Which Giambi...

by Travis G on Aug 20, 2008 10:39 AM EDT

... is the real one? The Giambi who hit .150/.317/.375 until May 4? Is it the one who hit .346/.461/.701 from May 4 to June 22? Or perhaps it's the Giambi that's hitting .214/.362/.397 since then.

Remember how fans were so quick to claim Jason Giambi was back in the midst of his hot streak? One could always see there would eventually be a backslide, and now there clearly is. It's reminiscent of Tino Martinez' last season with the Yanks, when he had ridiculous hot streaks where he carried the team for a week, followed by frigid cold streaks when he looked lost. Just another sign of an aging star.

Is the answer as simple as Mark Teixeira? He apparently wants a 10-year deal (Scott Boras is his agent), which sounds crazy for merely a very good player, not an all-time great like Arod (whose 10-year deal I also strongly disagree with). What happens to Posada when he can't catch anymore, or Arod when he can't play the field?

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Which Giambi ...

Because the Yankees are finished in 2008, and Giambi certainly doesn’t fit in their plans for 2009 and beyond, I frankly don’t care which Giambi. A guy who makes his living hitting a round ball passed defenders should be able to adjust to defensive shifts by poking, bunting, half-swinging balls into leftfield or down the third-base line. The fact that he can’t, or won’t do that makes him of ZERO value to me.

Tex isn’t worth a 10 year deal, and if that’s what it’s going to take to land a 29 year old slugger, I’d walk away (not to mention the fact that he’s a Boras client).

Bottom line: we need professional, team players who will do what it takes to get guys over and in. I don’t see that with the present configuration, and am hoping Cashman addresses this issue first and foremost.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Aug 20, 2008 12:05 PM EDT reply actions

Nobody is giving Teixeira a 10-year deal

He may get 6 years, but 10 years? Not a chance. No way, no how.

Teixeira is a very good player, but he’s not a superstar. Non-superstars aren’t worth $20M+ per season.

by anaconda on Aug 20, 2008 12:11 PM EDT reply actions

with his fielding talents, he's a borderline superstar. top 30 position player in MLB

With Cashman having recently figured out that young, cheap talent is extremely valuable, the biggest lesson the Yankees have to learn is that fielding is important. With Giambi, Abreu, Matsui, and Jeter, they have four sink-holes in the field. Over a full season, they cost the team about 10, 15, 15, and 10 runs respectively. That’s fifty runs total, or about five wins.

my blog // calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy // past results do not guarantee future performance

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 20, 2008 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Jeter's defense

has actually been quite good this year.

by DocBrown82 on Aug 20, 2008 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions

They've always put the shift on lefties

They did it to Ted Williams in the 1940s. They did it to Barry Bonds. They do it to Giambi, David Ortiz, and Ryan Howard today.

Occasionally Giambi has poked a bunt over to the 3rd base side. The funny thing is though, even though there are 3 infielders on the first base side, these guys can still hit!

Say what you want about Giambi, but he still is slugging .500 for the season, and he still is a productive player, despite the shift. It makes no sense to tell this guy to tinker with this swing, or to lay down bunts on a regular basis, when he can still beat the shift. Some players can hit to all fields, some are dead pull hitters, and some are in between. It’s more of an inherent quality than a learned skill. If it works (and the guy is hitting something like .250/.390/.510 this year, so it does) don’t tinker with it too much.

I agree that we need a balanced lineup. However, most of the guys who “move the runners” or “go first to third” usually have low OBP, low SLG. It’s not the 1980s anymore.

by 3460kuri on Aug 20, 2008 2:28 PM EDT reply actions

Contract year

This is a contract year for Giambi, that is why he is performing well. Unless he wants to come back for an incentive laden deal for about $5M, I would not bring him back. Tex isn’t worth 56 year deal worth $100120M for sure. I have been saying all along that NYY’s 1B for 2009 is Posada as he will be a liability as a starting catcher next year with the surgery he had this year. If Posada can maintain his offensive numbers (around .290 / 20 HR / 90 RBI), NYY’s 1B is set. I do not think Giambi and Tex will have much superior numbers that Posada’s. What they’ll need is get power guys in the OF to protect A-Rod in the line-up. My suggestion is Manny as his bat will not only protect A-Rod, but he can post at least 25HR/110 RBI in the line-up.

by yankeesintexas on Aug 20, 2008 3:14 PM EDT reply actions

how much should the yankees care about money?

