Giambi Deflated
By lefty
It’s now official — Jason Giambi is a cheater.
Staff Writers Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams of the San Francisco Chronicle, reported in THIS STORY, that Jason Giambi admitted to the federal grand jury in the BALCO steroids case that he injected himself with human growth hormone during the 2003 season. He also reportedly said he had started using steroids at least two years earlier. Key words here are “at least.”
A brief review of Giambi’s lifetime stats, listed below, suggest he may have started using steroids as far back as the 1998 or 1999 seasons when he became Oakland’s first baseman after Oakland traded Mark McGwire to the Cardinals in 1997.
Year AB HR Avg.
1995 176 6 .256 Oakland
1996 536 20 .291
1997 519 20 .293
1998 562 27 .295 - Steroids?
1999 575 33 .315 - Steroids?
2000 510 43 .333 MVP - Steroids?
2001 520 38 .342 -Admitted Steroid Use
2002 560 41 .314 Yankees $120 million 7 Year deal
2003 535 41 .250 -Admitted Steroid Use
2004 264 12 .208
In 1999 Giambi said this to the Rocky Mountain News, "The saddest day in baseball for me was the day of the Mark McGwire trade. We spent every day together, from lifting weights to eating, everything. He helped me to become the player I am today." Oh really Jason, “Everything?” McGwire went on to hit 70 home runs in 1998, and 65 in 1999. Giambi was MVP as in 2000, in which he set career numbers: Batting average – 333; Homers – 43; and RBIs - 137. Just what exactly were these guys eating?
Giambi, a five-time All-Star, played his first seven seasons in Oakland. After the 2001 season, his steroid inflated numbers paid huge rewards when he signed a seven-year, $120 million contract with the Yankees. Two months after testifying before the grand jury, Giambi reported to spring training this year looking much thinner, but insisting he had lost just four pounds.
So I guess the saying “cheaters never prosper” can be retired. $120 million sounds pretty prosperous to me. However, the ultimate price Giambi will pay will be his health. He already missed most of last season from various viruses – including a parasite that ravaged his body for most of the summer.
So we hope that there’s a cautionary tale here - and we hope that kids everywhere will be retiring those Jason Giambi posters. He’s about as real a sports hero as Barbie is a real woman. (And with friends like McGwire, who needs enemies?) Your action figure days are over, Jason. Too bad. And those millions…watch how fast the lawyers will put a dent in that piggy bank.
