Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 8:34 PM
[
General]
So far in the first month of the 2011 season there are some hot batters and some cold batters. One of the more noticeable cold batters so far is Nick Swisher.
Some have said to move him down further in the lineup where he is already batting sixth. My solution: bat him second.
Swisher had the best year of his career last year with the New York Yankees. Overall he had a .288 batting average with 163 hits, 29 home runs, 89 RBI's, and 58 walks. Batting second alone he had a .272 batting average, 92 hits, 17 home runs, 47 RBI's, and 38 walks.
So far in 2011 overall he has a .227 batting average with 15 hits, 8 RBI's, and 12 walks. This season he's batting second in five games and has a .389 batting average with 7 hits, 2 RBI's, and 2 walks.
The Yankees have one walk-off win this season and it was off the bat of Swisher--a sac fly against the Baltimore Orioles. Swisher was batting second that game.
Whatever it is Swisher likes about batting second it seems to work. Just looking at the numbers from this season alone shows that he is more comfortable in the two hole.
This is my opinion. Ever since he changed his approach at the plate in 2010 and Joe Girardi had him batting second he's been a completely different hitter. All the games he's been cold this month have been with him batting 5th or 6th. His more heated games this year are him batting second.