Sean B. Fitzgerald It doesn’t go something like this, it goes exactly like this.

Swisher over Matsui?

It's very rare that I write a post about my thoughts on possible lineup changes, pitching adjustments, promotions, demotions, or the everyday nonsense that is personnel moves. But when those potential moves include the Yankees, I suddenly have an opinion. And that opinion needs to be heard.

Throwing out the notion that "It's too early...", Nick Swisher needs to start over Hideki Matsui for a majority of the season. In the first two games Matsui went 1 for 10 and had two walks. On Thursday, Nick Swisher started the game at designated hitter and subsequently went 3 for 5, drove in 5 runs and had 7 total bases.

Ever since Matsui came over from Japan to join the Yankees in 2003, he has been an all-or-nothing hitter. Not in the sense that he hits homeruns or strikeouts. In the sense that in order for him to get a hit, everything needs to go right. He keeps his hands back, shoulder tucked, hips don't fly open, head down. If those things are in sync, you can expect a nice line drive into the right-center field gap. Otherwise, expect a slow dribbler to the second basemen or a pop up to third. Unlike more successful hitters in the majors, Matsui can not get away with making mistakes at the plate. Derek Jeter may not keep his hands back long enough sometimes, but the result may be a dunker over the second basemen's head. Alex Rodriguez may not make solid contact with the ball, but he's strong enough to hit it out on a short porch. Hideki does not have the speed, the improvisational bat skills, or the intangibles to adjust when making mistakes in the box.

Did I mention that he can only play DH until July? Well that's what Girardi and the rest of the coaching staff decided on at the beginning of the season. Sweet. It really offers a lot of lineup flexibility when a player can either hit or be a paper weight on the bench. To be honest, I believe it's better that he can only be a DH, because he is worthless as a fielder. He covers little ground, is afraid of the wall, and has a below average arm. I know baseball players who have that type of skill set, except they get a snowcone after the game.

I feel stupid even mentioning the reasons why Swisher should start over Matsui. Aren't they obvious?

1. He plays rightfield
2. He plays leftfield
3. He plays centerfield
4. He plays first base
5. He's only 28 (Matsui is 35)
6. Higher OBP
7. Higher SLG

Sometimes it's tough to guess what exactly is going through the heads of the Yankees coaching staff. But I believe as the season progresses, we will see Swisher get more and more playing time over Matsui until he is officially coming off the bench. Hopefully. Fingers crossed.