Should we applaud, boo, or be silent when Jason Giambi comes back to Oakland?

by Instant Replay Umpire on May 17, 2005 4:24 PM PDT Comment 14 comments

Okay, this guy Rook and I got into a heated conversation in which I deleted because of the explicit material.

I think we should keep booing Giambi, he thinks we shouldn't.

I think we should keep booing Giambi because
#1 He left us for more money to go to the Yankees
#2 He then bad mouthed Oakland on National television
#3 He used Steroids, and ruined the integretity of competition

He thinks we should applaud Giambi because
#1 What Giambi did for the A's while he was here
#2 We as fans should feel passionate about his situation because the Yankees want to send him to the minors, and find a way to pay out 84 million dollars
#3 He's a good guy

I will leave it to a vote of the fans.

Anyone is welcome to post your feelings, thoughts, or reasons for your vote.

Thank you

Oh one more thing, can you guys please recommend this diary so we can have a higher vote count.

Poll

How should we treat Jason Giambi next time he comes to Oakland playing against us on the Yankees?

Stay silent

20 votes

Keep booing Jason Giambi

32 votes

Applaud him

7 votes

59 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 14 comments

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Comments

We gotta boo him

Simply BECAUSE he dissed Oakland and the Bay when he left. Thats a big no-no.

"The Pen is mightier then the Sword, that is why I use a Paintball Gun!"

by Zonis on May 17, 2005 5:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Did boo's plenty,

Time to move on.

The first year he stopped by, he got his deserved boos.
Any more belabors the point.

by MobiusKlein on May 17, 2005 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I cant believe keep booing is winning...

U-G-H

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on May 17, 2005 5:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It wasn't that heated...

Okay so let's break down your 3 reasons:

Who wouldn't leave for the money when you are talking about 6 year 125 MM? Would you turn that down?
He did the Top 10 list on Letterman which he did not write, it was written for him. If anything we as a fan base should be pissed over the legacy comments, but no one ever seems to talk about that.
Do you boo every player that did steriods or just the ones that admitted it? We would be booing allot if that was true. There is no integrety in baseball any more, not with Buddy boy running the show...

So back to what we were talking about, Zito's comment about the fans being f**& stupid for booing JG right now. And the fact that I agree with him, because he is stuggling, with what I think is finding himself (off the juice), and doing it with every talking head on ESPN, and Radio station telling him that he should look for a buy out or go to Columbus for awhile. I can not imagine the pressure he is under right now, and yes I actually do feel sorry for him. Despite all the mess ups and the things he would like to do again, he is the biggest flop in the biggest city in the world. That is his legacy.

I can understand booing him if he is playing solid, I just can't imagine booing him when he is struggling like this, he is our Jermaine Dye of 03, a high paid 8 hole hitter batting under .200. Even the Yankee fans in spring training and for the first week of the year, cut the guy a break (granted now he has been thrown to the wolves). But his first appearance this year in Oakland he get's lit up, I agree Barry, that is stupid.

"Hey Jay Stew, you have moles on your dome dude, ha ha, you always say that." Terrence

by rook on May 17, 2005 5:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

To rebut your break down

We offered him 6 years 91 million. If I was a ball player grown up with the A's, friends with a lot of A's players, I would stay for less, especially for 91 million dollars. Billy Beane stayed as well for less. And Giambi left us for the worst possible team from an Athletics standpoint, the Yankees.
He kept reading the Letterman list, not like he was forced to read it.
Many kids today use steroids because of players like Giambi, and it's dangerous for you. Are you trying to saying that it's okay to use steroids because a lot of people are doing it?

At first I was steamed about Zito's comment about the Athletics fans being dumb for booing Jason Giambi, but I believe he is just defending his friend, like how a friend should. I lost a little respect for Zito, but he's still an Athletic.

by Instant Replay Umpire on May 17, 2005 5:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My question about roids..

Is do you boo Barry Bonds too? He has admitted using the cream (wink wink), what about players like Sosa, Pudge, Boone, Frank Menechino, do you need proof or just boo the ones that were forced to admit it to a grand jury?

I am not going to go tit for tat on this, but the dude was on Letterman, after hardly being known out here on the west coast, of course he read what was handed to him. As far as the money, he never was going to stay, and used the no trade clause as his out. He was an amazing player here, and thought he needed a bigger stage. He was right, (for a little while). Now I bet he wishes he was burried out here on the west coast or in the midwest.

