Red-hot Swisher will be expensive proposition for Yankees
- Last Updated: 3:43 PM, August 20, 2012
- Posted: 1:16 AM, August 20, 2012
HARDBALL
Nick Swisher just enjoyed a dream week as far as his free agency is concerned.
In the Yankees’ seven games before last night, Swisher went 12-for-29 (.414) with four homers and 12 RBIs. He not only had a lot of hits, but a bunch of huge, game-shifting hits. That will not completely counteract his anti-clutch reputation (since that is based mainly on the playoffs), but he does now actually lead the Yankees in OPS with runners in scoring position (.936).
And — beyond his control — his long-term finances received enhancement when Melky Cabrera was suspended 50 games for a positive test for testosterone. Cabrera was the only other high-end, switch-hitting corner outfielder projected on the free-agent market besides Swisher. Now Cabrera will be fortunate to get even a one-year deal for a small amount of guaranteed money, leaving the marketplace more fiscally fertile for Swisher.
The Yankees almost certainly will give the one-year, approximately $13.3 million tender (average of the top 125 salaries in the sport) to Swisher, which, if he leaves assures draft-pick compensation. Of course, the Yankees would love for Swisher to accept, enabling them to pay him a reasonable rate for just 2013 and avoid a long-term commitment that would further complicate their mandate to get under the $189 million luxury-tax threshold for 2014.
But there is almost no way Swisher will accept. He did not change to high-powered representative Dan Lozano last year to do a one-year deal in free agency. Swisher can probably expect no less than $13 million a year on a three- or four-year pact. So why agree to a one-year deal at that amount?
The question, though, is if the Yankees should be the team to commit those long-term dollars. The common theory is the Yankees are going to try to shoehorn multi-year deals for Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson — both free agents after the 2014 season — into those $189 million strictures. That remains the strong, strong likelihood for their direction.
But a case could be made the Yankees should consider doing the long deals with Cano and Swisher, and ultimately letting Granderson walk after next season. In that scenario, the Yankees still could have all three players for 2013. That would give the team an additional year to analyze whether Brett Gardner has proven healthy and capable enough to assume the center field job in 2014 or if touted prospect Mason Williams is making gains to be ready for that role.
It would be a less expensive duo, since Granderson is probably looking at a longer deal that will pay him $16 million to $20 million a year. Thus, the Yankees could use the difference saved between Swisher and Granderson to tuck another useful player or two into that tighter budget.
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