Monday, June 14, 2010

Time to push hard for Swisher on All-Star team


Nick Swisher is having an All-Star caliber year. It's time for New York Yankees fans to make a big push for the happiest player in pinstripes by logging on to their computers to vote him to his first All-Star team.

Swisher is currently fifth with more than 808,000 votes, about 290,000 shy of third-place outfielder Nelson Cruz. That is a substantial, but not insurmountable lead, not with 17 days of voting left in the online balloting.

The Yankee right fielder's stats don't nearly do his year justice, but they are All-Star worthy: .299 batting average, 10 home runs, 40 ribbies and 40 runs scored. And his defense has been fantastic, which Swisher told Mike Francesa he has taken more pride in. Swisher made it clear that he would love to be an All-Star, but noted that no one is really worried about individual honors on this team.

Even without Swisher, the Yankees will be well represented in Anaheim this year, with shortstop Derek Jeter and superstar second baseman Robinson Cano virtually guaranteed to be the starting double-play combo. Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes will likely be rewarded for their impressive first halves with roster spots, with one of them possibly even starting the game.

But Swisher is as deserving as any of them and I'd love to see Yankee fans give him a burst of support. I'm not normally a big advocate or participant in these contests. But I fully intend to support Swisher by voting for him 25 times online. I hope all Yankee fans will do the same and send the fun-loving Yankee to his first All-Star game.

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