There is no denying that Nick Swisher did an excellent job carrying the Yankees when Xavier Nady went down and Alex Rodriguez was still recovering, but now he his slumping and Nady is on the verge of returning. What will be done when Nady gets back, and how will it affect Swish?
Currently, Nady is playing in extended spring training games, and could find himself in the minors by the end of the week, according to the AP. If Swisher’s struggles continue, I assume Nady will ease his way right back into his starting job in right field.
It’s interesting to speculate what has caused Swisher’s bat to disappear. When Nady was healthy and starting, I’m willing to bet it made Swisher work a little harder to possibly overtake Nady’s spot.
There was a similar position battle in the first couple weeks in another outfield spot. Brett Gardner started out the year in center, but his poor hitting boosted Melky Cabrera to earn his position back and now is hitting with all the confidence in the world.
I think Swish will continue to slump until Nady is back and drives that competitive spirit back in him. The Yankees have been winning without Swisher’s bat thanks to A-Rod’s return.
Nady coming back to the Bronx is for the best for the team and Swisher. Another consistent bat will never hurt the lineup, and Swisher can go back to his initial role of providing depth, especially for a team that will need it as they enter their away portion of interleague games.
