WHY BETTY SWISHER KNEW BEST & ESPN'S BIG FAIL

"Just hit the damn ball." --Nick Swisher's Grandma Betty Swisher

Here's a really fun nugget, yet a story about a true appreciation for family and personal drive that was totally missed by ESPN. Luckily, it wasn't missed by BYB. Enjoy this.

As you know, Nick Swisher is off to a slower start this season, a .243 average, only 36 hits in 148 at bats  to put it in perspective.  Not exactly wonderful.  But in working through extra batting practice with Kevin Long, it was revealed that Swisher thinks fondly of advice that his grandmother gave him once....quite simply she told him,  "Just hit the damn ball."   He took that advice literally on Friday night and thank God he did, because maybe that home run he hit (read HERE) jolted him to have a terrific year.

It's funny though, reading this piece by ESPN (HERE), I was touched, so I did some research because I wanted to know more about Betty Lorraine Swisher, this strong woman who Swish was so crazy about.  So I Googled her.  To my disappointment, I realized that Betty passed away in 2005 to cancer. Why did ESPN fail to mention that?  The way the piece reads, you'd think Swisher just got off the phone with his grandmother on Thursday night and then hit homer on Friday, like clockwork. There happens to be a big gaping hole in that piece, what a bunch of bunk.

Just so you understand the background, Nick's dad Steve Swisher and his mom divorced when Nick was 11, his grandparent's practically raised him and after Betty passed away, Nick had a tattoo made right above his heart on his chest that reads BLS in honor of his grandmother.  WOW, I was blown away by that.  Not only was I touched by that story, I truly appreciate how Nick still holds his grandmother's memory do dear to him.  Sure, some of you may already know this, I don't know how I missed it, but that being said, I was moved.

Look, I like Nick Swisher and I believe he can overcome this slow start.  To me, it's simple baseball. Sometimes when you over think, you can't function on the field.  I've learned that in my own short lived career and you hear so many players say it all the time... "Don't think, do", much like Betty Swisher's "Just hit the damn ball" it goes back to basics.   Read YANKEE BASEBALL: THE BASICS OF HITTING.  If you just take that moment, remember the basics and go out and play, most of the time, you succeed.  It's almost like a reprogramming of yourself.  Through a career you're given so much advice and sometimes it all gets mucked up.  To me, I love the way Swisher carries with him that basic vision from Betty, especially when there's that tendency to over think always in the back of his mind.

And sure, maybe I was over thinking trying to pin down ESPN for their lack of information in a piece about Nick Swisher's grandmother, but let's face facts; I found it to be incredibly irresponsible to have a piece titled Swisher: Thanks Grandma, and yet her words "Just hit the damn ball" are just a mention. If you delve into Nick's life even more, you realize just how important those words are...that personal story was totally missed. Wow, that happens to be the "meat" of the story... Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe that piece...Nick Swisher deserves better...knowing what I know now.

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.