money on the ALCS). Everybody should just relax with the theatrics already. The guy isn’t playing well but it is certainly not due to a lack of effort.

I am not defending his postseason performance this year or any other year, it’s been pretty bad. I just cannot wrap my head around why there are people at a baseball game that would resort to such classless tactics. Just for kicks, I have even heard fans complain that he is smiling too much. This isn’t news. When doesn’t Swish smile? He is a happy guy that is living his dream & being paid handsomely to do so. I would be smiling from ear to ear all the time if I had his life. For some reason though, these fans seem to expect Nick Swisher to not be himself. What do you want him to do? If he frowns when they lose, does he get his Yankee-Cred back? Do you guys want him to sulk in a dark corner?

Nick Swisher has the right attitude in life and he has his priorities straight. The Yankees fans that feel the need to try and destroy his spirit could learn from him because they do not. Remember, it is just baseball. After the final out is recorded, life goes on.

Nick Swisher is a Crybaby

Apparently, Nick Swisher was upset at the treatment he's been receiving from some bleacher creatures over the last couple games. Here's more on the story via Bryan Hoch:

Nick Swisher and Yankee Stadium's right-field Bleacher Creatures have enjoyed a warm relationship over four seasons in the Bronx, one that includes Swisher enthusiastically acknowledging cheers with a left-handed salute during "Roll Call" each day.

But on Sunday, as the Yankees took the field for Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, Swisher's heart wasn't quite in it. Stung by jeers he heard from the home crowd during the Yankees' Game 1 loss to the Tigers, Swisher acknowledged that he offered just a lackluster wave when he heard his name chanted.

"That's the last thing that I ever thought would be in this ballpark, that people would get on you that bad," Swisher said after the Yankees lost, 3-0, to fall into a 2-0 deficit in the ALCS. "Especially your home, where your heart is, where you've been battling and grinding all year long. It's just frustrating, man. You never want to be in that spot. It's not like you're trying to go out there and do bad on purpose. It's just tough, man."

... what troubled Swisher were personal jabs and critiques that seem unfair.

"Last night was pretty big," Swisher said. "A lot of people saying a lot of things that I've never heard before. Prime example: I missed that [12th-inning Delmon Young] ball in the lights, and the next thing you know, I'm the reason that [Derek] Jeter got hurt. It's kind of frustrating. They were saying it was my fault."

...

"I'm one of those guys that if you give me a hug, I'll run through a brick wall for you, man," Swisher said. "It just seems right now like there's just a lot of ... it's tough. It's really tough. You want to go out and play for your city, play for your team. Right now, it's just really tough.

"It hurts. Sometimes I'm a sensitive guy and some of the things people say, they get under your skin a little bit. I've been lucky to be here for the past four years, bro. We're not going to go out like this. We're going to go to Detroit and give everything we've got."

And one more from the Daily News:

“As the game progresses, you’re trying to go up there and get a hit. If you don’t, people let you know about it,” said Swisher, who is batting .154 with one RBI through seven postseason games this October. “It’s a tough spot. Hey man, I guess that’s playing in New York... That’s New York for you.

Also, according to a this Newsday article fans serenaded him with: "Na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye." after his final plate appearance.

Swisher also went on to suggest that the atmosphere in the Bronx might be hurting the team, calling it "a negative setting."

I'm sure there will be some who side with Swisher here, but it's not going to be me. Grow a sack and I don't know, maybe get a damn hit. Then those boos that hurt you so much might just go away.

A-Rod said it best in his postgame:

“Our fans haven’t had much to cheer about, so you can’t blame them. You have to blame us. If was sitting there I would be perplexed too. We didn’t score any runs. What the hell are we going to cheer about?”

Heyman: Swisher Wants Werth Money

From Jon Heyman:

Word going around is, Nick Swisher, the Yankees' eternally upbeat rightfield power supply, may seek a "Jayson Werth contract" when he hits free agency at the end of the year.

To baseball fans, that is well-known to mean $126 million over seven years. In other words, it's a lot more money than most folks have guessed so far for Swish.

