Official Giambi Press Release

by OaklandA23 on Jan 7, 2009 11:18 AM PST Comment 82 comments

A’s Reach One-Year Agreement With Jason Giambi

Five-Time All-Star First Baseman/DH Returns to Oakland, Where He Won 2000 MVP

OAKLAND, Calif. – Jason Giambi, the five-time American League All-Star and 2000 AL Most Valuable Player who rose to stardom during his seven seasons (1995-2001) with the Oakland Athletics, has reached an agreement to return for a second stint with the club, A’s Vice President and General Manager Billy Beane announced today. Terms of the agreement include a one-year contract for the 2009 season, plus a club option for 2010. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated Joe Dillon for assignment.

Giambi batted .247 with 32 home runs and 96 RBI in 145 games with New York last year, reaching the 30-homer plateau for the eighth time in his career. He tied for eighth in the American League in home runs and was second in at bats per home run (14.3) and at bats per RBI (4.8). The left-handed hitter, who turns 38 tomorrow, led the AL in hit by pitches (22) and added 76 walks for a .373 on-base percentage. He made 112 starts at first base, his most as a Yankee.

Giambi spent seven seasons with New York, where he was a .260 hitter with 209 home runs and 604 RBI in 897 games. Previously, he batted .308 with 187 home runs and 675 RBI in 953 games in seven seasons with the A’s. Giambi leaves New York ranked 10th on the Yankees all-time home run list and returns to the Athletics where he also ranks 10th in home runs, including sixth in Oakland history.

The 6-3, 240-pound West Covina, Calif. native is one of seven players in Major League history with 180 or more home runs with two different teams, a list that also includes two other Athletics: Jimmie Foxx and Mark McGwire. Among players active at the end of the 2008 season, Giambi ranks sixth in on-base percentage (.408), seventh in walks (1205), ninth in home runs (396) and 13th in RBI (1279). He needs four more home runs to become the 44th player in Major League history to reach the 400 plateau.

Giambi was originally drafted by the A’s in the second round of the June, 1992 draft, and made his ML debut with Oakland in 1995. He was named American League MVP in 2000 after batting .333 with career highs in home runs (43), RBI (137) and walks (137), and then finished second in MVP balloting in 2001 when he set an Oakland record with a career high .342 batting average, while adding 38 home runs and 120 RBI. Giambi holds the Oakland career marks for batting average (.308) and on-base percentage (.412), and also ranks second on the Oakland career list in slugging (.545), fourth in doubles (228), sixth in RBI (675) and walks (586), tied for sixth in extra base hits (422), seventh in total bases (1851), 10th in runs (601) and tied for 10th in hits (1048).

Following his seven seasons with the A’s, Giambi signed a seven-year contract with New York on Dec. 13, 2001. The deal also included a club option for 2009, which the Yankees declined to exercise on Nov. 4 of last year, making him a free agent. He slugged 41 home runs in each of his first two seasons, adding 122 RBI in 2002 and 107 in 2003, giving him five consecutive 30-home run seasons and six consecutive years with 100 RBI. Two stints on the disabled list limited him to just 80 games in 2004 but he came back to hit .271 with 31 home runs and 87 RBI in 2005 and was named AL Comeback Player of the Year.

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Joe Dillon - NOOOOOO!!!!

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Jan 7, 2009 11:31 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Nice

They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.

by what_the_crap on Jan 7, 2009 11:31 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

how much?

"It's like déjà vu all over again." -yogi berra

by Cheezombie on Jan 7, 2009 11:39 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

CGV!

Are you allowed to post an entire article/release without citing the source? Shame on you, OaklandA23 (aka Billy Beane, David Forst, or AN’s Deep Throat)

I am Ray Fosse's infatuations with Clay Wood and high-definition television.

by franks a lot on Jan 7, 2009 11:39 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

link

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090106&content_id=3735119&vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak<a

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Jan 7, 2009 11:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Uh, you know that OaklandA23 is some official?

S/he is apparently an official media person. Always posts press releases of interest.

by MobiusKlein on Jan 7, 2009 4:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

really?

so you are saying, she/he doesn’t have to post a link for reference because she/he basically is the reference? i guess I didn’t get the sarcasim (i need spellcheck) completly.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Jan 7, 2009 4:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Obligatory McBain standup comedy gif

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Jan 7, 2009 5:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, it is a press release, after all

"Not in your wildest alcoholic nightmare would you ever imagine such events unfolding!" Bill King

by Buck Turgidson on Jan 7, 2009 5:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm pretty sure that at this point, Hannahan could go on a murder spree and he'd still have a job

by thejd44 on Jan 7, 2009 11:46 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I would've DFAd Chen over Dillon...

Dillon seems to have some purpose, especially if Barton starts in AAA

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Jan 7, 2009 11:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

ya i dont get it

i think dillon has more value than a few guys, but its not uber important. goodbye joe dillon, it was a great run while it lasted.

