Swisher would make his MLB debut in 1974 for the Cubs and would become an All-Star for them. He would finish up his nine season career playing for the Cardinals and the Padres. Not a bad career, but certainly not Hall of Fame worthy. Steve's most damning contribution to the game is still fathering White Sox clubhouse cancer Nick Swisher.
There are many notable players that would have been a better choice than Steve Swisher. Fred Lynn would have been a solid choice. Jack Clark or Jeff Reardon would have made great selections too. Floyd Bannister or LaMarr Hoyt would have been great selections too.
Let's just say that the White Sox were stuck on drafting a catcher. There is a catcher/first baseman that was undrafted until the third round (63rd overall). He played twenty-one seasons in the MLB and was selected to the Hall of Fame in 2003.
Eddie Murray.
Yes, of course hindsight is 20/20. The draft was certainly not as well researched and planned as they are today. The fact that Steve Swisher was traded before the year's end for a washed up veteran, makes him a wasted pick, in my opinion. Any one of those players that I mentioned would have made a better choice than Swisher. Steve Swisher was an alright choice here, but there are so many other notable picks after he was chosen, that it seems that the Sox jumped the gun a bit.
Could you imagine Eddie Murray as part of the South Side Hitmen? Eddie hit 27 home runs as a rookie in 1977, on his way to becoming American League Rookie of the Year. Can you imagine if he played first base instead of Jim Spencer? You would miss the Gold Glove at first, but I believe the plate numbers would more than make up for that. Besides, Eddie would get three Gold Gloves starting just a few years later.
Of course, this is all just fantasy thinking, but it's always fun to imagine... what if?
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