BYB EXCLUSIVE: WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL

You've seen it all over the Internet. WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL. You think to yourself "Damn, Betty White did it. Jeter did it. Hell, why can't Nick Swisher host it?" It's true, why not?

I call Swisher the Bronx Elvis because he's out there playing his heart out for the New York Yankees and their fans and when he came to the Bronx in 2009, he was immediately embraced. Think about it for a second, With all the hype of signing big fish like CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and AJ Burnett, Nick Swisher kind of flew under the radar and when all was said and done and the Yankees had won their championship, Swish was one of the major contributors. So back to my point... Why ISN'T Nick Swisher hosting Saturday Night Live yet?

The creator of WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL is Beth Hucke and she's constantly rallying the troops to get this goal accomplished. I found it interesting and remarkable that Beth was able to gather so many fans of Swish together and make this campaign so popular on Facebook so fast. So, I had to interview her. Check it out:

BYB: What made you decide to start the WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL Campaign?

BETH: "With all the hype over the Betty White Facebook campaign, we figured why not. With his personality and enthusiasm, Swisher would be a great host. He has quickly become a fan favorite and it would just be a great show."BYB: Have you reached out to NBC's Saturday Night Live about getting Swisher on the show?

BETH: "Yes, we have reached out several times by phone, mail, email and Facebook. Our fans have been very supportive in assisting with contacting them as well. They originally told us they were looking for a page with 5000+ fans and now that we have reached that goal, so we are just waiting and having fun with the page in the meantime."

BYB: Is Nick aware of the campaign and is he apart of it in any way?

BETH: "Yes Nick is aware of the page. He tweeted about it over the fall and we have exchanged emails with his publicist. He does not actively participate on the page but we would love to have him."

BYB: Is Nick Swisher your favorite player and why?

BETH: "Nick is my favorite player. He brought life to the team during a time when it was needed. He is so personable and great to the fans, what's not to love about this guy? His outgoing personality and pure love of the game makes any Yankee fan proud to have him playing on their team. His salute to the bleacher creatures will be remembered by fans for a long long time. His charity work is great and we have that in common for some of the same causes. He is a stand-up guy and deserves nothing but great things."
BYB: There have been other Yankee members that have been on Saturday Night Live and have been amazing, Derek Jeter and George Steinbrenner, for example. What makes you think Nick Swisher would be a fan favorite?

BETH: "Nick already is a fan favorite. He is just hilarious. Between his YouTube videos and his guest appearances on other shows, he would be a natural. He does so much for the community and charity with his Swish's Wishes, he is just rounded in every way possible. "

BYB: On a personal level, have you always been a Yankees fan and growing up, who did you really like and admire as a player?

BETH: "Yes, I have always been a Yankees fan. Growing up, players like Thurman Munson and Bobby Murcer. Tino Martinez was always my favorite followed by Bernie Williams. Tino filled big shoes when taking over first and proved he was meant to be there. And Bernie, well, everyone loves Bernie."

BYB: If you could change 1 thing at the new Yankee Stadium, what would it be?

BETH: "Yankee Stadium is just the most spectacular place. To walk in for the first time is overwhelming and a memory I will cherish forever but if there was one thing I could change, it would be the ticket prices so they are affordable to the everyday family."

BYB: If there was 1 person you'd want to pie on the the Yankees, who would it be?

BETH: "The one person I would like to see hit with the pie would be Jorge Posada. For a few reasons. One, just because of the hype in the media about tension between him and AJ. Two, because Jorge is wound so tight, his reaction would be priceless."

BYB: How many Yankee games do you intend to go to this season?

BETH: "I have already been to 1 this season but usually only go a few times a year. That goes back to ticket prices... unless of course Swish would like to have us as his guests for a game."

BYB: Do you read Bleeding Yankee Blue and if so, how'd you get started reading it?

BETH: "Yes of course I read Bleeding Yankee Blue. Facebook has brought a lot of us Yankee fans together in a productive positive way. We all help each other out and promote each other. Bottom line - Bleeding Yankee Blue is an awesome site and we love having your support."(photo: Beth Hucke left)
Beth, thank you for taking the time to speak with us and we wish you well in your campaign to get Nick Swisher to host SNL. You nailed it, he's the perfect candidate. What the hell's taking them so long anyway?

 

WHY SWISHER NEEDS TO STAY IN YANKEELAND

Believe it or not, Nick Swisher is in his last year of his contract and in 2012 he has a team option (HERE). If the Yankees are no longer interested, Swisher could walk away into the sunset and millions of Yankee fans would be devastated. It’s just not fair.

