Now that Xavier Nady is likely out for the season, the Nick Swisher addition seems providential despite the Mark Teixeira signing. Besides the fact that Swish has been mashing [and pitching scoreless relief], how happy must Brian Cashman be that he does not need to start Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner for the remainder of the year?
An outfield of Johnny Damon, Cabrera and Gardner could have been one of the least productive Yankees' outfields since the dead ball era. And to the fans: don't even mention Hideki Matsui as an outfield solution. He is clearly not right, and I am relatively sure that he can not play the outfield regularly ever again.
Swisher now becomes a very important cog in that lineup. His attitude has been good for the Yankees so far. They desperately needed to be loosened up, and if there is any chance that Swisher can contribute at the level of his potential, the trade that sent Wilson Betemit to Chicago looks like a steal.
Austin Jackson is apparently on a tear in AAA, and thanks to Swisher, he will likely get the full year to develop. As the Yankees' heir apparent in center field, this can mean nothing but good things for the organization. Thankfully, they will not need to rush him because they accumulated some depth. This injury could have cost them the season in a parallel universe. But the peace in Yankeeland is precarious. An injury to Damon or Matsui could seriously hinder their ability to produce on offense.
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