White Sox trade for Athletics' Swisher
What do you think of the White Sox' trade with Oakland? Did the Sox give up too much, or are you satisfied that Nick Swisher can contribute a lot as a switch-hitting outfielder with a good on-base percentage. Tell us what you think at sportstalk@dailyherald.com. Please limit your comments to 200 words and include your name, hometown and daytime phone number (for verification purposes).
Nick Swisher was having breakfast with his mother Thursday in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, when his cell phone rang.
"It definitely was a little surprising,'' Swisher said. "You never wake up in the morning thinking you're going to get a phone call that you're traded.''
In retrospect, the 27-year-old Swisher should have known better. After all, he is a professional baseball player, and trades are as much a part of the business as triples.
He's also the son of Steve Swisher, who was selected by the White Sox in the first round of the 1973 draft and spent nine seasons in the major leagues as a catcher with the Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres.
Still, Nick Swisher had good reason to choke on his corn flakes after talking with Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane.
Even though the A's are rebuilding, the popular Swisher figured he was staying put in the Bay Area after signing a relatively low-priced five-year, $26.75 million contract extension in May.
White Sox general manager Kenny Williams felt much the same way -- before Thursday, when he acquired Swisher in a trade for three top prospects: pitchers Gio Gonzalez, Fautino De Los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney.
"I did not plan on paying this type of price,'' Williams said. "But I also did not plan on getting this type of player.
"Swisher was not a player that was on the market. Billy Beane and the Oakland A's did not want to move him, so we had to make it attractive enough to where they would engage in conversation.''
While he enjoyed his four-year stay with the Athletics, Swisher is looking forward to playing for the Sox.
"No hard feelings on my end,'' Swisher said. "I'm super excited the White Sox want me. I'm with a team that wants to win right now. They would not have given up what they did if they didn't think I could produce.
"I just hope all the walls are padded over there.''
Swisher is well-known for his somewhat crazy approach to the game, but he was talking about the walls at U.S. Cellular.
While he spent some time at first base with Oakland, Swisher is likely to wind up as the White Sox' starting center fielder. He played a career-high 57 games in center in last season.
"Last year, I got to play a decent amount in center and I got to watch and learn a lot from Mark Kotsay,'' Swisher said. "I'm not the fastest guy and I don't have the most tools, but I've learned a lot, and competition is something I love.''
In 2007, the Sox had the lowest batting average (.246) and on-base percentage (.318) in baseball.
The Sox have already added shortstop Orlando Cabrera in a trade from the Los Angeles Angels, and Swisher figures to bring a much-needed boost to the offense.
Last season, the switch hitter batted .262 with 22 home runs and 78 RBI in 150 games for the A's, setting career bests for batting average, on-base percentage (.381), walks (100) and doubles (36).
During his four-year stay with Oakland, Swisher batted .251 with a .361 on-base percentage, 80 home runs and 255 RBI. He set career highs with 35 home runs and 95 RBI in 2006.
"We'd like for him to make more contact, but this guy's just coming into his prime,'' Williams said. "He's a baseball player first and foremost, and the type of guy that fits into our equation with his attitude, with his effort, with his whole style of play.
"He's the perfect complement to give us another push, another energetic push, toward a championship. We're thrilled to have him and he's thrilled to be here.''
Gonzalez, 22, was 9-7 with a 3.18 ERA for Class AA Birmingham last season. Originally drafted by the White Sox in 2004, Gonzalez was traded to Philadelphia in the Jim Thome deal in November 2005. He was traded back to the Sox in a deal involving Freddy Garcia in December 2006.
De Los Santos, 21, was a combined 10-5 with a 2.65 ERA in 26 games (20 starts) at Class A Kannapolis and A Winston-Salem in 2007.
Sweeney, 22, batted .270 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI in 105 games at Class AAA Charlotte in 2007. In 15 games with the Sox, Sweeney hit .200 (9-for-45).
Nick Swisher file
Born: Nov. 25, 1980
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio
Height: 6-0 Weight: 215
College: Ohio State University
Bats: Switch Throws: Left
Motto: Work hard, play hard
The son of … former big-league catcher Steve Swisher
First major-league at-bat: Drew a walk off current Cub Ted Lilly, who was pitching for Toronto at the time.
On charity work: "Whether it's reading a story to a child in the hospital, visiting with our injured troops, growing out my hair so a live hair wig can be made for a woman living with cancer, or simply making sure I sign as many autographs as I can -- well, this is what drives me."
Source: nickswisher.net