Nick Swisher has done more than any of us thought he would do in the Bronx. Let me back up, I knew he could do it but many didn't. Don’t forget, Nick Swisher is talented and he and Chavez ran Oakland for quite a few years. Ironically, now their both in the Bronx, but the point is, Nick can still hit, he’s got right field locked down and he’s not only become a New York celebrity, he’s a baseball icon at this point. The "Bronx Elvis" has an unbelievable following on Facebook. Because of his incredibly charismatic personality and energy, people flock to him. WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL is in full effect and the more people that join that group, the better. It’s not just a page, it’s an operation run by Beth Hucke who runs a tight ship and is doing her best to get Swisher to host Saturday Night Live. We all believe in her and you should too. Click on the link HERE. Join the group…. Do it. Click HERE. Don’t read past it. Click WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL, then, pass it on to a friend and tell them to join, the more, the merrier. Also, check out this interview with Beth Hucke about the page. Our interview with Beth was our first interview on Bleeding Yankee Blue and since then we’ve been rolling with a lot of great interviews, Kimberly Jones, Mickey Rivers, Steve Karsay, Scott Brosius and Roy White, and the list goes on. The point is, Beth needs our help and we all want Nick to host Saturday Night Live so it’s going to take a grassroots effort to get it done.

I can’t imagine Nick Swisher NOT on the New York Yankees. It just doesn’t seem right to me. To think that when he came over before the 2009 season, it wasn’t hyped as much as say Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, yet, Swisher took the reigns and made his own hype. (In Photo: Joanna Garcia)

Since then, Swish won a ring in 2009, appeared in the All-Star game in 2010 and married his babe, Joanna Garcia. He’s also the King of New York and to me, having Swisher walk away at the end of this season would just suck beyond belief.

Take a moment, check out WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL. Also check out Swish’s Wishes, Nick’s charity and then of course, check out Joanna Garcia’s official website because she’s absolutely gorgeous. What's my point of this? Get Swish and the Yankees fired up, let them realize how important they are to each other. He can’t leave at the end of the season. Let’s remind him and the Yankee brass just how important this guy is to our team. Oh… and click HERE.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: NICK SWISHER

" I definitely feel the love the Yankee fans show me..."

--Nick Swisher to Bleeding Yankee Blue

There is no question about it, Nick Swisher is the man. Sure, he was the man in Oakland with the Athletics, but now he's truly "the man" coming to the Bronx and winning over nearly every Yankees fan out there. Why? Because he's an every day man; likable, fun and let's not forget, the guys all sorts of talented too. In his first year on the Yankees, he won a championship and since then the Yanks have been the playoffs every season. A large part of it is because of Nick's bat and Thank God.

So after many months and many requests, we needed to know what make Nick Swisher tick. Finally we got our answers, in our interview with the "Bronx Elvis" himself. We asked him about playing baseball for the New York Yankees, how he feels about us Yankee fans and about his charity...Swish's Wishes. We bring you now... Nick Swisher. Enjoy this... we did.
BYB: How much different is it playing in New York than other cities like Oakland and Chicago?

Nick Swisher: I'll tell you, Oakland and Chicago are great cities and the fans are awesome, but nothing compares to New York. The energy the fans bring every night pumps me up. There's really nothing else like it.
BYB: Describe your emotions to win a Championship in New York your first year in pinstripes?

Nick Swisher: It was a dream come true and we look forward to doing it again!

BYB: When and Why did Swish’s Wishes get started and what do you want to accomplish with your Foundation?

Nick Swisher: Everyday I am reminded how blessed I am. It is important to me to help as many children as possible to experience the same health and happiness that I am grateful for on a daily basis.
BYB: If people want to donate to Swish’s Wishes, what can they do and how is the money distributed to the people that need it?

Nick Swisher: To donate by check, please send to:

Swish’s Wishes Fund
C/O The Community Foundation For the National Capital Region.
1201 15th Street, NW
Suite 420
Washington, DC 20005

BYB: You are clearly the most popular Yankees since Derek Jeter. Do you feel the love?

Nick Swisher: Well, I don't know about that. HA HA! But I definitely feel the love the Yankee fans show me - not just on the field, but off it too. I love NYC!

BYB: What do you think about the Facebook campaign started by Beth Hucke for you to host Saturday Night Live?

Nick Swisher: You guys are awesome! Seriously, I can't thank you enough for the support.
BYB: Have you ever read Bleeding Yankee Blue? We are huge fans of yours.

Nick Swisher: Of course! I'm online all the time and you guys have always been great in supporting the Yankees and our Foundations.

We cannot thank Nick enough for taking a few minutes out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for us. And just a reminder, this interview was done in coordination with Beth Hucke from WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL on Facebook. Join her campaign.

