Aswingman is an athlete capable of playing multiple positions in their sport.
Inbasketball, the term "swingman" (a.k.a. "wing" or "guard-forward") denotes a player who can play both theshooting guard (2) andsmall forward (3) positions, and in essenceswing between the positions.[1][2]
Examples include:
Inbaseball, a swingman is apitcher who can work either as areliever or as astarter.[3] To thrive in this role, pitchers must possess the stamina of a starter as well as the flexibility to work out of thebullpen.[4] It may be difficult for swingmen to settle into the same type of routine as pitchers used exclusively in one role.[5]
In 19th century baseball, since the vast majority of games were finished by the starting pitcher, the swingman role did not exist. In the early 1900s, as the percentage ofcomplete games fell, relief appearances became more common, and swingmen began to appear. Early examples included star pitchers such asMordecai Brown andEd Walsh (both in theBaseball Hall of Fame) as well as pioneers of the relief role such asDoc Crandall andFirpo Marberry.[4]
Through the 1930s, teams continued to use their best pitchers as both starters and relievers.Dizzy Dean,Lefty Grove, and (to a lesser extent)Carl Hubbell were all used as swingmen during this era.[6] In the 1950s and 1960s, strictstarting rotations and specific roles for relief pitchers became standard; these trends reduced the prevalence of swingmen.[7] From1970 through the present day, the usage of swingmen has continued to decline due to the increased specialization of pitchers.[8]
During this era, pitchers may be deployed as swingmen early in their careers to ease their transition to the major leagues, move to a permanent starting role once they are deemed ready, and transition back to a swingman/bullpen role as they decline with age, a career arc exemplified byRudy May.[9] Swingmen are also valuable in the postseason, when they may be needed to replace a struggling starter early in a game and pitch multiple innings while keeping the score close.[10]
InAustralian rules football, a swingman is typically a player who can play both in attack and in defence, usually as a key position player. Examples includeHarry Taylor,Ryan Schoenmakers,Ben Reid andJarryd Roughead.
Inice hockey, a swingman is a player that could play bothdefenseman andforward, such asBrent Burns of theSan Jose Sharks,Dustin Byfuglien of theWinnipeg Jets,Brendan Smith of theNew York Rangers and Calder Cup ChampionPaul Bissonnette.
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