Second-hand or not, some Yankees people have heard that's the figure Swisher is thinking about and may at least shoot for, and one other source who's spoken to Swisher said that, indeed, Swisher has shown real interest in Werth's deal. It's believed the two sides have had no extension talks yet, as it is team policy to wait for free agency, except in rare cases.

While the $126-million figure is two to three times more than most of the estimates for Swisher, free agency brings some surprises. The Werth deal, for instance.

Swisher initially gave the usual player-speak answer, "I haven't thought about it,'' when asked if he sees the Werth deal as a fair comp for him. I tried to lighten the mood by asking if he had ever "heard'' of the Werth contract, and Swisher characteristically responded by laughing uproariously. We both know, of course, that any corner outfielder who's a very good player having a very good year (but is a bit short of being a cornerstone player) has to have thought long and hard about the Werth deal.

Eventually, he did say about Werth's Nationals contract, "It's a great deal for him.'' And then Swisher did challenge me to look at the record.

"Check it out,'' Swisher implored me. "See what it says.''

So I did. And statistically speaking, it's pretty darned close between the two corner outfielders.

Heyman goes on to explain the stats, and yes, they are pretty close. That said, the Yankees, or any team, would be absolutely crazy to give Swisher that kind of deal and I'm almost 100% sure they won't come close.

Heyman also spoke with four baseball executives about the idea of Swish getting a similarly ridiculous deal:

1. Executive No. 1. Werth is better because he can play center field as well as right field and has a better postseason track record than Swisher (that's one area where Werth has outdone Swisher).

2. Executive No. 2. It doesn't matter how they match up because 'the Werth deal is insane.'' That exec said he could see Swisher getting $45 million for three years, or $60 million for four, which is well short of Werth and more along the lines of the usual projections.

3. Executive No. 3. Swisher's case isn't crazy considering the Werth contract. (That exec may well have studied the numbers.)

4. Executive No. 4. Laughter. That exec apparently felt the idea iof Swisher being a $126-million player was quite amusing.

I highlight the 2nd executive's comments because those, to me, are all that matter. Just because one guy gets a crazy deal doesn't mean anyone else, or the original players, is worth it or deserves it. Also, the $45 or $60 million deals are much reasonable and realistic. That is what Swisher needs to realize heading into free agency, or at the very least the Yankees have to realize it. Executive number 4 was also pretty accurate in his assessment of the situation.

Sorry Swish, $126 million shouldn't and isn't happening.

Swisher Out For Series Opener vs Sox

From George A. King III:

No matter how hard Nick Swisher lobbies Joe Girardi and the medical staff to play tonight against the Red Sox, he won’t win.

“He is not a player for us [tonight],’’ general manager Brian Cashman said of the switch-hitting right fielder who has missed the last five games due to a mild strain of his left hip flexor.

Though the Yankees were off yesterday, Swisher was at Yankee Stadium working out with batting coach Kevin Long.

Swisher ran the bases and took batting practice on the field.

“He looked pretty good,’’ said Long, who didn’t talk about if Swisher was ready to play.

I figure they just want to take it slow and give him another day to see how his body responds to yesterday. He'll probably be back on Saturday.

Swisher Update

It was also reported by George King, that Joe Girardi said that Swisher may be able to return to the lineup this weekend vs the Red Sox.

Swish Leaves Game With Tight Left Hammy

Nick Swisher left today's game with a tight left hamstring and will go for a precautionary MRI. Hopefully it's nothing too serious.

Nick Swisher: Great Ballplayer, Even Better Person

Among the thousands of professional athletes throughout the world, there are so many out there that have to bicker over the very last dollar on their contract.  So many other players are out setting terrible examples by mouthing off to management and fans, getting arrested, and just plain looking like self-entitled jerks.  Do not count Nick Swisher among them.  Out of the countless half hearted interviews that I've seen athletes give to reporters, Swish is just as enthusiastic about giving them as he was when he first came up to the big leagues with Oakland.  He is the blueprint of what professional athletes should be.

