Say whatever you like about Cleveland Indians veteran, Nick Swisher and his awesomeness attitude, but the guy can still play ball. In 2007, it was Trot Nixon that brought pizzaz to the Tribe’s locker room. Now, it’s Swisher that brings freshness and likability to the Indians.
A former Ohio State Buckeye, Swisher was lured to the Indians by marketing from his home roots. Even Buckeyes head football coach, Urban Meyer played a part in bringing “Swish” to the Indians. The 32-year old has not disappointed either. Through 30 games, Swisher is batting .275 with five home runs and 13 RBI to go along with 16 walks. He’s become the catalyst for Cleveland’s offense.
While his stats don’t lead the team he’s usually seen with an ear-to-ear grin and is the biggest cheerleader on the team. He’s the type of player that the organization hasn’t had in years.
Looking back at his eight years in MLB , it’s interesting to see that Swisher has never batted over .300 or driven in 100 runs though he’s been a consistent home run threat. Since 2005 season, Swisher has hit at least 21 home runs per year. The very next year he set a career high with 35 home runs and 95 rbi for the Oakland Athletics.
A native of Columbus, OH, Swisher has found a home with the Indians and if he continues his solid play the team could see the playoffs and his presence with the youth on the roster is his greatest value.
There’s no question of Swisher’s impact and with new manager Terry Francona the new-look Indians squad will be fun to watch as the 2013 season progresses.
Ryan Ruiz is the Cleveland Sports Beat Writer for The Inscriber. You can follow him on Twitter @ryanpruiz24 and Facebook: Ryan (BrownsWriter) Ruiz.
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