Nick Swisher and his $10.25 Million Option

These days, it can be difficult to find a topic to write about. We've beaten starting pitching to death and the bullpen and lineup appear to be strong as is for the upcoming 2012 campaign. 

So let me throw in my two cents about Nick Swisher. 

Unbelievably enough, Swisher just completed his third year with the New York Yankees. Brian Cashman and co. now have a decision to make: Pick up Swisher's $10.25 million option to remain with the team in 2012, or pay him a $1 million buyout so that he'll become a free agent. 

I'll be shocked and disappointed if Swisher's not back. 

If you remember or not, Swisher was originally traded for as a replacement of Jason Giambi at first base after the 2008 season. Then New York made the holiday season very special for the Teixeira household, offering eight years $180 million. 

Swisher, now being replaced himself, was moved permanently to right field when Xavier Nady's injury sidelined him for the vast majority of 2009. And jolly 'ole Nick has not been a letdown. 

Over the course of his Yankee stint (450 games, exactly 150 regular season games each year), Swisher is averaging the following numbers: .267 BA, .368 OBP, .486 SLG, 27 homers, 85 RBI, 141 hits, 33 doubles, 85 runs scored. He's been good for the fourth highest WAR amongst RFs over the past three seasons (11.0 according to fangraphs) behind Ben Zobrist, Jose Bautista and Shin-Soo Choo. 

Who would take over right field if Swisher were given the boot? It certainly wouldn't be a free agent, seeing as the 2012 list is, to put it gently, sub-par. 

While I realize attitudes and "clubhouse presence" are continually bashed as being miniscule, it appears that Swisher has taken the duty of keeping a light, upbeat mood with him wherever he goes. Yes, I've never been inside the Yankee dugout or clubhouse. The only Yankee I've ever spoken to for longer than 15 seconds was CC Sabathia and it wasn't in a private environment. However, Swisher has been an absolute hit with the fans of New York and I've never read a fellow teammate of his say a negative thing about him. 

Nick Swisher is a consistently above-average baseball player that fans love. In my eyes, he's exactly the player the Yankees should desire keeping around.

It only makes sense to bring him back. 

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