Actually, Swihart is hitting very well. They are sending him down because he has an option and the others don't, and they want him to focus exclusively on catching after jerking him around last year and having him hurt.
He needs a lot of work as a catcher. This is for the best. I don't think he's ever going to be any more than a passable defensive catcher in the majors, but he's got a way to go to even get there. If he can, he becomes quite a weapon - a guy who can catch 4 days a week and play 2 or 3 other positions as well, allowing you to keep two catchers fresh over a long season and rest other guys too without losing too much bat.
