Heyman: Yankees “extremely likely” to make Swisher qualifying offer

October 19, 2012 by Mike Axisa 50 Comments

Via Jon Heyman: The Yankees are “extremely likely” to make Nick Swisher a qualifying offer to ensure they receive draft pick compensation if and when he signs elsewhere. The qualifying offer will be a one-year deal in the $13.3-13.4M range.

Swisher, 31, spent four very productive years in New York, but the team appears ready to move on after another disappointing postseason. Heyman says the club has “no interest” in re-signing Swisher to a multi-year pact, but I bet they’d be happy to take him if accepts the qualifying offer. They’d get an above-average right fielder without clogging up 2014 payroll, when they want to get under the luxury tax. Teams have until five days after the end of the World Series to make qualifying offers and the players then have seven days to accept.

Preston

I hope they bring him back, but they at least need to make the qualifying offer and get the pick back for him.
- Laz
  
  Yep, little chance he accepts and anyways if he did that would be even better.
Alex’s Rod

I’d actually prefer they resign Swisher over Granderson, even though Granderson isn’t a free agent til next year.
Elton Cod

Good news. If he wants to stay for a cheap contract, sure, why not. But otherwise, that bozo can go. He has a lot of nerve, thinking that he can talk about deserving $126 million, perform like he did in the postseason, and not hear it from the fans. Cowardly of him to turn on us like that, a real Yankee like DiMaggio or Mattingly would have taken responsibility for such poor play. If you don’t like fans giving it to you for asking for that kind of money and not performing go play somewhere else, we will not miss your streakiness, your abysmal playoff offense, or your defense.
- Ted Nelson
  
  There’s a difference between acknowledging poor play and trying to make money/taking less money than you can get elsewhere. In fact, the two aren’t particularly related that I can tell. I don’t follow your comment.
- Deep Thoughts
  
  You’re full of shit. Some worthless reporter leaked a number Swisher’s agent allegedly was looking for. He didn’t say anything about $126mm.
  
  And his complaint was with irrational douchebag fans blaming him for Jeter’s broken ankle. Swisher has consistently owned up to his performance during his time here. It’s not cowardly to answer a question honestly.
  
  Take your whiny lying straw-man complaints to Red Sox fansites or WFAN. But stop posting that crap here.
emac2

Bad idea. He’ll come back for 13 mil and the Yanks need to go another direction.
- thenamestsam
  
  If he comes back on a 1 year 13 million dollar offer he would be EASILY tradeable if the Yankees felt they needed to go a different direction. No downside to giving him the offer.
  - Laz
    
    I would think he stays if that is the case. Doesn’t really help anything if you trade your RF and then trade for a new RF.
- FIPster Doofus
  
  Why would Swisher do that when he’ll easily be able to get a multiyear deal from another team? There will probably be a minor bidding war for him.
- Ted Nelson
  
  Probably not.
JScott

Just heard Buster Olney with Michael Kay. Olney said he’d talked to two agents and a GM and all of them had Swisher’s next contract in the 4/$50 million area.
- vicki
  
  bargain.
  - Joe
    
    Only for teams that don’t make playoffs
    - Need Pitching & Hitting
      
      Or teams that need help getting to the playoffs.
      (which is all of them)
Alvaro Espinosa

so long swish
Chris

Is it really the postseason slump driving them to not re-sign him? Perhaps the issue is a combination of the budgetary goals and the fact that they’re learning from experience about signing players to long term deals as they head into their decline phase.

I have to believe they bring him back if the offers he fields aren’t too outlandish.
- Ed
  
  If you follow the link, Heyman says it’s because of the $189M budget plans.
  - JobaWockeeZ
    
    Yep they have to spend wisely now. Giving Swish what he wants wouldn’t help.
JobaWockeeZ

Oh wow, I didn’t expect them to have no interest. Ballsy statement if true but refreshing.
- Ted Nelson
  
  Why would they say anything else? The only factor driving his price the Yankees have any control over is demand. If they increase demand for him, they increase his price. If they decrease demand for him, they decrease his price. They are trying to decrease demand, which is the rational thing to do. Will it work? Who knows.
Monterowasnotdinero

Above average right fielder.

I laughed.

here come the stats…..

It’s just that he can’t run, can’t throw and rarely comes up with a big catch in the postseason.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  Name ten better right fielders then. I think we can agree that the top ten players at a position qualify as “above-average.”
  - plouffe
    
    Cmon dude …you’ve been representing him for 4 years now . Last yr you argued the SSS argument , this yr you are giving him the top 10 treatment ? He is one of the worst hitters in post season history …what will make u get off his dick ??
    - FIPster Doofus
      
      I’m fed up with Swisher after another shitty playoff effort, but he is absolutely an above-average player. Anyone who says otherwise has zero credibility.
    - Ted Nelson
      
      You have to actually get to the playoffs. Yankees fans tend to forget how difficult that actually is.
    - Need Pitching & Hitting
      
