Nick Swisher struck out exactly zero times while wearing a Yankees uniform.

Well, I guess there’s nothing I like about him, then.

(I guess I was a bit eager in re-assigning my memories of Nick from last year in one set of white & black uniforms for another. My bad, and I will attempt to refrain from such trans-posterior comments in the future.)

The Yanks wanted Washburn when they were in a pennant race and were running low on starting pitchers. That was six months and $243.5M ago. In case you haven’t noticed, their rotation is just a little better now. Sure, they might not be able to reach a deal with Pettite, but other than being younger Washburn isn’t better (walks more, strikes out less, gives up more HRs). There might be a deal to be done, but the Yanks aren’t over the same barrel they were last July.

Meanwhile, as a flyball pitcher backed by a much better outfield, Washburn very likely will look significantly better by this July. If the M’s aren’t still contending by then, that would be the time to deal a superficially “rejuvenated” Washburn (who will probably have some asinine new theory about it).

I’d love to add a +2.75 win player (who also seems like a Good Guy(tm)), but I’m worried about the same thing as Ep.Cow., e.g. the asking price. But, unlike in past years, I’m not nervous. I don’t think Zduriencik will get taken to the cleaners – if the price is too high, he’ll say thanks-but-no-thanks and walk away.

I think the worst case is we don’t get Swisher, and that’s a whole lot better worst-case than we’ve had in the past.

Brian Cashman’s a better GM than Ken Williams

Well, Cashman’s got twice as much money to spend, and it seems to me Williams’ World Series ring is more recent, so I’m not sure I would jump to that conclusion.

The one thing that jumps out about him are the 49 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings. Not too shabby and possibly one of those undervalued pieces that can be picked up cheap. His ERA is nothing special, particularly coming from the NL. But ERA is not the best stat to use when looking at a reliever. Looking at his strikeout totals, he can get people out on his own. Had Tommy John surgery in 2006.

He’s trying.

I have always been a fan of Swisher…he’s probably the only Athletic I can say that about…

Not I. I always hated the A’s because they always seemed to beat us senseless, but I always liked and had a lot of respect for The Eck, Big Mac, Dave Stewart, Bob Welch, Tim Hudson, Miguel Tejada, Jason Giambi, just to name a few. The A’s have had some really really good talent over the years and it’s hard not to like the individual players and what they do even if you hate the team.

Joe Blanton can **** off, though.

Both Swisher and Xavier Nady are drawing significant interest, according to major-league sources. The Yankees are not in a rush to trade either; their only desire is to make the best possible deal.

If there is interest in both players, I can’t imagine the Yankees trading the better player of the two, who also happens to be under team control for a longer period of time. Unless the Yankees are severely overvaluing some of the Mariners’ assets, this doesn’t look like a situation where you could get Swisher at a bargain basement price. The time for that was when he was still property of the White Sox.