Giambi ready to rehab

by 17 Comments

Torre: Joba a possibility in the pen
Down on the Farm: Jo-ba! Jo-ba!

According to Pete Abe, Giambi will begin his rehab assignment Friday in Tampa. He’ll play DH in the games on Friday and Saturday, after which he will be re-evaluated. Giambi hopes to be back in the Yanks lineup next week.

I really don’t understand the negative sentiment of Giambi’s return expressed by some Yankees fans. If he hits, the team will be better. That’s it. You can argue some chemistry factor, but it’s not like Giambi being in the lineup will make everyone else stop hitting.

Of course, how he plays depends on how healthy his heel is. But if he’s producing, he’ll help.

Torre: Joba a possibility in the pen
Down on the Farm: Jo-ba! Jo-ba!
  • http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.

    And thus ends my streak of 19 straight posts.

  • The Scout

    OK, where does he play? We know he’s a poor first baseman, which leaves the DH slot. But Damon has been the regular DH for most games. If Damon returns to center, the defense is weakened, and Melky doesn’t play much.

    I like Melky for his energy and enthusiasm, his speed, and his defense. I think the team is better with him on the field than otherwise.

    You could bench Damon and let Giambi DH, but that deprives the team of it’s most experienced and proven lead-off hitter — and just when he seems to be snapping out of his funk.

    More than that, the team is going well at the moment. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Do not disrupt the team when it is going well.

    It’s an old adage that a player should not lose his job due to injury. I think that’s nonsense. The point is to win, and if the players now on the field are winning, leave well enough alone.

  • Malcard89

    I understand not wanting Giambi back. Andy Phillips is hitting .300 right now with superior defense even to Doug Mentkiewicz, and he’s actually made some clutch defensive plays to help turn around a game (anyone who can help bail out a Farnsworth outing deserves a Gold Glove). I cannot remember one game that Doug saved a game with his glove, like advertised by Cashman during the offseason, but Andy Phillips has. Bring Giambi back, who will clog the roster as only a part time horrible first baseman and DH, and that without-a-doubt-valuable defense is gone, Damon plays CF/DH instead of Melky, and Shelley is just gone. In Giambi’s defense, we get a little more power back, but at the rate that we’ve been scoring runs, do we really need anymore, while sacrificing defense?

  • batty

    Giambi is feared and pitchers don’t like throwing to him.

    However, I keep thinking about what happened last year and if this will be a repeat. The young guys get the team there, the old vets come in to reclaim their spots, fall down on the job and then wait till next year.

  • Travis

    I totally understand the negative sentiment. I don’t want Giambi back in the starting lineup. Chemistry is a very delicate thing, and chances are that he’ll destroy what the Yankees have been building. I’m all for keeping him on the bench, bringing him and Duncan in during the late innings, when necessary, for a chance at the big blast.

  • dan

    C’mon Joseph. Ben was dominating the blogosphere with an unprecedented (didnt actually look that up) run of 19 straight posts. I thought you were too hung over to post anyway. It was a good run, but everything comes to an end

  • http://jeteupthemiddle.blogspot.com Jeteupthemiddle

    I understand the sentiment even if it isn’t logical.

    Giambi is not easy to root for.

    Andy Phillips and Melky Cabrera are easy to root for.

    One of the above will be displaced upon Giambi’s return.

    Personally, I can’t wait for Giambi’s contract to come off the books (I’m well aware that I am irrational, but hey, baseball isn’t only about numbers, it is also about sentiment and the like for the fan (as opposed to the front office and manager)).

  • The Scout

    Just to be clear: I can root for Giambi, and often have. I admire the way he stood up and took responsibility for his past actions. This is simply about baseball: is his return good for the team right now? I see it as a disruption, with a serious downside that outweighs the likely benefit. Leave things well enough alone.

  • John

    Jeteupthemiddle: it’s good baseball and totally rational to be rid of Giambi. He’s making way too much dough, and we’re gonna need the DH slot for Damon or Matsui long term (I’d put Matsui there because Damon has so much more range). That said, since we’re paying him, he might as well produce.

  • C-Note

    JoBA- 5 in 1 BB 10K’s 0er

    yea for JoBA!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://www.yanksblog.com James Varghese

    Nice job by Joba tonight but there’s another bit of good news – Dellin Betances is actually pitching tonight as well so I guess the elbow injury wasn’t that bad at all. So far, 4 IP, 2 hits 1 ER and 2Ks (6-4 GB-FB)

  • Mike

    It wasn’t Betances, it was Jason Stephens. milb.com will occasionally screw up and list the wrong player, but it gets fixed…eventually.

  • http://www.yanksblog.com James Varghese

    Curse you Milb for getting my hopes up…Thanks for pointing that out Mike.

  • http://jeteupthemiddle.blogspot.com Jeteupthemiddle

    John, I’m aware of the rational reasons (specifically the fact that he can’t play any other position so there is little flexibility when he is in the lineup), however, my overall feelings regarding Giambi being a Yankee are irrational.

    Meaning, that I just don’t really like him much….and honestly, I don’t even care about the steroid thing. I’m not sure what it is.

    Obviously I root for him because he is a Yankee and him doing well is ultimately a good thing, but I’m perfectly fine with him not being with the team at all.

  • C-Note

    Just please the the Melky Man alone… just look at tonight- the HR, but especially getting a fly ball deep enough to scaore Jorge from 3rd to make it 3 -1 …. that is a winning ballplayer… if we had more of that against Boston in 04′ (guys looking to be the hero swinging for the fences and striking out) we woulda won that damn series

    Melky is happy, Melky makes other happy, Melky scares the shit out of runners with his arm- he’s hitting well over .300 since playing everyday since June 1st

    please leave the Melky man alone

  • C-Note

    should have been (instead of guys looking to be heros swinging for the fences and striking out)

  • Rob_in_CT

    The result of Giambi’s return should be the benching of Damon.

    Jeter – SS
    Matsui – LF
    ARod – 3B
    Giambi – DH
    Posada – C
    Abreu – 2B
    Phillips – 1B
    Cano – 2B
    Melky – CF

    You can flip-flop Matsui & Abreu depending on who is hot. Cano can be moved up too, if his play warrants it. Damon becomes the 4th OF.

    I know this may not happen. It’s what I think SHOULD happen. Giambi makes the team better if this is how it’s handled. It’s less clear if his return results in Damon in CF and Melky on the bench.