On May 25 of this season, I can't imagine Nick Swisher was feeling particularly pleasant about his slow start to the season. His line totals looked something like this: 31 for 152 (.204), .321 OBP, .289 SLG, two home runs, seven doubles and 19 runs batted in. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Swisher's BAbip was sitting at .252. In other words, Swisher was experiencing a bit of bad luck considering his line drive percentage was hovering around 24.1% in late May.
"I feel pretty good, man. I feel like I’m making good contact," Swisher said. "Like Yogi [Berra once] said, ‘I’m not in a slump, I just ain’t getting no hits.’ I guess I should just take a page out of his book."
Funny enough, his season would take a turn for the best only a few days later.
Over the last 58 games that Swisher has played in, he has compiled a terrific slate of statistics. 64 for 203 (.315), .419 OBP, .557 SLG, 13 doubles, 12 home runs and 43 runs batted in. His BAbip is .342 over that span.
So while Swisher couldn't buy luck in his first two months of the season, it now seems like he's constantly hitting the ball exactly where the fielders aren't.
Also, he already has more walks this year (64) than all of 2010 (58). Needless to say, he's quietly stepped up and become one of the best players on this Yankee team.
Nick has erased all doubts as to whether or not the organization should pick up his team option of $10.25 million for 2012. Not like there are really any terrific right fielders that will be in the free agency pool, anyway.