SEE YOU LATER, NICK SWISHER!

Nick Swisher's quest to come back to the big leagues has come to an end....well for now at least. I don't think many people are surprised at this point.  So Swisher finally opted out of his minor league contract with the Yankees yesterday afternoon. He may be done this season but it doesn't sound like he is ready to hang up his uniform and call it a career just yet.

    "After the birth of my second child, I’ve decided to take a step back and spend the rest of this season full time with my wife and two daughters. Make no mistake, I am not hanging it up. I love this game with the same amount of passion that I had as a rookie 12 years ago. I want to thank the Yankees for giving me the opportunity to return to the organization that I love so much and wish them nothing but success for the rest of 2016. Despite not being at the ballpark every day, I will continue to train on a daily basis and evaluate my options for next season at the appropriate time." - Nick Swisher

Swisher played first base and designated hitter for the New York Yankees in AAA where he had a 255 BA, 7 home runs, and 25 RBIs in 55 games. Swisher was red hot early in his new assignment but then he seemed to fizzle at a bad time when the Yankees were hit by the injury bug. The Yankees passed him up several times after injuries to Mark Teixeira, Dustin Ackley and Chris Parmelee.

They even signed Ike Davis to a very fast deal instead of calling up Swisher. Despite the Yankees desperation and the many opportunities they had, he never made it back up to the Bronx.

Swisher is undoubtedly very disappointed that the Yankees never gave him the opportunity that he was waiting for but that wasn't obvious in his social media announcements. This journey may not have worked out the way he wanted it to but Joe Girardi says he doesn't think his time is up yet and I hope he is right. He may not be the same player but no matter what the future holds for him we are still pulling for him. He was a fan favorite during his time with the Yankees and a helped bring us our last championship back in 2009. His energy and personality are truly one of a kind.

So for now, Swisher's baseball journey is coming to an end....and hopefully this is just a temporary hiatus. Swisher is a good guy and this is the start of a new chapter for him. I am glad he is taking a step back and taking a "family first" attitude right now. Being a baseball player is cool, but I am sure being a parent is infinitely even better.

For now... I am not going to say goodbye. I am going to say "see you later" because I have a feeling one day we will hear your name pop back up in the baseball world once again. Life is all about journeys and after you enjoy this time with your family I can't wait to see what new journey awaits you.

 --Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer & Editor
  Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