Also, special thanks goes to Josh Goldberg from ICON Sports Group for helping us get this together to help promote Swish's Wishes. Many thanks!

By the way, be sure the check out Yankees Fans Unite and their Interview with Biz of Baseball's Maury Brown HERE.

WHY THE BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE SHIRT IS THE WAY TO GO

I wasn’t exactly sure what would happen if we tried to sell Bleedingyankeeblue.com shirts.  I mean, in business, you want to take baby steps because no matter how big you think you are, there is are always others who are bigger.  You never want to get too excited, yet, you don’t want to be unmotivated either. You just want to be liked and wanted. 

Bleeding Yankee Blue was created on a fluke and we’ve developed into something much more. We’re “morning coffee” reading. We’re “lunch break” reading. We’re “Put the kids to bed” reading.  Hey…at least you’re reading. Thanks.  Because of you all, I find myself waking up before the sun and going bed when the east coast is quite. Let’s be honest, I’m freaking exhausted, but I also know that you guys have enjoyed this ride with us and I know you’ll be looking for stories and opinion from BYB every day.  So, thanks for guys like me, Mikey and Jesse, Jeana and Erica, Lem, Kate, Grant and Christy and Fox and Joe, we are consistently putting together stories for you. Look, We are trying to bring you news, but we’re also trying to bring you stories and opinion that the others don’t have.  Sure, we could bring you articles on Sabermetrics all day long, but what does that do? It puts up in the same category as the others, that’s what it does.  Jesse and Grant break my chops all day long calling me an old man, but the reality is, I’m old school and while I see the importance of Sabermetrics, I grew up without it and guess what, I survived quite nicely.

BYB embarked on a crusade this spring putting together a handshake agreement with David and Erin Robertson. The agreement?  To give some money to the High Socks for Hope foundation.  We’re giving $1 for every Bleedingyankeeblue.com shirt we sell and another $1 for every strikeout David gets.  We’ll also include another $1 for every Save DRob gets this season.  So far we’ve raised $277, and sure, that may seem small, but we never expected to raise a million bucks, we just wanted to give whatever we could, and luckily for us, it’s not only us, it’s YOU!

(In photo: Beth Hucke)

We’ve met a ton of great people over our short life, Beth Hucke who runs We want Nick Swisher to Host SNL supports us and we support her.  Here she is above wearing our Bleedingyankeeblue.com shirt. We appreciate her support.  We became friendly with Marty Appel, the former Yankee PR giant and I’d say BYB and he have a pretty nice relationship.  Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record is considered a friend in my head and the guy works his tail off all day long, yet, he takes a moment to chat with me if I have a question.  He’s good people .

 (In Photo: Joey & Charles Moses)

And then there’s you, the fans, David from England and Charles and Joey in Australia (above), and in the states, there are a ton of you, all supporting what we do here, we’re BYB Nation. It’s pretty cool!

So yeah, if you’re reading this, take a moment it’s time to buy, support BYB and High Socks for Hope.  Click on the Buy Now button on the left side of this blog. Look for Mikey’s Dad and make a purchase.  We have S, M, L, XL and 2XL. If you need a 2XL, click the XL and specify in the notes that you need a 2XL.  Also, Kids ages 9 and up can definitely wear the small adult.  My son’s not too big and he wears it…they wear everything alittle baggy these days. We are sold out of 3XL.

If you don’t feel comfortable using PayPal, send a money order or check to our P.O. Box. Specify the size you need, how many you need and where to send it.

And most importantly, thank you. What a journey.  Sure, I am barely awake these days, but I’m happy to write for you, as are our other writers and in the end, this is something I always wanted to do…write for the team I love…my New York Yankees. Progress is something else, isn’t it?

--Casey
Founder of Bleeding Yankee Blue

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.

BYB EXCLUSIVE: CHRISTIAN LOPEZ...WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW

How often do you go to a baseball game and how often do you catch a ball that goes into the stands? Not too often I suspect. Some get lucky, some get foul balls. I once went to the bathroom and when I came back, by buddy Neil was holding a Mike Gallego foul ball. I missed it by 30 seconds. The point is, it's hard to do and you need to be at the right place at the right time. Sometimes, you hit the motherload and catch Derek Jeter's 3000th hit, which happened to be a home run. Christian Lopez did it and we were able to ask him a few questions about the ordeal that no one asked him. It's almost a "What you didn't know about Christian Lopez and the Jeter 3000th ball" Interview.

Anyway, Bleeding Yankee Blue was excited for Mr. Lopez when he got the ball, but then, when the tax man came knocking, we felt bad and in support of Mr. Lopez, we put ads on our site supporting the companies that stepped forward to help pay for Christian's tax bills. But we found out a very interesting yet unfortunate development. It turns out, according to Mr. Lopez, not all the companies stepped forward. Miller High Life, where are you? That is disappointing.

