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You can thank Scott Boras for the Yankees decision to pick up the option on Nick Swisher for the 2012 season. According to a source familar with the negotiations, the Yankees were seriously considering replacing Swisher in right-field with Carlos Beltran -- until the club learned on Saturday that Boras, Beltran's agent, was seeking a three-year deal for the oft-injured outfielder, who will turn 35 in April. That tipped the scales in favor of Swisher, who will return for one year at $10.25 million. And, presumably, get one last crack at proving he can produce in the post-season.

In the previous post, Wally goes through an interesting possible dynamic in right field.

If you look at the Yankees' position players, the most realistic place for them to make a change are in the corner outfield spots. Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi love Brett Gardner. Gardner, 28, made $530,000 last year and that number should rise for next year, but it's a great Yankee bargain given his production. Thus, it is doubtful the Yankees will do anything there.

At catcher, Russell Martin -- who can't become a free agent -- figures to be back, while Jesus Montero can assume the DH/backup catcher job.

So right field is the most likely spot for a change to occur. Personally, I can't see the Yankees declining Swisher's option. At worst, I would think they would pick it up and then deal him. At the least, they will look into that, while keeping tabs on what is happening in the free agent outfield market.

If you could trade Swisher and a prospect for No. 3 or so starter, it may be a good move.

Here is my question for you to answer below: Forgetting what Swisher could maybe bring in a trade, whom would you rather have? Swisher or Beltran?

Not long ago, it was considered a slam-dunk that the Yankees would pick up Nick Swisher's $10.25 million option for 2012, despite another miserable postseason performance.

Now, it's not so clear.

The reason? Carlos Beltran, a free agent after seven up-and-down, and mostly down, seasons with the Mets. Beltran is being shopped hard by his agent, Scott Boras, and his name came up in discussions at the Yankees organizational meeting in Tampa on Wednesday.

"He's on our list,'' said a team official who was present at the meeting. "But we have to make a decision on Swisher first.''

That is an ominous sign for Swisher and his agent, Dan Lozano, who during the season were given reason to believe the option would be picked up, although not before the Nov. 1 deadline. Now, it seems as if the Yankees front office is weighing one of three options -- pick up Swisher and forget Beltran, sign Beltran and forget Swisher, or sign Beltran, pick up Swisher's option and include him in a trade for a starting pitcher.

The similarities between the two players are striking. In 13 full seasons, Beltran's averages are .283/.361/.496 with 23 home runs and 88 RBIs; Swisher's are .254/.360/.466 with 26 HRs and 83 RBIs. Both are switch-hitters, although Beltran homers more frequently from the left side, which might make him more suited to Yankee Stadium's hitter-friendly right-field porch. And since Beltran lost his center field job to Angel Pagan last season, both are right-fielders, with Beltran considered easily the better fielder.

Two factors, however, work in Swisher's favor: His age (31 on Nov. 25; Beltran will turn 35 next April), and Beltran's injury history. Although he played in 142 games in 2011 between the Mets and San Francisco Giants, Beltran has not played a full season since 2008.