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Giambi headed to Tampa Bay?

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The Dancing Bear could be doing the free-agent shuffle to AL champion Tampa Bay - and Jason Giambi's replacement at first base will be viewed as the player the Yankees went with over signing Mark Teixeira. Welcome to The Bronx, Nick Swisher. "Right now, he is our first baseman," GM Brian Cashman said of the 27-year-old, switch-hitting Swisher, who actually started more games in the outfield (96) than he did at first (47) last year for the White Sox. Since the defending AL champion Rays are looking for a left-handed DH, Giambi fits the bill. He'll turn 38 in January and clearly won't command anywhere close to the $23 million he made last year.

New York Post

Jason Giambi, Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Jason Giambi, Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
November 19, 2008  06:02 AM ET

Great. Go Rays do not give up. You should signed Bonds. Word.

November 19, 2008  06:26 AM ET

well they better get rid of the ineffective player in the roster...never did work for giambi.

November 19, 2008  07:02 AM ET

Considering his history, when a players number, at age 38, take the kind of jump his did last year it's not unfair to wonder if a little something "different" started happening in his training regimen....

Bottom line is that the Rays are contenders, and the Yankees are trying to get back to being one too. They need lots to get there right now, and they don't see any reason to retain the guy, even at short money. Makes me wonder why the Rays should save this guy from signing with the Royals or the Nats....

November 19, 2008  07:51 AM ET

Another ex-yankee 'roider, enjoy Tampa!

November 19, 2008  08:13 AM ET

Perfect, a guy hitting 200 with RISP in that line up would help the Yanks quite a bit.

November 19, 2008  08:23 AM ET

A fan of the Big G, hopefully things work out for the big fella

November 19, 2008  08:24 AM ET
QUOTE(#3):

Considering his history, when a players number, at age 38, take the kind of jump his did last year it's not unfair to wonder if a little something "different" started happening in his training regimen....Bottom line is that the Rays are contenders, and the Yankees are trying to get back to being one too. They need lots to get there right now, and they don't see any reason to retain the guy, even at short money. Makes me wonder why the Rays should save this guy from signing with the Royals or the Nats....

You're an idiot. This guy could start in about half the teams in the league. Any your insinuation about his training regimen....if that were the case he would have hit 50hr instead of 30. Again you look like an idiot.

November 19, 2008  08:36 AM ET

Considering his history, when a players number, at age 38, take the kind of jump his did last year it's not unfair to wonder if a little something "different" started happening in his training regimen.... TEKSMISSINGPOWER

I can understand the thought and hey it crossed my mind too. To me this past years performance can be attributed to a different kind of performance enhancing drug, and that would be money. Its amazing how good players play when they know there meal ticket is up for renewal. Ala Manny as well.

November 19, 2008  08:40 AM ET

He is a horrid defensive player. He at least is ready to accept the fact he would be better served to rest his body and avoid the boatloads of injuries he has suffered by remaining a DH. He can easily smack another 30 HRs as a full-time DH.

Giambi was a very good all-around hitter until he hit the juice. In Oakland, he sprayed the ball all over the field and still hit some bombs. In New York, he was mesmerized by the short right field porch and turned into a one-dimensional hitter.

November 19, 2008  09:03 AM ET
QUOTE(#10):

Giambi was a very good all-around hitter until he hit the juice. In Oakland, he sprayed the ball all over the field and still hit some bombs. In New York, he was mesmerized by the short right field porch and turned into a one-dimensional hitter.

You might want to put down the latte and take your head out of your arse. He wasn't a good hitter before juicing. take a look at the before and after pictures and map them out against his good years.. significant growth.

November 19, 2008  10:41 AM ET
QUOTE(#2):

well they better get rid of the ineffective player in the roster...never did work for giambi.

such an ignorant comment about Giambi-

- look at his NUMBERS over the length of his contract
other than the 2 years he was roiding down.....
(which is a totally seperate issue)
he actually had VERY good #'s.....
not necessarily 20 mil #'s but really solid

FIVE years of 30+ hrs
3 years over 100 rbi (+ a 96 year)
FOUR years at over .400 obp

innefective???

November 19, 2008  10:51 AM ET

I must have missed something ... when did they start calling Giambi the "Dancing Bear?" Why would someone call him that? I find it insulting to Deadheads everywhere. Wait a minute ... deadheads ... dead head ... dancing bear ... I think I understand now.

November 19, 2008  11:09 AM ET

Always liked Giambi, good eye good teammate, works hard, and hits, slumped bad several times, but he is good, not 20 million good and is a little shakey on the D side. Not really what Tampa usually looks for, I guess he will go there as a DH if they decide to pay him.

November 19, 2008  11:16 AM ET

The guy gets on base, and could teach the young rays about pitch selection. 2 years at 7-9 million a pop seems realistic.

November 19, 2008  12:07 PM ET
QUOTE(#8):

You're an idiot. This guy could start in about half the teams in the league. Any your insinuation about his training regimen....if that were the case he would have hit 50hr instead of 30. Again you look like an idiot.

Sorry Giambi-Squad, didn't mean to attack one of your sacred cows or anything.....

Bottom line though, his numbers did take a jump at age 38, he is a former client of Balco and the Yankess don't appear to want him at short money. All I did was mention those things, and wonder if maybe the Rays could improve themselves without this retread. I may be an idiot, but I'm betting someone in the Rays front office is saying something similar.

As for Dancing Bear starting on half the teams in baseball, well, being on the Yankees roster in 2008 doesn't have the same cachet in 2008 it had in 1998. Maybe that changes next year, maybe it doesn't, just saying it's not the resume entry it used to be these days....

November 19, 2008  12:16 PM ET

He is not on the Yankees roster so...that was simply a shot with no zing. His problems over the past couple years are well documented but he can still play, and he is not a clubhouse problem. The guy still has a good eye and...I think re-tread is not the correct term for where Giambi is right now.

November 19, 2008  12:41 PM ET

Has anyone seen a picture of Giambi lately? He is the size of Kimbo Slice!

November 19, 2008  02:00 PM ET

For the most part, Jason was well liked among Yanks fans and was a good fit on the field and off, the distraction of steroids investigation notwithstanding. Personally I'll miss him but it seemed like it was thre right time to make that move.

November 19, 2008  02:14 PM ET

Lucky for Giambi, Tampa is closer to Mexico...

 
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