Take a moment and check out our interview with a new pal of the Bleeding Yankee Blue family, Christian Lopez.
BYB: When you caught Jeter's 300th hit baseball, everyone knows you met and returned the ball to Derek Jeter, but what happened between the time you caught the ball and meeting him? Describe the sequence of events?

Christian Lopez: Well, as soon as I caught the ball I don't believe 15 seconds went by before security whisked my dad and I away. I was then brought to Yankee Security and that is where I met the head of team security for the Yankees. It was there where I decided to give the ball back to Mr. Jeter. After that, I was introduced to Mr. Levine and Mr. Cashman, as well as dozens of other people that run the day to day operations. Then, the next thing I knew, I am on YES with Michael Kay and John Flaherty and that was the first time I have ever been on TV. After that, I was on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman which was exciting! I was then interviewed by the Yankees and that was the interview they played during the 7th inning stretch. After all the interviews, I went to "The Boss's" suite which was absolutely incredible and I met so many people. After the game was finished, I went down to the clubhouse and as I was waiting to meet Mr. Jeter, "Mr. October", Reggie Jackson showed up and was joking around with us for a good 10 minutes. I also met Jay-Z because he was waiting to see the man of the hour as well. I spoke with him for a couple of minutes too. As soon as we entered the clubhouse, Mariano Rivera came up to me and started talking to me for about 5 minutes and thanked me. He said some words of encouragement to me which as a fan, to have a man of his caliber tell you how much he appreciated you, really meant a lot. After I spoke with Mr. Rivera, that was when I met Mr. Jeter. Which to me, is still unreal and a memory I will never forget.
BYB: Did you at any moment think of keeping the ball?

Christian Lopez: No. When I was asked the question about what I wanted to do with the ball, I thought to myself "What would I want someone to do for me if I were in the same situation?" The answer was clear to me. Mr. Jeter has a laundry list of accolades and deserved to have the ball that he hit back.
BYB: We here at Bleeding Yankee Blue have listed the companies who publicly offered to help you with your tax mess on our home page. We found your returning the ball very touching and unselfish. Good for you. Have any other companies come forward to help you?

Christian Lopez: The only 2 companies that have stepped forward have been Mitchell Modell, the CEO and President of Modell's Sporting Goods and Brandon Steiner, the Founder and President of Steiner Sports.

BYB: What did the Yankees and Jeter do for you after that historic 3000th hit?

Christian Lopez: Well, I received tickets and memorabilia from the Yankees. And as for Mr. Jeter and I... that is between us.
BYB: Describe the Captain Derek Jeter and your meeting with him?

Christian Lopez: Meeting with him was a once in a life time experience. He is extremely humble and a down to earth guy. Due to everything going on with that day and his personal agenda with his family, we didn't get to spend much time together, but the time we did talk was awesome.

BYB: Have any of the other players reached out to you since your famous catch?

Christian Lopez: I have met a bunch of the players past and present and they have all been really nice about it and keep telling me that I did a great thing. That means a lot coming from them.

Thank you very much for taking the time to talk with us Christian. I also want to thank Beth Hucke for helping Bleeding Yankee Blue get this interview. We truly appreciate your help.




--Beth Hucke- BYB Guest Writer & Creator of We Want Nick Swisher to host SNL on Facebook.

WHY NICK SWISHER IS RED HOT

(Photo: Getty)
Red Hot Nick Swisher is doing his thing... and I'm thrilled about it. It took a while. Swisher had a very slow start and I was alittle concerned that not having Swisher's bat in the lineup would hurt the Yankees. Luckily, he clicked at the right time and things are happening for the guy. Last night Nick and Eric Chavez did alittle reenactment of the old Oakland days both with 2 RBIs in the Yankees loss. Last night still stings, they should have won that game. This season, Swisher is up to 23 home runs, just shy of his Yankees record of 29 which he had in both 2009 and 2010. His average is up to .261 this year, not great, but respectable considering where he's been this season. His best average was .288 in 2010... his worst was in 2009 when he batted .249. But what's my point? Swisher is about to help my New York Yankees get to the playoffs any way he can, because he has the talent, he's on a hot streak and he has all of us, his popularity and fan base to feed that ego we love so much. And I don't mean ego like Swish is arrogant, he's not, but one thing that makes him tick is the spotlight, and us rooting for our boy is something he craves, bottom line.How can you not like this kid? Energy and talent are a good start. His popularity is a constant fascination with me and we are trying desperately to talk with Swisher for a BYB Exclusive for all of you. We want to know...what makes him tick? We'll get it, it takes time. In the meantime, be sure to check out WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL. It's on Facebook and Beth Hucke runs it. She is currently holding a contest over there in coordination with Bleeding Yankee Blue's Fan of the Week.

