Wednesday 5 November 2008

Speaking of buying low...

There was a reported noted by Tim over at MLBTR that the Chicago White Sox are marketing big Nick Swisher. Count me among the interested.

Yes, Swisher was off his feed this season. Posting an entirely unimpressive .743 OPS, but it's unlikely his skills have evaporated over night. I refer you to Jason Bay's poor 2007 for reference. Swisher is capable of playing all three outfield positions, and first base. He's a switch-hitter who hit 35 home runs as a 25 year old in Oakland (not the easiest place to hit for power) in 2006 (almost half of them at home) and, while he hit well against righties in the two years previous to 2008, he pounded LH pitching.

As if all that wasn't good enough, he's signed to a very favorable contract through 2011 (with an option for 2012).

There is always the issue, of course, of what he would cost. There's a rumor that the Mariners might take a look at Overbay - which would provoke the natural question of why you would deal for Overbay if Swisher is available. The answer to that is, of course, what you have to deal to get the player you are after. I'm not sure I'd give up any of our top three guys, but I would absolutely try to get Kenny Williams interested in a deal built around Ricky Romero and/or Scott Campbell.

~WillRain

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