"Hey Jay Stew, you have moles on your dome dude, ha ha, you always say that." Terrence

by rook on May 17, 2005 6:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

rook,

the problem I have with Giambi isn't so much that he left Oakland to play with NY. He certainly has that right.

What bothers me, is that he stood in front of his locker countless times his last season in Oakland, and swore over and over and over again how badly he wanted to stay. "Money isn't the issue," he claimed. What "he wanted" was the no-trade clause. (Knowing full well that this was something the organization rarely did.)

Finally, when the team said "OK," and offered the no-trade clause, suddenly, "it was too late."

In reality, Giambi wanted to play with the Yankees all along ... again, this is certainly his right. However, don't look me in the eye day after day and tell me how desperately, how incredibly, how vehemently you want to stay, when this is clearly not the case.

That's what bugs me. As far as I'm concerned, what "goes around, comes around."

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on May 17, 2005 6:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And I agree whole heartedly...

Vaca I am with you on this, I hate JG for what he did to us in leaving and how he handled going to NY. I hate him when he goes 3-4 against us.

Now do I agree with Barry that the fans that boo'd him on Friday night were idiots? (Which is what the orignal diary was about, that we should trade Barry cause he called us idiots)...Yes I do. I feel really sorry for the guy, I can not imagine being bad at what I do, getting paid big bucks and my life being under the microscope like he is right now with that team.

If he ever returns to the player he was, I will stand next to you and boo the hell out him, but I have a hard time hitting someone when they are that down. Be like kicking a guy that already had the piss knocked out of him by your buddy...but he to each their own.

Karma is a beatch.

"Hey Jay Stew, you have moles on your dome dude, ha ha, you always say that." Terrence

by rook on May 17, 2005 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see your point....

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on May 17, 2005 6:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Giambi has a Higher Average Than our #3 Hitter

The only reason he's in the 8 hole is because the Yankees have a potent line-up. We knew that when Giambi left, he wouldn't be the only star for them.

Chavez has a lower batting average than Giambi, and he's our #3 hitter.

Why can't we boo Giambi because he's in the 8 hole? That's like saying we can't boo him in the all star game because he's not starting in it.

by Instant Replay Umpire on May 17, 2005 7:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And didn't he say...

I love Oakland. I want to finish out my career here. I love these guys and fans and getting to play with my brother is a dream come true.

by beta103 on May 18, 2005 6:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do whatever you

want..who fricken cares..the guy makes millions he'll get over it..that's why zito apologized..fans boo for many reasons.

by oakwin2004 on May 17, 2005 6:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If we had signed Giambi

For 6 years, 91 million, that would have been bad for all parties involved. It would have crippled our budget. Not only would we not have the same lineup now, but just imagine in a few years when Giambi is 39 in the last year of his contract and making close to 20 mil. We should cheer Jason. He needs it. And he does have an OBP damn near .400. He's obviously a good guy, whether he took steroids or not, and some of the most exciting games i've ever been to wouldn't have been exciting at all if it weren't for jason.

by Nick86 on May 17, 2005 10:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Guy Named Manimal with a great Analogy !

"No we're the people that still give ex-girlfriends dirty looks whenever we run into them because they F'ed us over.

I don't mind what Foulke did. He was all business, and he did what he had to do to get the most money. That's America.

I DO mind what Giambi did for reasons that have nothing to do with money. To continue the relationship analysis, Foulke was a chick who went out on a couple dates with you and left you for some other dude. Sh(t happens. Giambi was a chick that dated you for two years telling you how much she loves you and stuff, and then says, "Oh by the way, I'm leaving for George, who has way more money and continually flaunts it, and I've been thinking about being with the whole time we were together. Oh yeah, and while we're at it, your house and car are total pieces of sh(t. That really didn't need to be said, but I threw it in there because you're down and I want you to be even lower. Furthermore, I'm going to steal all your friends (remember Giambi man-gushing about how he wanted all his A's teammates to join him in NY when their contracts were up) so you'll have nothing, btch!"

So when we pass her on the street at our stadium, what's it supposed to be? Milk and cookies?"

by Instant Replay Umpire on May 18, 2005 7:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs