Yankee Fans Unite

I am really not quite sure what Girardi and the Yankee management saw this spring, but in watching Swisher and Nady play over the last season, and in ST, I was thinking that Swish did a better job overall than Nady.

Nady isn't a bad player, but I don't like his swing and his defense seems to lack some energy. Swisher is a character, but he also has some swagger. Nady doesn't come off that way.

My wish, so to speak, is for the Yankees to give Swisher the starting role for a bit and see how he does. He had 5 RBIs today, and while that won't happen all the time, I think he will have a much better year than Nady will.

I wouldn't be shocked to see one of them being traded at some point this season. Melky might end up being traded as well. Gardner at CF is a bit weak, but if he can get on base he is a pest to the pitcher. Maybe a trade using Nady and Melky could bring back a good back up OF who can play all the positions decently.

I agree regarding Swisher vs. Nady.

I don't have a problem with Swisher getting some time. Nady has a higher career BA but Swisher has more HR's. Don't have a real sample of defense for Swisher but I always thought Nady was Sheffield-ish in nonchalanting the ball. Abreu is like that too - gets irritating watching them play outfield.

The trouble I see with Nady's BA is that so much of it came from the National League. Once he was in the AL, it seems the BA took a nosedive.

Maybe some of it is from not knowing the pitchers as well, but I am disappointed by his efforts at the plate. Too many swings of his look like he is going to come out of his cleats. Sure, we like the long ball, but most times when batters swing with that much behind it, it fails.

Swisher just seems to put more into his playing defensively. I agree with the comparision of Abreu's and Nady's approach to defense.

I think Nady is OK, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if he got traded. Swisher is a character, like I said. That can help endear him to the fans. If he can do a decent job with OBP and defense that isn't looking as though he is afraid to go after it, I lean toward Swisher.

I agree that Swisher certainly deserves a shot, and if he hits enough I think we're better off with him out there than Nady. He's more powerful and takes more walks. I don't see enough games to really judge their defense, though.

I don't think they should trade the loser of the positional battle. The backup will get his at-bats, and can spell Damon and Matsui when necessary too. So long as they're OK with it, I'd prefer to have a little bench depth for once. If they have a hole that they desperately need to fill at the trading deadline, sure. But otherwise, having 5 decent outfielders (6, once Matsui can play in the field) is a good thing that I wouldn't want to break up.

The only reason I think they might consider a trade of one of them is if it brings back decent talent for CF. Of course that means that Gardner just isn't cutting it.

Today Swisher dropped a ball that should have been caught, but I somehow couldn't imagine Nady going as hard after it as Swisher did. Nady lets a number of balls drop in front of him that Swisher seems to attempt to catch. That was one of the problems with Abreu last season. That and of course the wall.

I still miss Bobby. I think if the Yankees didn't need the DH spot for Hideki and the rotation of Swisher, Nady, maybe Posada, Abreu would make a great DH. Good bat, some decent power, very good eye.

What is weird about your analysis OG is when he first came over here he was tearing the cover off the ball. So the switch didn't immediately affect him, yet over time it seemed to catch up to him. I'd still say at this point the 1/2 season isn't a true gauge of whether or not the AL has his number.

Maybe this is one of those years or situations where Girardi can get away with playing the hot hitter and rotating some guys around to maximize their combined output?

But no doubt about it, Swisher plays harder out there and go gets the ball.

Nady didn't that bad when he first came over, but some of that could have been the Scouting reports that the AL clubs had on him as well as his being a "hot hand".

I think Bay was the much better player, and that the RS got the better deal overall. I am not really down on Nady, but when you have two players going for one slot, you weigh the two against each other. Swisher isn't the end all of outfielders. He was really brought in to cover first base.

I just read the report that Peter Abraham put up regarding the Teixeira deal. Cashman was pushing it, but the feeling was not very positive with the ownership. It really didn't get serious till Boston looked like they were getting him.

Swisher was really looking forward to playing first, as he thought that was his best position. In watching Teixeira play there though, Swish would be a downgrade defensively there. As a means of giving Teixeira a rest, its fine.

The playing the hot hitter stuff will be fine, IF Girardi does that. He didn't last season, so it will remain to be seen if he has changed his outlook on that.

Meanwhile, Cody seems way over matched at the plate. I hope ARod comes back sooner rather than later.

Playing the hot hitter should be the way Joe G manages this "problem". Like Karl, I prefer to have this 5-6 outfielders "problem", which means a strong bench.

I think Swisher is a very positive influence in the clubhouse. It seems all his teammates love him. And this is a very important thing. I expect Girardi to give Swish more at bats than it was supposed to be.

It would be fare if Girardi decides to give an oportunity to Ramiro Peña. Do not forget he's a 1.000 MLB hitter

About A-Rod, don't worry, my friend. He'll be back as soon as May 1st. Look. He's headed to Tampa to start baseball rehab this coming Monday. April 13. Two and a half weeks later, we'll see him covering 3B.

Alex is making it his mission to come back early, and ready to go. I hope Swish infuses some fun into the game for him; we could see monster results.

Ransom? I am almost ready to see Eric Duncan get a shot instead....

I hear that Chuck.

I feel bad for Ransom, but he isn't all that young. There is a reason why he is stuck at AAA.

It seems Duncan has fallen off the map, though if the Yankees thought higher of Ransom than Duncan, that gives me the chills.

Good point. If I remember right, they exposed E. Duncan in the Rule 5 draft, and there were no takers.