"My group runs some frogloks down the hall to finish them off and POP! RASTER! If there was a way to scream louder than caps in EQ I was doing it. Man I am straight panicking because I know I have NO CHANCE soloing and the party has run off. I'm in my hotel room; it's like 5am, and I am straight hollering, in EQ and in real life. Bottom line is the group comes back, heals me, and kills Raster! WOOT!" -Curt Schilling on his favorite memories in the video game "EverQuest"

by travdog6 on Jan 7, 2009 11:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

More than likely he'll clear waivers and be sent to Sacramento

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Jan 7, 2009 11:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Chen does have the higher upside of the two

He was very highly thought of before his shoulder injury a year or two ago.

That said, I didn’t think Dillon was the worst player on the 40-man either.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jan 7, 2009 12:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Avoids customary Bobby Crosby defamation

It’s sorta like anger displacement. We kick the dog when we are mad at something else and in this case, the dog is Crosby.

I am Ray Fosse's infatuations with Clay Wood and high-definition television.

by franks a lot on Jan 7, 2009 12:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If Crosby is a dog

He’s the dog who bites your hand when you pet him and starts barking by your stash of drugs when the cops are around.

by thejd44 on Jan 7, 2009 3:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He tried to bite

But missed your hand because it was low and outside.

Bob Geren and Ken Macha both enjoy jai lai.

by CarGon's Jock on Jan 7, 2009 3:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

low and outside

it’s the joke that keeps on giving

when did we stop using adverbs proper?

by alea iacta est on Jan 7, 2009 5:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome back

"You Went Full Retard, Man - Never Go Full Retard." --Kirk Lazarus

by Ovale Fan on Jan 7, 2009 11:46 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

OakA23! You're alive!

We’ve missed you

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Jan 7, 2009 11:49 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

Thanks

I pop up every now and then with some info :-)

by OaklandA23 on Jan 7, 2009 11:53 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Press Conference at 2pm

Slusser notes A’s may still have interest in Abreu (for the right price) and O. Cabrera

Also, Barton’s drawing somne interest – Nationals

Barton package for Milledge package?

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Jan 7, 2009 11:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

the rare OaklandA23 comment!

This is hardball! This is where we overreact! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 7, 2009 12:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow.

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Jan 7, 2009 12:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I will remember this moment forever.

by Rocktopus on Jan 7, 2009 3:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome back OA23, so glad to see you.

I’m sure I’m not the only one hoping you’ll have more interesting fanposts over the next few weeks.

"Dispatch knuckleheadedness with Bond-like aplomb." –74mk

by iglew on Jan 7, 2009 1:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

My head just exploded

S/he just broke the fourth wall!

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Jan 7, 2009 4:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

like ... the Kool-Aid Man? Hmmmmmmm ...

This is hardball! This is where we overreact! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 7, 2009 4:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah!

But seriously, OA23’s Post/Comment ratio is way out of line.

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Jan 7, 2009 10:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Giambis 400th HR

I wouldn’t mind seeing that. Anyone else going to feel slightly cheated if we do not get to see that this year? It would be as disappointing as failing to slide at home with a playoff series on the line…

"You Went Full Retard, Man - Never Go Full Retard." --Kirk Lazarus

by Ovale Fan on Jan 7, 2009 11:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think it's kind of cool that he will (hopefully) hit his 400th HR in a Oakland uni. He only needs 4 right?

maybe he does it at home? I wonder what the response will be.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Jan 7, 2009 12:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mike Sweeney only needed 3 for 200....

How’s that work out

Let’s hope Giambi’s doesn’t play out that way

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Jan 7, 2009 12:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't believe Sweeney didn't have 200 home runs

Guy seemed to hit the ball out all the time earlier in his career

by thejd44 on Jan 7, 2009 3:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess it's hard to hit a HR from the DL

:-)

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Jan 7, 2009 4:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

alaska A residing in colorado.

by ak_A on Jan 7, 2009 6:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Link

SF Gate

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Jan 7, 2009 11:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

barton trade countdown

it would be ideal he’d help fill the SS need but i dont see many teams needing a no power 1b/dh type

slusser mentions nats
neyer mentions orioles

by Asfan4ever723 on Jan 7, 2009 12:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Neither has a SS worthy of trading Barton for.

by mikev on Jan 7, 2009 12:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You don't like Cristian Guzman?

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Jan 7, 2009 12:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not for Barton, no way.

by mikev on Jan 7, 2009 1:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Guzman is one of the few SS in baseball I would like to have less than Crosby

by thejd44 on Jan 7, 2009 3:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I bet Zimmerman could play an average SS

I also bet they’d never trade him.

by Danny on Jan 7, 2009 1:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Barton isn't a DH

He’s one of the better defensive 1Bs in baseball. And he was just 22 for most of the season.

by thejd44 on Jan 7, 2009 3:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I kind of surprised

CSN is airing the press conference live @ 2:00 pm and re-airing @ 6:00 pm. Oh the joys of working at home :-)

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Jan 7, 2009 12:07 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Good thing, because they crapped out quickly when it was live

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Jan 7, 2009 2:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Stupid Comcast

stupid A’s coverage. First, they didn’t start airing it until it was already underway, then the audio went out while BB was talking. Then they lost or dropped the feed and came back after Giambi was presented with and put on his new A’s jersey. We heard him answer a question and then someone who sounded like Susan Sussler asked if Oakland was his first choice this offseason. He said he talked a little with Tampa Bay but thought Oakland was the best fit for him. Somewhere around that time the feed got fuzzy and was lost again. It never came back and they posted a note on the bottom of the screen saying it would re-air at 6:00 pm tonight.