When do you ever see Nick Swisher not smiling?  He just comes off as the happiest person in the world.  He is getting paid a fortune (compared to your average joe) to play a kid's game & the way he acts, he knows he is a truly lucky guy.  He is adored by New York City due to his all-out hustle, on-field production, but even more importantly, his off of the field production.  Contrary to what sports fans think, it is more important to be a good person as opposed to a great ball player in life.  Fortunately for us Yankees fans, we get to have both when it comes to Swisher.  He touches the lives of sick children with his charity known as "Swish's Wishes" and also helps out with Barry Zito's "Strikeouts for Troops."  Not only is this completely admirable, he even put himself out there by recording an album titled "Believe" to benefit "Swish's Wishes."  How many athletes would do that?  Not too many (if any), I'd imagine.

I cannot harp on this enough for those that don't get the pleasure of seeing Swish on a regular basis, he just gets it.  That's pretty much all that you can say.  Personally, I've never had the pleasure of meeting the guy.  But every person that I've read about that has, and the few that I know, all say the same thing about him.  They all say that he is the most down-to-earth person they've ever met.  He may be a millionaire adored by a ton of people, he doesn't act like it though.  He deserves all of the accolades that comes his way, and this is coming from a person that is usually disgusted by the salaries of professional athletes.

I am proud of Nick Swisher & I am even more proud that he is a New York Yankee.  Let's hope that we see him in Pinstripes for years to come.  If that isn't in the cards though, I will still be proud because I can say that I had the pleasure of watching a great ball player & an even better person for four years.

Twitter: @trevwolff

Marchand: Yanks "Strongly Considering Adding Payroll"

From Andrew Marchand:

After the slumber of their quiet offseason, the Yankees are strongly considering adding payroll in a deal to bring in a starting pitcher via free agency or a trade, a baseball official with knowledge of the team’s thinking told ESPN New York.

The official said that with prices coming down as spring training approaches, the odds were “60-40” that the Yankees will become more aggressive and add to a roster that has been unchanged from last year’s club. A source predicted that things will heat up next week.

Adding payroll is fine, and it's something I thought they'd have to do if they wanted to improve. But I would have rather seen them come to this conclusion earlier in the offseason so they could have at least known this before 95% of the FA market was taken off the board.

Nothing has changed regarding free agent targets, they're still eyeing Jackson & Kuroda:

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner met with agent Scott Boras to discuss starter Edwin Jackson, but he is not the only free agent on the team’s radar. Hiroki Kuroda may turn out to be their top choice over Jackson. Roy Oswalt seems more unlikely, but can’t be completely ruled out.

The key to any contract will be the length. The Yankees are looking to make a one-year deal. A source said that while Boras is no longer looking for five years for Jackson, he is still asking for a multi-year contract. If Boras doesn’t come down further, it seems highly unlikely the Yankees will sign Jackson.

A source termed a two-year offer unlikely, but didn’t completely rule it out. The Yankees will not go three years because they want to get beneath the $189 million luxury tax number by 2014. This would cut their payroll tax more than half, down to 17 percent, if they were able to do so.

Kuroda, who turns 37 next month, has been a pitcher the Yankees have had interest in dealing for, but he has been hesitant to leave Los Angeles. However, with the Dodgers not having room for him, he may be more open-minded about coming to the east coast. Kuroda may also return to Japan.

Marchand also mentioned and earlier Buster Olney report that said the Yanks were "quietly shopping Nick Swisher" and could deal the right fielder to free up some salary.

Swish Says Yanks Have "An Amazing Team"

From Chad Jennings:

Nick Swisher was on the YES Network last night, and he took some exception to the idea that the Yankees haven’t enough enough to improve themselves this winter.

“I think it’s time to put us back on the map,” he said. “I think with the guys we have going into this season, we feel confident. A lot of people are saying, why haven’t the Yankees made any moves? Well, we didn’t win the most games in the American League last year with just nobody. We feel we have an amazing team, and we’re going to go out there and hope we prove that this year.”

...

“In New York, people expect to win, and we want to win for them,” Swisher said. “Regardless of whatever lineup we put on the field, we will be competitive.”

You can throw me in the line of people who are saying, "why haven't the Yankees made any moves?". If I were grading the Yankees offseason to this point, it would get a D-. They're no better than they were when the season ended, and being that it ended with a ALDS exit the word "amazing" is not one I would use to describe it.