Here are the rules: "Have something on that is Yankees related and hold a sign up that either says "Bleeding Yankee Blue or "BYB". Send the pics to WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL by next week and they will put them in an album on their Facebook page for voting. Then, the winning pic will be featured on Bleeding Yankee Blue as fan of the week."(Photo: Getty)
Beth is great and runs a terrific page. It all started for her because she digs Nick Swisher. The guy is just a ray of sunshine. He, Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson roaming the Yankee outfield is something that I'm proud of. I've stated it before, I'd put our outfield of GGS against any outfield in baseball. We have speed, athleticism and power as well as clutch hitting. I wrote WHY GGS IS AOK back in February of this year because I had a good feeling about our guys. Now, yes, it's true, Granderson has slowed down a bit and Nick Swisher got a late start, but everything I said about my guys is true. The outfield is fantastic. Read what I wrote about Swisher for instance:
"Switch hitting and confidence seeping from his pores, this guy knows his job and without a doubt delivers all the time. I would however like him to strike out less. Hopefully Long worked with him on that as well. Now, Swish doesn't run a lick, and we knew that about him when we signed him, but concentrate on that bat. 58 home runs with the Yankees in 2 years and had 171 RBIs. His career home run numbers are 162 home runs in 9 years and every year he averages 20 or more and back in 2006, he even had 35. That's power, plus, over the winter, working with Kevin Long may have revitalized the guy. I expect him to be on a tear this year."

A tear? OK, it's starting now, but not too bad of a prediction. Look, bottom line, if there is one thing I believe in, it's my New York Yankees. Last night's loss was a tough one, but now we must win the next 2 against the Jays. Every year the run to the finish line is tough, and every year, we need to get there. Nick Swisher, while starting late is contributing wonderfully right now. Hopefully this hot streak continues through the playoffs as we complete our Quest of winning number 28 in the Bronx. I can almost taste it, can you?

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.

WHY SWISHER FEELS THE LOVE

There is no doubt, the S in GGS is about to make a power run. Swisher feels more comfortable at the plate and you can see it in his eyes and in his body language. We all know Swisher’s following, including Swisher himself. He is the Bronx Elvis as BYB refers to him. I was trying to think back to a Yankee player that has been here for such a short time, yet attracted so many fans so quickly.

• Sal Fasano: He was here for 3 minutes back in 2006, but that was more of a mustache fascination than anything else. Yes, he was supposed to be a smart catcher, but the talent never translated to the field. I feel bad even trying to compare him to Swisher, because Swisher’s on a totally different level. That being said, I dug Sal.
  

• Aaron Small: Aaron had his moment in pinstripes and 10 wins later in 2005, he definitely won over the fans, but again, it wasn’t on the Swisher level.

• Felix Heredia? OK I’m joking. It’s true, I can’t think of anyone as big as Nick.

Swisher came to New York under the radar the same year Teixeira, CC Monster and AJ Burnett came over and no one talked about the guy. I knew what he was capable of but the world was wrapped up with Tex and Co. and no one gave Swisher a thought. 3 years later, I feel like he may be more popular to the fans than the others. Why? Personality.

The WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL FB group is growing and you need to join that group. Just click on the link and join. Beth Hucke runs the operation and she means business. (Read our BYB EXCLUSIVE interview with Beth by clicking the link.) And why not, Nick Swisher has the energy and ability to get on Saturday Night Live and anything else he wants to do. He believes in himself and we believe in him.

The point is, Nick Swisher knows slumping too long isn’t good for business, isn’t good for the fans and isn’t good for his future in pinstripes. Plus, he wants to contribute to his team. His energy translates to the energy in Yankee Stadium. He’s hitting and we’re happy. When he’s not, we’re unhappy, it’s that simple. Finally, Nick Swisher is hitting and with it, comes the cheers and the smiles and Swish is on top of the world, that translates to us and we couldn't be happy for the guy. (Photo: Tim Farrell/Star Ledger)

One thing I noticed being a Yankee fan all my life is, when a Yankee player sucks enough, calls for “Dump him” or “bench him” get shouted from thte stands to the field. To be honest, I have never heard that about Nick Swisher, EVER. There is something about this guy; people just want him to succeed, almost as if, if he were to leave the Bronx, the clubhouse's energy would disappear with him. The energy on the field would disappear; The heart would disappear from the Yankees. It’s my opinion that no one wants this guy to leave and I would bet that if I were to ask several of you if you’d like Swisher to retire a New York Yankee, 80% of you would want it.