Cashman has recently realized the value of cheap young players — they’re productive and allow you to spend most of the payroll on studs. Is ARod worth $30MM? No. But it was still a good signing by the Yankees, because there are only so many positions to spend money on.

It’s not large contracts per se that have screwed the Yankees, it’s been the quality of the players they’ve signed and the legnth of the contracts. Pavano, even if healthy, was not a $13MM pitcher (just one good season). $13MM to Posada (an old catcher) was not smart, even coming off his best season.

The Yankees should look to sign quality players who aren’t over the hill and who aren’t overrated. Tex would be a smart move. Sabathia would be ok (all pitchers are risky, and he’s probably a tad overrated, even though he’s one of the best pitchers in the league). But Ben Sheets would be dumb (again, even thoug he has some talent). Just please stop signing corner outfielders who can’t field. I’d trade both Matsui and Abreu straight up for Randy Winn.

my blog // calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy // past results do not guarantee future performance

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 20, 2008 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Justin Morneau's contract is up in 2010,

Ryan Howard is doing “poorly” ATM (batting .233), Albert Pujols contract is up in 2011. Why not sign Giambi for 1 year until Morneau is available or one of these other guys becomes available?

Or try Posada at 1st (it isn’t a rocket science position..catch the ball, toss it once in a while to the pitcher…easy) and go for one of the above mentioned guys.

Rebuilding takes time, we just might suck next year too gang.

by ilBrutto on Aug 20, 2008 3:20 PM EDT reply actions

Teixeira is much better than Morneau

my blog // calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy // past results do not guarantee future performance

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 20, 2008 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Let him GO

Giambi is slow, weak defensively, strikes-out alot, and is hitting only .249. Just igve him his $5 Mil. buyout & move on. Offer Tex a 6-7 yr. deal & if he does not take it, look at other options. Get younger & more athletic or it will be more of the same next yr.

by tools of ignorance on Aug 20, 2008 4:56 PM EDT reply actions

Doesn't seem to be

anyone available to replace Giambi, since I doubt the Yanks will give Texeira anywhere near the deal he’s looking for.

Giambi is going to play somewhere in the AL next year, and to let him go the Yanks will have to pay him 5 million.

He is still a productive hitter, and if he ends up in the AL East the Yanks will pay him 5 million bucks to help another team beat the Yanks 19 times.

It seems as though Giambi likes it here, and it seems as though he would take less to stay here. I would try to bring him back on a one year deal, but open to suggestions for a replacement.

"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death

by matthaggs on Aug 20, 2008 7:35 PM EDT reply actions

Giambi not bad

When ARod can’t field anymore, he’ll DH like Reggie, or Molitor, or Winfield…etc…Hall of Famers do that. Posada was given his contract pretty much out of loyalty and respect for what he’s done for the Yanks thru his career. If the Yanks have to eat the last year or 2 they’ll do it gladly. Giambi has had a decent year. His 24 HR’s project to about 35 in previous Steroid Era years. And, Yes, I just made that up.

by mtspark on Aug 20, 2008 8:43 PM EDT reply actions

ARod's contract

will haunt this franchise for a long, long time. At least a decade.

by runbrettrun on Aug 20, 2008 11:24 PM EDT reply actions

you're

probably (unfortunately) right.

Thanks for all the comments everyone. The great thing about this website is you rarely see a one word/one sentence comment. everyone puts thought into their replies and it’s great to read.

by Travis G on Aug 21, 2008 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions