My friend Jeff Fletcher, baseball writer and analyst deluxe, sent me the following email this morning about Nick Swisher:
I think he's probably available because the Yankees got him before they signed Mark Teixeira. I'm not sure if they see Swisher fitting into the outfield, but they've already got Damon, Matsui and Melky Cabrera out there, so they could certainly afford to part with him. Swisher's best position is first base, so he'd be a good fit for the Giants that way. He's also excellent defensively. Now, he's coming off a bad year with the White Sox (.219), but in his bad year he still hit 24 homers and drew 82 walks (both would have easily been team bests on the Giants). He's only 28, and I'd rather have a 28 year old coming off a bad year than a 38-year-old coming off a good year. For the past four years, he's averaged 25+ homers. Maybe a return to his comfort zone in the Bay Area would help him. I think sticking him at 1b and keeping him there would also help. He never much cared for bouncing between OF and 1b, which he's done all his career. He's also signed for three more years, plus an option (2009: $5.3M, 2010:$6.75M, 2011:$9M so it's not a huge financial gamble, relatively speaking.
That's what Fletch had to say. It's intriguing. Swisher is good but Fletch is the best.
What does your friend think it would take to get him? Swisher is a good team player, and would fit in nicely with the Giants, but my expectations are that we wouldn't pay a very heavy price.
Not a bad suggestion, this falls into line about what Sabean was talking about acquiring someone without "warts". Getting someone sound defensively with power in a position of need, at a young age sounds good to me. The Manny deal is too risky, does Fletcher know if the Giants are interested?