The 35th Street Review

The Nick Swisher era comes to an end. Hope is burned for fuel, and all is kind of well.

An underperforming centerfielder is not necessarily a death sentence, as long as you trade him for a franchise cornerstone and augment him with a Hall of Famer.

Reasons to be optimistic about the return of Paul Konerko this afternoon. Numerically and offensively speaking, of course.

.189/.299/.407: Nick Swisher’s batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage since the All-Star Break. Dude could use a day or two off.

.373/.467/.686: Konerko’s line for the past 28 days. Not too shabby.

11-for-49, 6 BBs: Alexei Ramirez’ showing for September so far. Theoretically, this can only improve.

3: Number of times backup-of-a-backup catcher Paul Phillips was drafted before signing. Thumbs up for sticking to your guns, Other Paulie.

.207: Juan Uribe’s average on an 0-2 count. And, you know, there are only a few of those. Right? Right?

The more things change, the more they don’t actually change all that much.

Perhaps “all-consuming hatred” isn’t the correct term after all. Katie from Oh, It’s THOSE Girls extends an olive branch.