The AL’s best outfield combo
Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 11:04 pm by Marshall Seymour
Everyone is well aware of the offensive exploits of Robinson Cano this season, but somewhat lost in the shuffle is that the Yankees could be sending two outfielders to the All-Star Game. In fact, the Bombers boast the American League's best outfield combination, and that dynamic duo is Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner.
Not only are Swisher and Gardner best on the team after Cano in wOBA, but they are both in the Top 10 among qualifying AL outfielders (min. 200 PA). Swisher ranks 4th (.394) and Gardner is tied for 6th (.385). Only Toronto has two other OFs in the Top 10, and they are ranked lower than Swish and Brett.
Among OFs, Swisher is also 5th in OPS and Gardner is just outside the top 10, ranking 11th. Gardner being so high in OPS really speaks to the season he's having, because OPS underrates high OBP, low SLG guys.
In that same pool, Gardner ranks 3rd with a .401 OBP and Swisher 7th at .383. To add to all of that, Swisher is 5th in Isolated Power, while Gardner is 4th in stolen bases at 22 in 26 attempts.
There is also an X-factor here: the blessing of the NoMaas offseason interview. We would like to take full credit for the strong play from Swisher and Gardner. We'd also like to take his opportunity to extend NoMaas knighthood to any players who could use the offensive boost -- Tex, Arod?
We kid, we kid...but in all seriousness, Swisher and Gardner have had outstanding seasons so far -- a performance that cannot be matched by any other AL outfield combo.
Nick and Brett have been killer.
* Stats as of games ending June 16th
I find this photo sexy. Go Sawx.
Sometimes when guys play good…they get more recognition for doing an outstanding job. Even when guys were doubted, they’ve played above expectations. So they play well when it counts…to win games…and execute in the clutch.
Cousin Yuri has my offensive boost.
Me rikey this phot shop. Me pitch pooly, but hope to pray better.
juze delete mi posts now?
Isn’t that amazing? A couple of guys no one would have thought would be here 5 years ago…now are contributing on the big stage….well…….that’s baseball. No matter how many times I have said it…you just can’t predict baseball.
Do we get to see CC as Kamala soon?
I had an outstanding mullet in 1987.
@Interestested Reader. I realize that they may be a bit old for you, but is that you Brett Pedroia?
If you want to make the All-Star team as an outfielder in the American League, you have to play the outfield position for an American League team. In this case Swisher and Gardner both play outfield for an AL team. It helps that they are having productive seasons.
RAWGA CLEMENZ, JOHN!!!!! ITZ RAWGA CLEMENZ!!!!
Hey nomaas, do you stat geeks still think I’m the greatest thing under the sun? Does my BGT% still match up to my 2007 numbers? How about my WJK%? Or my IPPS%?
Face it. I’m fat and I suck.
My career was ruined by trying to make me a starter. I was one of the most dominant relievers in the game. I was well on my way to replacing Mo in a few years.
But Brian Cashman wanted to make me a starter, I hurt my arm in Texas, and my fastball has never been the same since.
And it will never return.
Well goodbye, I’m off to nespn for serious baseball talk.
Nomaas is getting ridiculous.
@Slobba Chamberlain:
I hate you.
But on a lighter note, do you have any concept or idea at all of how Joba’s career has progressed? When he was at Nebraska, he was a starter. The Yankees drafted him as a starter. He went through the minors as a starter. Brian Cashman didn’t “want” to make him anything. That’s what he was. Unfortunately Joe Torre’s abysmal bullpen management coupled with bad arms caused Joba to be brought up as a reliever (the first time he ever pitched as one in his career, jackass).
So the 59 relief innings that Joba had between ’07 and ’08 meant he was going to replace Mo? Seriously? What about the 65.1 innings he had as a starter in ’08 (2.76 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 2.96 K/BB)? He must’ve been also on his way to replacing Whitey Ford then, no?
Cashman didn’t ruin anyone. You’re an idiot.
Great photo guys! Too bad you aren’t twenty years younger, then you could be my best outfield combo. Maybe we could make a combo sandwich with extra mayo.
This Joba discussion is kind of played out. Water rises to it’s level and last year as an eight inning man did not prevent Phil Hughes from turning into at the very least a quality starter. You can argue that he had better stuff all along but the fact remains that he rose to the occasion or learned to pitch or is just plain better than Joba.
Joba is a fat Nebraskan, DUI, white trash slob with a weak mind.
Look at Hughes; good solid parents, stayed in school, seems like a quiet thoughtful guy.
Forget Joba not having the mental make up to be a starter, he doesn’t have the mental make up to be playing professional sports in New York.
Phil never had better stuff. He might of had 3 or 4 dependable pitches as opposed to Joba’s 2, but Joba’s 99MPH fastball and 91MPH slider is what made him unhittable in 2007 until the FO fucked him up trying to turn him into a starter and eventually getting hurt in Texas.
It’s sad that I’m now significant enough that someone feels the need to mention me without my saying anything…
I do love Swish though. He seems as excited to be in the big leagues as I would be and I didn’t even make my high school team. He treats every game like a blessing, and that’s kind of refreshing. I’m also excited that Gardner has been as good as he’s been, as I’ve been a fan of his for the last couple years. But I found out the other day why he usually wears a hat: the dude is balding like he’s 45.