      He’s easily an above average player. Regular season, obviously not post-season.
    - yanks or death
      
      agreed. swisher is the WORST postseason player i’ve ever seen.
  - dan gen
    
    The Boss was about winning,son of boss payroll…however,son of boss gets empty seats in a playoff game………..
- Preston
  
  .268/.367/483 as a Yankee and UZR has him at =9 runs in that time. So above average is an understatement.
- Bob Buttons
  
  Bautista, Heyward, Markakis, Choo, Stanton and Upton are pretty much the only guys in RF whom I’d possibly take over Swisher.
John C

Swish can also play first base, too. That being said, I still think his time is up. The ankhs are in the post season each year, regardless if swish stays or goes. Therefore they need a guy who may produce in the post season. Swish can’t do it in October. He lives in his head just like Arod.
bppdelia

yes he is above average. but honestly this team would be smart to start tweaking. a tear down won’t happen so its better to have the flexibility. I don’t put much stock in the OMG THEY ARE OLD DOOOOOM point of view but the team is clearly in need of a young impact bat. better to take a small step back the next couple of years and remain competitive enough to fill the park while flexible enough to improve drastically when the opportunity arrives. the team is going to look alot different in 2015 and flexibility to be able to work around the massive arod and cano extensions is crucial.
John Horn

I can’t believe your short memories from all year about Swish and Grandy.. The two best really team cheerleaders since Jeter!!
Reuben Sierra’s Chains

His October’s kill me. I have seen enough of the Swisher experiment. It’s World Series or bust for me so just playing well in the Regular Season and completely going “Casper the Ghost” come the Playoffs does this team no good. Later BRO!!
bpdelia

the best part about bringing down the payroll will be the end to this utterly competely ridiculous spoiled brat “world series or bust” mentality. the yankees have been consistently excellent about 80 pct of their history. from 1975 to now theyve been bad, like three freaking years. and even in that 37 year span they have won 7 times. and thats AMAZING. Unparalleled. so 30 of the last 37 havent won. and thats TOPS by alot. where do people get this insane attitude from. you only get like this if 1995 was when you got into baseball. and even still where do you get off thinking they should win every year. they have won the series, and gone to the alcs twice in four years. so in the last four years three times we were watching baseball while at least 26 other cities werent! cant i just enjoy the damn ride?? enough. vstop bitching. vin a way a 1992 season might be in order to clear out all the whiny bitches. this team has been better and more entertaining than any other team for sixteen damn years. suck it up bitches and give me a damn break.

rant over
- Ted Nelson
  
  Agreed.
- Reuben Sierra’s Chains
  
  Spare me the spoiled brat bullshit. This offense set records, yeah that’s right records, in all the wrong offensive postseason statistical categories of futility these past two weeks. It was an embarrassment that heavily included Swisher’s hand print all over it. Now if you want to watch that again a year from now be my guest. Or maybe it is the way he tumbles around in the outfield like he is in a damn circus act. I on the other hand have way to much pride to want to be subjected to watch a disgusting effort like that again. I guess maybe you enjoy being bitched slapped for the whole month of October in which case Swish is just the guy for you. Go ahead and give him what he wants and you won’t have to worry about any future Championships spoiling any Yankee fans because all there will be is early Postseason exits.
  - DC
    
    Thanks for disproving you’re a spoiled brat.
    - Ted Nelson
      
      To me it mostly just disproved that he has any common sense.
      - Reuben Sierra’s Chains
        
        Losers are used to and like to lose I guess.
        
        DC
        
        Yeah, that’s it.
        
        dalelama
        
        To me only one WS win in 12 years with by far the league’s highest payroll is unacceptable.
Conor

What About Ichiro as an option? Age yes…but less money. And possible outburst due to playing for a contender.
MannyGeee

Got to assume 2013 would be his last season in Pinstripes anyhow, with the budget and all. Accept the qualifying offer or enjoy the next 4 seasons in Seattle/Queens
yanks or death

swisher only gets big hits in playoffs when yanks are down 6-0 in the game and 3-0 in the series. see ya swish.
NYCSPORTZFAN

he has his moments in the regular season, but this team is built on streaky power hitters,and as u can see, 9times outta 10 thats gonna bit u in the rear during the season at some point, and if ur lucky enugh to make i into the postseason, then it’ll bite u there..

I’d prefer to trade for Denard Span, who is more of a linedrive hitter and has alittle speed and is a good defender and has hit 280above in 3of5 yrs, with one yr being 300BA plus. Sure hes not Paul O’neill, but we gotta start getting guys who can be a bit more “overall” players and not so streaky and one dimensional…
NYCSPORTZFAN

what about giving Chris Dickerson a starting job at least to start the season out? Hes got power, a quick bat, and i honestly believe has had terrible luck as far as not getting a real shot.. He could be a wildcard and a surprising one at that…
- Robinson Tilapia
  
  No.
  - bppdelia
    
    I don’t have a problem starting the year with Dickerson as part of a platoon. bj Upton would leg you move granderson to left. so that might be interesting. fact is there probably won’t be a cheap alternative better than sw wisher. every one needs to come to grips with this being a downgrade.