Energy, Heart, Grit and Swish; That’s the perfect recipe for success for Nick Swisher’s future in the Bronx. Fans love him and he loves the fans. Nick's on a hot streak and let's hope it lasts all summer and all October, because hs hot bat in the lineup can really help our New York Yankees.

Now, if we could only get Swish to RT us on Twitter, we’d be a whole lot happier. Come on Nick, @BleednYankeeBlu … hit me on the Twitter, everyone at Bleeding Yankee Blue wants you to succeed, we believe in you pal.

By the way, read other great Nick Swisher pieces here:

WHY SWISHER MAKES ME SWOON

WHY WE LOVE SWISH

Please comment and 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.

WHY IS SWISHER LOST?

(photo: Getty)

Nick Swisher is not Nick Swisher. To be honest I’m not sure what has happened to our Yankee hero, but one thing is for sure, in a high pressure cooker of the New York Yankees Universe where fans have no patience and the brass have less, something needs to be done with Nick fast.

The best thing that Girardi has done for our man Swish is sit the guy. Nick needed to sit, reflect, think about things and work with Long. Something’s off, in his head, in his mechanics, something. Maybe those last 2 days of watching and not playing will start to recharge the battery and start a new. Yesterday wasn't great either, but you can't just expect 2 days off will having him slamming homers. Yes, it will take time, but how much time?

All of Yankeeland loves Nick for his animated, fun nature. In fact, we’ve been talking about the popularity of Nick in several posts on BYB, all of which are always the highest read by you guys. WHY WE LOVE SWISH comes to mind including the constant promotion of Beth Hucke’s WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL, the guy is a God to all of us here at Bleeding Yankee Blue. That being said, a slump's a slump and if you keep slumping, fans start to get frustrated and lose interest. Let’s be blunt, losers don’t have fans, winners do and if my man Nick doesn’t start to be Nick, those fans will move onto the next one. It's sad but true and Nick Swisher knows it. In fact, We held a recent poll based on Grant Cederquist’s SWISHER OR ETHIER: THE DEBATE BEGINS and the results are tight, but not surprising...Ethier won the debate which means in a nutshell, if the Bleeding Yankee Blue fans had to choose right now, they'd let Nick Swisher walk. Wow. I was shocked by that. Here are the results:

My point is, the Yankee fans want Swish hitting, not sitting and the toughest part of this scenario is waiting. The worst part for Swish is Mr. Personality needs to work this through on his own, unfortunately, we can't help him. Long can give advice, Swish can take BP, but ultimately there is some type of disconnect between his brain and body and it needs a shock wave to get going.

Personally, I think the sitting will help Nick, he’s not the type that can just sit there and wait for it to happen, but he sure can work through the motions in his head and get the at bats in when needed. Look, if anyone can get through this, Nick Swisher can, after all, as of right now, we’re all behind him, we just want our Swisher back, ASAP.

Please comment and 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.

BYB TURNS 2 YEARS OLD. HOW WE DOING?

I'm no dummy. I don't walk around with a big head, ego, attitude or strut. My day stays the same no matter what happens. What I mean is, I know that if tomorrow came along and there was a better Yankee blog out there that you heard about, I'd be left in the dust and life would still go on. I don't get myself over excited, yet, truth be told, I am excited.   I have been smiling a lot lately and it's all because of our Bleeding Yankee Blue readers... you guys and gals who come to us after you wake up in the morning. You sip your coffee while clicking through our morning news and entertainment, and you do it because you like us...you really like us!

Liking someone or something happens when what you find is appealing, or you agree, or maybe that person or thing is so damn adorable, you can't get enough of it. I'd like to think that BYB is all of those things and it's because you come to our site and click away and share with friends that we've gained a lot of popularity over the past 2 years. I honestly don't know what to say...I am blessed. Thank you.

I should write Sergio Mitre a thank you note, because Sergio Mitre has brought us all together. It was September 14, 2010 that BYB was born in a piece titled WHY LAST NIGHT WAS IMPORTANT.  Since then, you found us on your own, through a friend or even by accident. Why? I'll tell you what I think the reason is; we bring you stuff the others don't...we're honest, we're funny and we're a fan site. We're you! I could sit here and Sabermetrics my ass off, what would that offer you?  I'm not in the "know it all" business. I am in the interactive business and I cannot get over just how amazing you readers are. You are all simply terrific.

Since we started and built our mini-empire, I wanted to bring all my favorite people together and over the past 2 years I've compiled some pretty fun stuff here.