Let’s hope the corners keep up this pace and that the Yanks’ best outfielder finally starts to contribute like it.
What?
you could BEE mine!!!!!!!!!
Greatest tag team ever!
I’m beginning to think some Yankee fans are as delusional as Red Sox fans.
I’m wondering if any of these guys actually read the post itself. The post was about Gardner and Swish, and some loser starts babbling about Joba. Get a life or learn how to read.
Right. Rather than bring up the idiotic Joba starter/reliever issue again, let’s savor the facts that
1. Cashman raped Kenny Williams by trading Wilson Betemit and Jeff Marquez for Swisher.
2. The Yankees were patient with Gardner when he looked overmatched, did not make a panic move to sign an overpriced corner OF, and are now enjoying a very good season from Gardner while paying him the league minimum.
Swisher for Betemit and Marquez, one of the most lopsided trades in history?
I was traded for Larry Anderson now that was lopsided
what’s amazing is that noMaas knows who the Killer Bees were.
Couple of things I’ve noticed about the soccer:
1 – The Slovakians, during the national anthem, when their song plays, they just mouth nonsense syllables, while the US guys have to sing the actual song. The concentration needed for the song-singing may just make the difference.
2 – While the game against England was big, this game is even bigger. The next game, against a team from another country, will be even bigger.
3 – Slovakia is a country of about 2 million people so the US should have a great advantage, because we have 2 million people in, like, Staten Island. BUT . . . all 2 million Slavs play soccer, even the children, while only some of the people on Staten Island play soccer. Also, traffic on Staten Island usually sucks.
Your thoughts?
Hey mang, why ju guys no say that Sweesher and Gardener are juss lucky to hit the ball mang? You jeeks juss like to say me and Jeteee are lucky mang but nobody else.
Curtis Pride, I mean who could predict baseball? A guy who cant even hear Bob Sheppard announcing his name was able to get two big hits on two days in a row vs the Red sox. Yet Arod, a guy with fully functioning ears took a while before he was able to hit int he clutch vs Boston. You just cant predict baseball. If you could youd make a lot of money, heh heh heh
*Grows after seeing this photo*
Pete Abe’s dick? Tehehehe <3
I like Joba.
Like him mom, too.
Wilson Betemit has an ops of 1.571 this year.
Holy crap, Betemit has a 1.571 OPS in his 16 Plate Appearances this year and all we got is Nick Swisher?!? Damn, looks like Cash screwed up that trade!
Betemit also has a 1.483 OPS in the playoffs (12 PA). The only question is what to put on his HOF plaque.
Where’s Lionel Richie?
This place bites w/o him
massapequa parking:
Thanks for the fun facts about Slovakia! Too bad the U.S. played Slovenia.
I’m going to F%&$ Brain Blair in is A55 and make him humble!
Me bum tingles upon seeing this photo!
*eats a triple cheeseburger*
I invented the fake to third, throw to first, Robin, HOO HOO.
Tell em Fred.
I suck but Nomaas thinks Ive just been unlucky even though my swing and at bats have been horrible all year, I sure wish I was lucky like that Cano. It really is just luck how his swing and at bats have been awesome all year.
Mark have just a little patience.
@Gary Wallace:
so why does Joba suck this year, then?
Just wondering…
I only rejected the idea that Cashman “ruined Joba by making him a starter,” firstly, because Joba was always a starter and, secondly, because Joba isn’t ruined despite what some reactionary, short-sighted fans might think.
Joba hasn’t sucked. He’s actually had a good year, but it’s been marred by four horrific performances (5/16, 5/18, 5/29 and and 6/17). In these four games, he’s pitched a total of 2.0 innings and surrendured 13 earned runs. On the season, he has a 54.0% LOB rate, and extremely low number(20% lower than his career average).
Take a look at his peripherals. They’re excellent. He blew up a couple of times and has ran into some bad luck, so his ERA looks ugly. If you really think Joba’s sucked this year, you’re over-reacting to the bad performances he’s had while ignoring the dominant stretch he opened the season with (April 4th to May 14th: 16.2 IP, 2.16 ERA, 21 Ks, 5 BBs) and his good work in June (excluding his apperance on the 17th).
My son sucks, now give me some crack!
I can’t believe nobody has disputed this ridiculous delusional theory. Gardner and Swisher may be having good years but there is no way in hell any sane baseball fan would call them the best outfield combo in the AL.
Vernon Wells, Jose Bautista?
Ben Zobrist, Carl Crawford?
Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton?
Nick Swisher is a very good hitter and an average fielder. Certainly one of the best OF. Gardner is not. A good start to this year for Brett doesn’t make him one of the best OF in the AL. Look at his whole year last year. Maybe he’ll keep developing and establish himself, but he doesn’t have the track record. It’s laughable to put him in a top OF duo. Gardner doesn’t belong in the class of the OF above. He also benefits hugely from hitting in the Yankees stacked lineup.
Even Luke Scott and Nick Markakis match up favorably against Swish/Gardner. This article would have made sense if it praised the start these guys are having and how well they’re doing, but it’s a joke labeling Best Outfield Combo…
Check the #s kid, Gardner is having a better year than Crawford , your putting to much emphasis on power. I think its the opposite, i think Gardner would be getting more pub if he was hitting leadoff. He reminds me of a young white Kenny Lofton.