How frustrating is the A’s coverage? They can’t even get the mics to work correctly.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Jan 7, 2009 3:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah I tried to watch the stream on mlb.com

and it sucked. Still able to catch some of the good one liners, though. I hope the rebroadcast tonite at 6 is better.

by mrod on Jan 7, 2009 5:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

the 6 pm broadcast was better

it went without a hitch actually.

I like Giambi, he’s cool. He said he thought his mustache looked horrible (or something like that) and he only did it to start (or keep) a hitting streak. He had stubbell growing and it was looking gray.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Jan 7, 2009 9:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Does Giambi wear uniform #16 or 25?

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Jan 7, 2009 12:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Or does he continue the pattern, and

wear #36 this time?

"Dispatch knuckleheadedness with Bond-like aplomb." –74mk

by iglew on Jan 7, 2009 1:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The pattern was said to be adding up to Mantle's #7

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Jan 7, 2009 2:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

8-1

This is hardball! This is where we overreact! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 7, 2009 2:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't get it.

by mikev on Jan 7, 2009 2:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

1 + 6 = 7

And since the Yankees retired 16 for Whitey Ford, Giambi took 25.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Jan 7, 2009 3:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh. Got it.

by mikev on Jan 7, 2009 3:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, how 'bout that.

I was going for perfect squares.

So maybe #34 this time?

"Dispatch knuckleheadedness with Bond-like aplomb." –74mk

by iglew on Jan 7, 2009 3:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Rollie/Stew

And before you ask about 43, Eckersley.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Jan 7, 2009 3:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm still advocating 8 and -1

This is hardball! This is where we overreact! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 7, 2009 3:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

In that case, I want to go back to the squares.

"Dispatch knuckleheadedness with Bond-like aplomb." –74mk

by iglew on Jan 7, 2009 9:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

16

"If you hit .440 with 20 bombs, you don't have to do s---. You don't have to bring a glove to practice, just hit and leave whenever you want. You can bring a 40 and smoke a cigarette and call me from the parking lot asking me what time the game is, and I'll tell you. You can even say 'F--- you, Steve!' Actually, don't say that, that wouldn't be very nice." -Steve Friend, Head Coach, Chabot College Gladiators Baseball

by flipgatey3 on Jan 7, 2009 1:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not gonna Lie

i hate barton, cant stand the guy, wont produce, trade him, although we dont need milledge even though it would be nice to have an actual lead off hitter, but hey guzman, why not

by BRSween75 on Jan 7, 2009 12:26 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jan 7, 2009 12:41 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

You need to find or make me an animated jpeg of the Lorre clip I posted in the Rickey-not-unanimous fanshot thread.

This is hardball! This is where we overreact! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 7, 2009 1:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

heh, i don’t make em.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jan 7, 2009 1:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

GifOTM

Ryan Sweeney: I probably irrationally embraced him before you did.

by Joey C. on Jan 7, 2009 2:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Because of that clip, I won’t even yell at the person it’s directed at. No need.

by thejd44 on Jan 7, 2009 3:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Figures..........

CSN would have some issues broadcasting the news confrence

by auldone on Jan 7, 2009 2:19 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Im watching it on MLB.com

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Jan 7, 2009 2:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i couldn't get it to work dammit

by jeffro on Jan 7, 2009 2:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

CAN SOMEONE POST THE LINK TO THE PRESS RELEASE??

….

by ryanmoser on Jan 7, 2009 3:22 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE SCROLL UP THE THREAD??

This is hardball! This is where we overreact! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 7, 2009 3:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

my bad, the VIDEO release??

by ryanmoser on Jan 7, 2009 4:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

"we're getting the band back together."

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl_3_1.jsp?w=
/2009/open/teams09/oak/video/010709_oak_pc_400.wmv&w_id=897479&v=2&login=N&authorization=N&mid=200901073736104&pid
=gen_video&fid=gen_video400&url=/2009/open/teams09/oak/video/010709_oak_pc_400.wmv&id=897479

menudo, the ramones… is BB’s other love soccer or music?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jan 7, 2009 4:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

or just John Belushi movies?

This is hardball! This is where we overreact! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 7, 2009 4:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

qotm

That had me laughing.

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Jan 7, 2009 4:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

+3.14

by jeffro on Jan 7, 2009 5:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Giambi to the press:

“Oh yeah, the gold thong is gonna be there for sure!”????

by mrod on Jan 7, 2009 5:43 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I know it’s not much but it’s the best I can do
My gift is my thong and this one’s for you

This is hardball! This is where we overreact! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 7, 2009 8:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

by alox on Jan 7, 2009 9:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I sat in the Bronx and ticked of the Boss

Well a few of the boo-birds well they got me quite cross
But the bat’s been quite kind while I wore this thong
It’s for people like you that I keep it on

by green star oakland on Jan 7, 2009 10:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs