Giambi Signing: The Prodigal Son Returns

Which is more like, I am excited in theory and I’m looking forward to waiting and seeing what he’ll do. In other words more than “Meh” and less than “Hell yeah”. But, so it goes with polls.

After reading Salb’s post about how it may be a wash and how it seems like he has the potential to either reinvigorate or completely poop out, I’ll wait and see. It was a little bit of a sting when he left for the Yanks, but nowadays I rarely blame players for leaving to another team (unless they go to the Angels, which hasn’t happened yet, thank God.)

from JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer

From the constant fanfare of Yankee pinstripes and playing in the Bronx to again wearing the green and gold in the blue-collar environment that comes with playing in the decrepit Coliseum and being part of the low-budget A’s, this marks a familiar change for Giambi. He won the AL MVP for Oakland in 2000.

http://comcastsportsnet.stats.com/multisport/story.asp?i=20090107202900170000101

Stupid A’s coverage. Stupid Media makes me mad. That is what is currently causing my anger to burn.

I’m happy Giambi is back just for the nostalgia, reminds me of being a teenager.

I was a bit steamed that the Yanks gave him so much, but it appeared pretty obvious to me that the A’s weren’t serious about bringing him back. I didn’t really blame Giambi for taking the biggest contract especially after how the negotiations with the A’s went.

That said I’m not all that excited about having him back. He’s not nearly the player he was when he left, but he should make the 2009 offense better than the 2008 offense and a good price I can’t really complain.

I voted ‘meh’.

30+ homers and decent locker room chemistry and he’s ok with me. he was a douche when he played for us increased in douch-quotient in NY, and is still a docuhe now (please see tribal armband tattoo). however, his off feild antics are irrelevant if he helps us win. i don’t know if he will. beane seem to think so… benefit of the doubt for now.

If Beane traded him on June 16th back to the Yankees.

reverse those letters and drop the m and you got he-man! yay! which is what I hope giambi returns with rejuvenation to his old (decrepit) home.

Where’d my comments go?

I’m over it because Giambi didn’t become some kind of legend in New York. He didn’t help them win a WS, he had the humiliation of the steroid ‘apology’, his body broke down and he was booed far more often than cheered during his time with the Yankees. He never played a leadership role on the club and the press could be brutal about him.

He never fit in. Despite his BS when he signed with them, he never became the beloved Yankee he wanted to be.

Good.

Because his tenure there was pretty much a bust, I’m fine with him returning. Maybe he’ll have learned a little humility – doubtful, but possible – and might appreciate his roots a bit.

I am glad he’s back, because this probably hopefully means that we won’t get treated to a season of GA (DFA part 2). As for any apology, the only apology I want out of Gumby is 35 HRs and an OPS+ of 130 or more.

From my seats in 107 row 3 I had that game up for about 30 games.

Giambi was our team. He was the backbone of the NEW A’s, and oddly enough he became a super star on that game which you mentioned. I still get goose bumps when I recall seeing him take Stanton deep to RF. That is the energy that I too hope he brings back.

I have never booed the guy because he went, not only where the money was, but to his favorite boyhood team, AND the A’s wouldn’t give him a no trade clause.

I am elated that “G” is back with the team and anyone who was here for his first stint should, I’d reckon, feel the same way.

“At the risk of going on too long and telling everybody how much I love you, Jason, I feel like I’m marrying my ex-wife. I talked to Jason on Christmas Eve and told him, ’We’re getting the band back together.’”

if he didn’t freaking cry at the press conference when he was introduced as a member of the Yankee$, tears running down his freshly shaved face to match his new goody-good haircut. Still makes me want to throw up

I saw Jason jack one deep off the steps in left off Mike Mussina. I was smitten. It wasn’t a game winner, but it opened the gates and made it a laugher.

I loved going to games early in the decade. So much fun.

Giamboid grows back that ridiculous tache (which, incidentally, is a much more satisfactory foreshortening of the word than ‘stache’, which sounds a bit like a damp sneeze; go on, try it for size), and then i can go up to every hipster in this city that i meet, and point at their ridiculous ironic nose fuzz and say ‘oh, cool – a tribute to Jason Giambi’.

oh, i are funny

…making $21 million a season to just five-and-a-quarter [the same as our current SS] that causes a player to face humility and subsequent sympathy.

But I don’t think that that’s really what Giambi is going to make. If I am not mistaken, the Yankees have to give him his $5 million dollar buyout [not too many more buyout options on the current Yankees’ contracts: read future albatross].

I’ll wait until I see what Giambi does on the field before I get excited or down on him. It’s funny how players fall in and out of favor with fans. It’s also funny how when one looks at win shares or any other stat imaginable, just how inconsistant the vast majority of players are from season to seaon.

In Oakland for Giambi. It was crazy hearing the masses chant Fuc*in traitor, among other things. One of my favorite games. I mentioned it in my blog.

I cant wait for baseball season to start!!!!!

As much as I carry my hate around for the sellout, its good to see him back in green and gold. I like the comment about having a GOLD THONG DAY – that would be sweet. I am officially releasing my anger toward Giambi…….but I won’t forget…..Welcome home son! Now lets get our full band back together….on the bongos “Tejada” and on vocals “mulder”

“Yes, Mr. Furcal, Oakland is a nice place to live.”

I’m between Meh and Hell Ya.

My wife did ask me if I was going to pull my framed, signed Giambi Jersey out of the closet and hang it back on the wall (too add insult to injury it’s one of the hideous black jerseys from that era). I think I’m going to wait for HR #20 before making a decision.

It will be tough explaining to my seven year old why people are now cheering that guy I’ve been teaching him to hate all these years.

If he grows it long and forgets to shave, he is back with us……if he shows up at spring training marine style he is just a yankee reject. I feel the Karma comment above, but he was a beloved “A” that did what 99% of pro athletes do and that is chase the $$$, which makes him a little less special and more…..average.

I just don’t. While I don’t have frothing rage, I just have a sad, irritated apathy towards him. I don’t want him here. I don’t have any intention for cheering him or booing him, I just want to sit silently and wait for him to go away.

We’re getting the pale husk of a fallen legend, a ‘roided-up shadow who owes a Comeback Player of the Year Award to Marky Ellis. I’m not expecting much. A few home runs, a lot of disappointment.

I honestly think this may be the year that I just don’t go to the Coliseum. Baseball’s making me too angry, too stress, too IN PAIN. I took the offseason off since I didn’t think I should let the game hurt my life, but it may be time to take a season to reprioritize. This may be a sign.

I don’t know.

I hated it when Jason left for the big bucks of Sewer City- maybe I would have done the same thing if I was him but I hate to admit it. I cringed when I saw himi stumble through the steroid scandal years and I’ll admit I was glad to see the stinkin Yanks stuck with his huge salary. But Jason, I’m honestly glad to see you home. Lead us brother, lead us to something great.

Easy. Just think if someone came up to you and offered $140 million dollars, would you take it? It’s a business. I don’t blame him at all. I was pissed about it too, but it’s cool.

I try not to hold grudges past seven days, let alone seven years, and even though I may not hold him in the (high) regard I once did (but mostly because he’s at the end of the road, not for things he said on a talk show), I will surely root for him.