(In Photo: Pete Caldera / Courtesy, New York Times)
If you read us every day, you know that I've always admired the works of Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record for years as well as Jack Curry of YES. Luckily,we were able to speak to each of them and bring you some great info too. Thank you both. Here are those interviews:

NO ONE DOES THE YANKEES BETTER THAN PETE CALDERA

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: JACK CURRY

By the way, not only is Caldera is writing stud, he's a singing one too.  I thought our interview was great, I failed to mention the New York Times piece on Caldera by Corey Kilgannon.  read that HERE.  You gotta love this guy.

I've been obsessed with former Yankees public relations guy Marty Appel for as long as I can remember and BYB has 2 Q and A's with him, because after all, he knows everything about the Yankees. Read those here:

YANKEE STORIES REVEALED BY PR GIANT MARTY APPEL

MORE YANKEE HISTORY WITH MARTY APPEL

I've met some pretty incredible people the past 2 years; Beth Hucke, who heads "We Want Nick Swisher to Host SNL", Dave Goode, a former vendor at Yankee Stadum and a guy I can now call a friend (Read THE VENDOR FROM THE HOUSE THAT RUTH BUILT)... Carol, the biggest Yankee fan I've ever met on Facebook. Carlos who was one of the first guys I met through BYB and he runs an amazing travel site called America Trek too. Go there, read it, it's awesome. Andrew Condell who's a true Yankee fan and makes me laugh more than anyone... Watch this:

Kristen Meriwether and Dave Martin of the Epoch Times who are some of the best underrated writers in sports and featured BYB in their Opening day piece on baseball back in April. They could have interviewed anyone... but they asked me. I will always be grateful. Read Baseball season kicks off in New York.

(In Photo: Luigi & his son)
I've met Luigi Squeegee, the author of Clubhouse Confidential who has become a close friend of ours here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.  Squeegee, you're the man! Doug Drotman of Drotman Communications of New York, a Public Relations firm. Doug is the most courteous and organized PR guys in the business. Don't remember who he is? Does The Runyon 5K run ring a bell? Without Doug, we don't have our interviews with Roy White, Mickey Rivers and Ron Blomberg promoting the Runyon 5K run. Doug is the best!

(In Photo: Charles & Joey Moses)
To my pals Charles and Joey Moses... from Australia (Read BYB, THE BIG APPLE & AUSTRALIA.) If you ever get a chance to have a pint with those 2, do it, they'll change your life.  Even Nicole Hart of WINK, who was formerly of WKTV and supports us 100% and we love it!

And finally, to Debi and Jen and Kiley, Krissy, Stefie and Donna and Evelyn... you guys are the greatest group of Twitter "chicks" ever, we love your support! To Fox and Joe, thank you so much for always re-tweeting our stories, you guys rock.   The point is, The Yankees and BYB has brought many of us together. It's incredible. I would love to mention you all, and if I forget anyone, I apologize...know this though, we're one big family and we appreciate your help...all of you.

How about them Yanks? Paul O'Neill's interview with us is the most popular interview ever on Bleeding Yankee Blue, read EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: PAUL O'NEILL.  Scott Brosius, Chuck Knoblauch, Homer Bush and our first Yankee interview with Steve Karsay...damn, they all chatted it up with "little" us!  What about current Yankees Nick Swisher and David Robertson? We helped promote their charities in the process and Lord knows, you help people that are in need when you can.  I appreciate all the Yankee players that spoke to us, you guys are great!

And a big Thanks for the Bichette family and the Niekro family. I reached out to Dante Jr and his mom, Mariana for interviews and they were nice enough to give one each! Couple that with one of the most emotional interviews we've ever done, a Thanksgiving release with Natalie Niekro, the daughter of pitching great Joe Niekro. I have to say, I was touched by both of these terrific family units.  Please take a moment and read those three interviews below:

Dante Bichette Jr: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Mariana Bichette: MOTHER'S DAY WITH THE BICHETTES

Natalie Niekro: ONCE A YANKEE, ALWAYS A YANKEE

And what about our writers at BYB? They've become personalities to you all.

• Mikey Blue is my friend for over 20 years. He's my right hand man, best friend, brother and I can't take a leak unless he assures me it's the right move. 

• Jesse Schindler, one of the best sports writers on the web, hands down.  Don't believe me? Believe this, remember Schindler's name in 8 years when he's the guy you'll be searching for to provide inside baseball information.

(In photo: Jeana, Ivan Nova & Erica)

• Jeana Bellezza and Erica Morales kick ass. 2 women writers with more spunk and baseball knowledge than anyone. I like spunk and I love having them on the BYB team.

