Blog reborn/Swisher reaction

I admit, I’ve paid no attention to this blog since August. I got lazy. But, being a former journalism student, and working at a job that keeps me writing daily, I need to get back to this and be more consistent with it. If you’re reading this via LoHud and Pete Abraham’s blog, keep checking back, I promise to make this a good fan’s blog. There are some great Yankee blogs out there, and I love to read them all. Stars and Pinstripes is a reflection of me, a life-long Yankee fan, and hopefully generates a few comments or two. Now, on to bigger and better things.

Nick Swisher
It’s a great deal when you break it down. The Yankees didn’t give up a lot. There wasn’t a spot on this team for Wilson Betemit. Yes, a utility infielder, and a switch hitter, but we all know about his plate struggles. Besides, I think the Yankees like what they saw out of Cody Ransom last season, and I think you’re going to see him on the roster in 2009.

Giving up Jeff Marquez is fine with me. I believe in Brian Cashman’s plan of developing young pitching, and let’s be real: you can never have enough pithcing, especially young pitching. However, Marquez was never a top-flight minor leaguer. If he develops into a solid big league starter, more power to him. Word is the White Sox would like to work with Marquez to develop a cutter. He hasn’t been with them 24 hours, and they already think a cutter will somehow turn him into Josh Beckett. I don’t get that. Bottom line, the Yankees didn’t lose a whole bunch in this deal.

Nick Swisher had a fine season in Oakland two years ago, and you don’t forget how to hit and be productive overnight. Chicago was a bad fit for him. Apparently Swisher didn’t like leading off, and we all know that won’t happen in 2009. Adding another switch hitter to the lineup is a plus. It gives Joe Girardi a little more versatility, and gets them younger and better defensively, at a position that’s been lacking defense since 2002.

The trade means one thing to me. The Yankees now have more money to throw at CC Sabathia. Trading for Swisher pretty much kills the idea of Mark Teixeira in pinstripes. However, who was the back up plan if the Yankees failed on Teixeira? Casey Blake? I think Nick Swisher is  a better option than Casey Blake.

We all know this team needs pitching, but you can’t hide the hole at first base. This move sured up the fact the Yankees will be making a big run at starting pitching this offseason.