Giambi without steroids

ADKbrown · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:27 am

He's not doing bad. He is leading the league in on-base percentage (.441), which statheads regard as a more signficant measure of performance than batting average. He has 239 official ABs, 53 walks and 14 HP. In slugging, he ranks 12th (.531), just ahead of Sheffield and Matsui.

wordygurdy · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:04 pm

You're right, ADK. He's been hitting much better of late, and his hitting really lengthens the Yanks' lineup, though he doesn't have nearly as many RBI as someone getting paid $15 million should. He's starting to earn his paycheck; the Yanks couldn't afford a black hole at first base on both offense AND defense (as a fielder, Giambi's a great steroids taker).

He surely isn't on steroids anymore, but cynics in the New York media have wondered if he might be on human growth hormone (hGh), noting how much more physically robust he is this year than last. There's no urine test yet for hGh, and the players' association will not approve blood tests. Supposedly a urine test for hGh isn't far down the road.

If such a test ever comes about, and if Giambi ever is proved to have taken hGh in this or any other year, then we will know the depths of his stupidity. As it is, we know he was plenty stupid for having exchanged his health and possibly eventually his life (he had a benign pituitary tumor possibly brought on by taking steroids) for several million dollars.

On the whole, the Giambi signing was possibly one of the worst the Yankees ever made. He was an above average offensive player on steroids and was always a below average if not terrible defensive player. His defense cost the Yanks dearly in the 2002 ALDS against the Angels, and there were rumors that his steroid taking was behind his not being able to play in Game 5 of the 2003 World Series. I think the Yankees should have kept Tino on in 2002 as Nick Johnson's mentor and stuck with Johnson as the successor to Tino.
(Though I admit that Johnson's inability to stay healthy is troubling.)

Wayne Countryman · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:05 pm

Apparently, like Sammy Sosa, Giambi just needed to get his health and confidence back.

Giambi is having the better season, but Sosa is coming around as a hitter. Their recent success might do as much to discourage the rush to abuse as any rule against steroids.

It's good to know that side effects can wear off if users stop using. [Yes, I know that Sosa never was caught and has always denied using steroids. Did Giambi ever confess?]

Was it ever determined, and if so, revealed, whether Giambi's illness was caused by steroids?

wordygurdy · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:17 pm

No, Wayne, Giambi never admitted to taking steroids for fear his contract would be voided (he didn't have to worry about legal prosecution because he had been granted immunity by the San Francisco U.S. Attorney when he testified in front of the BALCO grand jury).

He made an infamous nonapology apology in January this year in which he said he was sorry for doing whatever it was people thought he had done. Which was ridiculous.

Wayne Countryman · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:48 pm

Thanks, Wordgurdy. I knew of Giambi's pathetic apology and have tried half-heartedly to keep up with the BALCO mess--thought I might have missed something.

I too thought Nick Johnson would be a good player for the Yankees, but I thought Brady Anderson would be the next Fred Lynn in Boston and that Jerry Hairston would be more valuable than Brian Roberts in Baltimore. Brian Cashman doesn't ask for my advice.

Matthew Grieco · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:40 pm

The bottom line with Giambi is that he has the best eye of any active hitter. That's why his recovery isn't too surprising -- he just had to adjust to not having juiced arms anymore. Though as I said in an earlier thread, it would have been better to let him recover in the minors given just how badly he was performing earlier this season (and to serve a mildly punitive purpose as well).

Matthew Grieco · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:44 pm

Matthew Grieco wrote:

The bottom line with Giambi is that he has the best eye of any active hitter.

For the record, I said this about four minutes before Joe Torre said the same on tonight's pre-game show.

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