After the New York Yankees opted not to bring Nick Swisher to the Bronx, he voiced his frustration with the decision.
Let’s throw it back to when Nick Swisher signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. The 2009 fanatics cheered and many fans thought they had someone who could provide a spark in chemistry.After a week sporting a Railriders uniform, it seemed as though he could implement the spark using his not only his personality but with lumber as well.
When he was first brought to the Electric City to play at PNC Field, Swish batted .306 with three home runs up until the month of May. Not only that but his child-like personality was put on display and it was certainly felt throughout the small crowd.
What Swisher was believed to be able to do was create a shift in attitude toward having fun, while still taking care of business which was something that slumping club could have used at the time.
But here we are in June, two injuries to first basemen featuring numerous calls to the Scranton Shuttle not highlighted by his name.
When Alex Rodriguez landed on the disabled list with a right hamstring strain against the Baltimore Orioles, Swisher didn’t get the call as lefty reliever James Pazos got the ride on the shuttle.
Recently, Dustin Ackley was put on the long-term shelf due to a torn labrum but instead of Swisher returning to Yankee Stadium, Rob Refsnyder got a well-deserved call-up.
SEE ALSO: Refsnyder Making Case To Remain In The Lineup
After Mark Teixeira went down, Chris Parmelee, Swisher’s main competition for a promotion, got the call. Certainly wasn’t a tough choice, as Parmelee is ahead of the former Yankee All-Star in almost every offensive category, but the big picture is that the Yankees do not believe he can administer a jolt to this roster at this moment.
Why? Well, maybe the fact that he batted .195 for the majority of the month of May to lower his overall slash line to .234/.250/.344 had something to do with it.
Sure, he is batting .422 against lefties but his .156 average against right-handers is proving he can be a platoon player, at worst. Plus, a second chance for the man who used to be Swisherlicious in the Bronx has turned into a long shot, and now, he has brought his frustrations to light.
“It’s frustrating to see guys get hurt and a lot of different people get called up and not be one of them,” Swisher said before the RailRiders faced Columbus according to the NY Post. “It’s like, ‘What do I have to do?’ And then you try to do too much. I just have to play better.”
Swisher believes he can bounce back, however, as he thinks he can battle back and swing the bat well enough to catch the eye of the New York Yankees yet again.
No longer can he use the “fan favorite” card to earn his way onto the Major League Roster. I’m not saying he was as he is always dedicated to his craft, but he has to start proving his worth if he craves major league stardom.
Following a porous 2015 season with the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves in which he hit sub -.200, Swisher needs to demonstrate to the Yankees’ organization that he still can produce at the dish.
That overall .234 batting average is simply not proving that and he can not blame the boys upstairs for passing on that. If he can hit just above his weight in the International League, what makes them think he can prove last year’s horrid campaign was a fluke?
He has to hit. Until then, he will have to realize he will unlikely be a member of the New York Yankees ever again.
