Giambi is the Key

Why the recent resurgence of the powerful Yankee lineup that looked so inept earlier in the year?



If you're a Buffy fan, there's a story line in Season Five that has the evil character looking for the "key" which will unlock an evil, alternate-universe on the world. Jason is that key.

In game 64 against the Pittsburg Pirates, Giambi's late inning bomb won the game and brought the Yanks back even-32-32, at a time when they were floundering with mediocracy again. The Yanks as a team huddled around home waiting for Jason to touch the plate. The emotional outburst was paramount in helping to restore Giambi's confidence.

We've gone 19-10 after that and Jason has been on a tear ever since. His rebound started a little earlier, but the power numbers weren't there yet. In his last forty-four games Jason is hitting.333 with 9 hr's and 28 rbi's. In the last 16 games of July ( not including yesterday ) Giambi was hitting .391 with eight hr's and fourteen rbi's. Those are the numbers the 2000 Jason produced. He has added the missing ingredient that has made the Yanks the most potent offense in the league.

Giambi's OBP is .437 and with him batting behind Matsui, an argument can be made that Jeter, Cano, Sheffield, A-Rod, Matsui, and Giambi are the most lethal front six in the game. Before he went on his roll, the Bombers were struggling to manufacture runs and with the added pressure of always being four runs down you could see the stress weigh them down like a concrete slab. Now even with our pitching still in shambles the offense has not been effected. This offense has looked the best the Yanks have had since they started their great run in 96' Who would have imagined that Giambi would be the straw that stirs the drink? As long as Jason stays in the groove, I don't see that changing the rest of the year.