Nick Swisher seems set for a return to the Bronx next year after a baseball executive familiar with the Yankees' thinking said Thursday the team would “probably pick up” Swisher’s contract option.That makes more sense to me than going after Beltran.
Triggering Swisher’s $10.25 million option would likely mean that the Yanks would not pursue ex-Met Carlos Beltran as an answer in right field.
“That’s the clue,” the executive said. If the Yankees pick up Swisher’s option, they “won’t be in on Beltran."
From Wallace Matthews:
Not long ago, it was considered a slam-dunk that the Yankees would pick up Nick Swisher's $10.25 million option for 2012, despite another miserable postseason performance.I still see no reason not to just sign Swisher's extension and reevaluate the outfield situation again after next season. However, if they do decide to go in a different direction, Beltran would be a good replacement for Swisher, if he can stay healthy and if it's for one year. Like I've said before, it's not worth getting locked in to any multi-year deals for an outfielder with Matt Kemp hitting the FA market after next season.
Now, it's not so clear.
The reason? Carlos Beltran, a free agent after seven up-and-down, and mostly down, seasons with the Mets. Beltran is being shopped hard by his agent, Scott Boras, and his name came up in discussions at the Yankees organizational meeting in Tampa on Wednesday.
"He's on our list,'' said a team official who was present at the meeting. "But we have to make a decision on Swisher first.''
That is an ominous sign for Swisher and his agent, Dan Lozano, who during the season were given reason to believe the option would be picked up, although not before the Nov. 1 deadline. Now, it seems as if the Yankees front office is weighing one of three options -- pick up Swisher and forget Beltran, sign Beltran and forget Swisher, or sign Beltran, pick up Swisher's option and include him in a trade for a starting pitcher.