Nick Swisher is a man. He's a throwback to the times when players would play if they had a limb detached.
Turns out Swisher played all last season with a fractured thumb and a torn tendon. And he still cracked 29 bombs in Sactown.
But my favorite part of this story is this:
Swisher and the others shared their diamond skills, their hitting techniques and expertise with the campers. Then as the session ended, with the players leaving and approximately 120 kids gearing up for their slumber party inside the Raley Field clubhouses, Swisher decided to stay.
"I'm just a big kid at heart anyway," Swisher rationalized.
So he joined the youngsters as the only River Cat who watched the movies "Sandlot" and "Angels in the Outfield" before bedtime. He ducked away to the team laundry room, where he slept on a bed of towels.
"That was so much fun," Swisher said.
Can anyone imagine Barry Bonds or Alex Rodriguez sleeping on a bed of towels?
I know I can't.
Nick Swisher is one special player. And a better person.