• Our recap writers, Frank Gentry, Ike Dimitriadis and Sam Thaler. They are great, thorough and each do their recaps in their own unique way.  Who needs ESPN's Rapid Reaction when you have these guys. We make it fun and dare I say, you should come to us first. After all, wasn't it Ray Negron, the author of Yankee Miracles who said, "You guys are just as good as the regular beat writers." I'll take that. 

•  Lem Allen always has another take that I admire, so I am thrilled that he can bring us a unique perspective once in a while! Thanks man.

• Kate Munrow does my Yankee Shorts and it's become insanely popular overnight. A fun top 10 list isn't easy. Combine the Yankees and great nuggets and Kate pulls it off beautifully every time. By the way Kate, you're past deadline... send it on over!

• Let's not forget Steve Skinner, a guest writer who puts in 110 percent, not because he has to, he doesn't. He does it because he wants to...for you.

And yeah... me too. Look, I've written hundreds upon hundreds of pieces for my BYB baby. Sure, call me the Godfather, but the reality is, I usually don't put my credit at the end of my posts only because that's how it started for me here. Let's not forget, Bleeding Yankee Blue started with just me. As writers were added, I didn't want you thinking I wrote their stuff, so I gave them credit... it's the right thing to do. I just never felt the need to change that routine and so, there you have it. So yeah, if there isn't a author credit...it's me just like it was on September 14, 2010.

Finally, to celebrate our birthday, we have a few messages from people who have supported us, check it out: 

"Happy birthday wishes!  Two years of innovative, clever, breakthrough material that helps nourish the unending appetite of Yankee fans for more, more and more.  Don't know where the Internet will be taking us, but I suspect you'll be ahead of the curve for a long time." 

 --Marty Appel, Former Yankees Public Relations Guy & author of Pinstripe Empire 

"Thanks for putting so much time and effort into the success of Bleeding Yankee Blue. You started this purely for the fun of it, and it turned into something much bigger than that. You really transformed this into a really powerful, respected blog among Yankees fans. You do it for the readers, and I am here with them thanking you first hand. I'll always stick with my favorite Yankees blog. Here's to many, many more to come." 

--Will Cohen, the first BYB Writer 

"Happy Birthday BYB!! The 'go to' place for info!!"
--Rose Passantino

 "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BYB! My go to place for everything Yankee! A big thank you from a mom of one of your writers to have found a place to let her creative juices flow! I know there will be many more birthdays to celebrate and this happy and proud Yankee fan will be along for the ride!"
--Linda Bellezza 

"Happy Birthday BYB!"

--Lori Vargo Heffner

"I am very happy I found BYB this season to have a unique insight to the Yankees. Many awesome stories with current and former Yankees. I have said it in other posts but a HUGE THANK YOU... to you and ALL the WRITERS at BYB ...Happy 2nd and many many more."
--Dave Goode

"I've been following you guys from (nearly) day 1 and I don't think I've missed a day since! Awesome blog, awesome people! Long may it last!"
--Danny O'Broin

 "Happy Birthday Bleeding Yankee Blue!"
--Charles Moses

At the end of the day, something happened to BYB in the past 2 years, we became relevant. You turn to us for information, opinion and humor. It's not only flattering, it's humbling. You don't have to, hell, there are a ton of places you can go for Yankee info, but you don't wander, you stay loyal and it may be the nicest thing that's ever happened to me.Thank you for understanding us. Thank you for knowing that we don't believe we are the only answer out there...hell, you understand that we're just having fun, and we appreciate you "getting it."

Years ago I thought to myself "I feel like I'm supposed to do something". Granted, I didn't know what that was, but I've always been a creative person, so something was bound to come to me...and it did. BYB was born. From there, an audience arrived, and my baby is 2 years old because of you.

By the way, a special thanks to Rob at Bronx Baseball Daily, Mike at Bronx Goblin, Greg from Sliding into Home, Rasheeda from Bomber Boulevard, Lisa from Subway Squawkers and Matt from Yankees Fans Unite. You all have been a great to me. I appreciate you guys. Thank you.

So happy birthday to BYB and to you guys too, the best readers in the world! It's been an incredible journey for me, but it's not always easy. I am always working on BYB. Sometimes it's not so fun. Sometimes I want to pack it in... that's the truth.  One night I said to my wife "I may need to close up shop, I'm very, very tired." She looked me dead in the eye and said "Your readers would be upset. You can't do that."  It's right then that I realized why I married this woman...she's right...she's always right. I can't do that, and I won't.  I'll do this as long as I can because I want to and because I know you'll be looking for it. At the end of the day we're family right? We support each other, a pretty important and significant action in life.

Support, love, life and Yankees.  It's our birthday and damn...it feels good to be 2.