Meet Your New Yankee: 10 Fun facts About Nick Swisher

1. Mamma mia! Nick is half-Italian!

2. Eat this Redsocks! Oakland drafted Nick in 2002 with a first-round pick that came from Boston signing Johnny Damon.

3. Nick was in Michael Lewis’ 2003 best-seller, Moneyball, because everybody was convinced he’d be a star.

4. Nick finished 6th in the 2005 balloting for AL Rookie of the Year!

5. Shhsh, don't tell Arod: In 2006, Nick wrote a regular column for ESPN.com.

6. Last fall, Whitesocks mgr Ozzie Guillen benched Nick, because he was batting .219, saying, "The best lineup right now is without (Nick)."

7. Two Texes: Nick came to the Yanks with pitcher Kanekoa Texeira, then lost firstbase to Mark Teixeria.

8. Nick’s dad, Steve, was a lifetime .216 hitter.

9. Nick’s grandma raised him after his parents divorced. He dedicated his website – nickswisher.net – to her.

10. This is what Nick wrote about her: "I was in 8th grade when my parents divorced and I moved to my grandparents home in Parkersburg, W. Virginia. My grandma helped raise me and had a huge influence on my life. When I got out of line she was the first person to get me back on track. She wanted me to be the best I could be. I am blessed to have had the kind of relationship we did. What a privilege! When we lost her to brain cancer in August of 2005, I had her initials tattooed on my chest, so that she is always near my heart. I love you Grandma."