The end of the Giambino Era

by 31 Comments

Recent Yankee trends
Game 95: Chance of game low (Updated with start time)

When Jason Giambi and the Yanks parted company last winter, they did so at the end of a tumultuous eight-year relationship. Yet, Giambi hit a respectable .247/.373/.502 with 32 home runs last year, and there was no reason to think he wouldn’t be at least a decent contributor in Oakland. For Giambi, though, 2009 has been an unmitigated disaster. Before injuring himself this week and landing on the DL, Giambi was hitting just .193/.332/.364 with 11 HR and 72 strike outs. His BABIP — a meager .218 — suggests a fair share of bad luck, but the A’s seem to have soured on Giambi. As Mychael Urban wrote on his blog yesterday, the end might be nigh for Jason Giambi, and the A’s may just buy him out when the season is over. It is shaping up to be a rather ignominious end for the once-great and controversial slugger.

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Recent Yankee trends
Game 95: Chance of game low (Updated with start time)
  • JackISBACK

    Man, I remember being so excited when we got him to sign with us. I still remember the ESPN report, and Gammons was the one analyzing it, saying it was a great move for us, and that with the short porch in RF, Giambi was going to be a perennial MVP candidate.

    …..So much for that.

    I think he is the biggest victim of the shift defense, and his inability to learn to even bunt over to 3B on a consistent basis cost him millions of dollars, because his numbers would look a lot better with a better batting average. Instead of in the low .200s, he could’ve had something similar to a .270-.280 average towards the end.

  • KayGee

    I’m just glad the Yankees didn’t see those numbers last year as reason to give him a 1 year deal…how Giambi and Abreu got the same guaranteed money just speaks to how crazy the offseason FA market was

  • Salty Buggah

    His LD% is also down 3% so not all of that bad luck. That’s not saying he has hadn’t bad luck though as he has had a little but not too much.

    Somewhere I read that BABIP is generally like a 100-120 higher than LD%. So with a 14.1 LD%, his BABIP should be from .240 to .260.

    • Ed

      Somewhere I read that BABIP is generally like a 100-120 higher than LD%.

      That’s a huge generalization though. It varies per player.

      • Mister Delaware

        LD% + .120 works better for pitchers than hitters.

  • DCR

    I will always be a fan of Giambi. At spring training one year I had the pleasure of meeting him. He was a class act, signed for a long time, chatted with fans, and even took a picture with an infant (literally held said baby).

    People criticize the Giambi deal a lot but they fail to mention that in his seven years here he hit 209HR and finished with a .925 OPS. Outside of his batting average, nothing dropped significantly when he signed with us. And for all the talk about his health, 2004 and 2007 were the only years it was really an issue. Hopefully we see Jason at Old Timers Day one of these days.

    • Salty Buggah

      Seeing him at OTD would be nice.

    • jsbrendog

      at the rate he is going it could be next year…

      • RollingWave

        Aaron Small was his highschool teammate. he’s already there

  • http://bronxbaseballdaily.com Matt ACTY/BBD

    I feel as though the Big G will always be under appreciated here in the Empire.

    • Salty Buggah

      As will A-rod and maybe CC/Tex/AJ….It’s the money.

  • JMan

    Great guy, nice guy, fan friendly. more than one can ask for. made an attempt in tampa to sign autographs in tampa hotel against advice of even the yanks bodyguard. Thanks for 7 great years, Jason.

  • Drew

    DO we know if he will be in the house tonight/this weekend? Or will he be off rehabbing away from the team?

  • fd

    What would it take to bring in Paul Maholm?

    • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

      He sucks. Too many baserunners and not enough strikeouts, and that’s in the NL.

      And this comment is incredibly off topic.

      • fd

        Sorry, won’t happen again

        • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

          Thanks.

    • Andy In Sunny Daytona

      I’m all for the Yanks getting Paul Maholm the second the Red Sox sign 9 60-year olds.

  • Glen L

    I always have been and will continue to be an enormous fan of his

  • Bob Stone

    I add my vote as a big long-time fan.

    • KG Sturnz0r – Camilo Gerardo

      me too, but like always, it could have been better..

  • KG Sturnz0r – Camilo Gerardo

    OT, at cashman’s presser, he said Phil would be stretched next time that they need a new starter if applicable. Also that Marte/Bruney/Melancon could step up and push Hughes out for developmental purposes. Keep you eyes on the prize $man!

    • handtius

      Do like the sound of that.

    • Charlie

      wow if thats true then we still have some hope

      • Manimal

        Its Hope week, there is plenty of Hope going around.

  • Manimal

    Do you think the .218 BABIP is a result of the shift?

  • Jeremy

    Why couldn’t he just learn to hit to the left side?

    I never could figure it out.

    He was a very good player for the Yankees who was still severely overpaid due to his lack of defensive value, his injury/health issues, and the fact that his contract was just plain silly to begin with. A lot of fans seem to forget that he had some dominant offensive seasons as a Yankee.

  • Manimal

    Is there a window when we can get this game in? It doesnt seem like there is so I don’t know why they haven’t cancelled it…

  • Pete c.

    As far as his inability to hi to the left is concerned, I remember that when he was signed by NY Sports Illustrated ran an article basically saying he would hit for both power and average for NY and the right field porch wouldn’t be a problem. Well all I can say is it seemed like every hit swung a bat he wound up looking into the 1st base dugout he was trying to pull the ball so much.
    All I can say is I remembered a play in the playoffs the season before; Bernie Williams was at the plate and hit a ball right in front of the plate it dribbled out a few feet the catcher scoops the ball and goes to throw the ball to first and giambi was blocked by the running Williams, Giambi was a statue at 1st all he had to do was take a step to his right and recieve the ball; the ball hits Bernie in the back the rest is history. He was an attrocious 1st baseman and a selfish player for not having the guts ti say he was a liability at first and he should DH, also the line about him not learning to hit to the left side isn’t very realistic; the man was a professional hitter with the way they pitched to him he should have taught them a lesson, all he had to do is slap the ball to the left if it stays fair he’s on, if anyones on first with speed he scores. selfish, every time he swung he was swinging for the fences, stupid, overrated good riddence. If anything the -play of Mark Texiera at first should make everyone understand this. Also, and here’s the part that’s sacrelidge, is you can quote stats all you want he was a mediocre ballplayer who parlayed limited talent into riches by abusing steroids, and a party like a rockstar attitude to make himself bigger than he really was. In my oppinion the only constructive thing he brought to the team was maybe his tenure proved the old addage that anyone can play first is bullshit.