Jason Giambi retires after 20 MLB seasons
Posted on February 17, 2015
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics celebrates in the clubhouse after a game in which the A’s clinched the American League Western Division at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 2000. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Longtime Oakland A’s star slugger Jason Giambi announced his retirement from baseball yesterday after spending 20 seasons playing with the A’s, Yankees, Rockies, and Indians. “Ever since I was five years old, all I ever wanted to be was a Major League Baseball player,” Giambi said in a 442-word statement to the New York Daily News. Giambi has fans who cheered for him all over the country, but no one ever loved him more than the diehard A’s fans at the Oakland Coliseum.
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics in action against the Detroit Tigers during a game at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1996. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics in action against the Detroit Tigers during a game at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1996. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Giambi’s arrival in Oakland in the mid-1990’s coincided with the revival of the franchise that saw the club become one of the best in baseball by 2000, with the slugging Giambi leading the way and earning the American League’s MVP Award. Giambi set the tone both on and off the field as his fun-loving personality helped make the A’s clubhouse the best in the big leagues. The A’s led the league in having fun and Giambi was the key reason why. And even more important to me? He and his teammates were super fun to photograph.
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics in action during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 1996. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
General stadium overall view of the Oakland Coliseum with Jason Giambi at bat during a baseball game involving the Oakland Athletics in 1997 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland A’s in action at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA in 1998. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland A’s stands on the field during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA on April 2, 1998. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics plays defense at first base during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 2000. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Portrait of Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics in the dugout during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 2000. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics sits in the dugout during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 2000. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics in action at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA in 2000. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics talks to the fans after the A’s clinched the American League Western Division title after a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 2000. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics celebrates the A’s clinching a post season berth after a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 2001. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Giambi’s great run in Oakland came to an end after the 2001 season when he signed a monster free-agent contract to join the New York Yankees. A’s fans were pretty pissed at the time. They didn’t go far in the playoffs and they couldn’t hold onto their home-grown superstars. Giambi chased a dream of always wanting to play in the Yankee pinstripes and helped pack the Coliseum whenever the Yankees came to town for the next several seasons.
Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees hits a home run during a game against the Oakland Athletics on August 2, 2003 in Oakland, CA. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees warms up on the field before a game against the Oakland Athletics on September 3, 2005 in Oakland, CA. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees bats during a game against the Oakland Athletics on September 3, 2005 in Oakland, CA. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
The A’s were really bad in 2009 so they brought the prodigal son back to Oakland when they signed him to a free agent contract. The fun didn’t last too long however as Giambi hit just .193 with 11 homers and 40 RBI before he was released on August 7, 2009. A few weeks later he found a nice home in Colorado when the Rockies picked him up and he became a great player off the bench getting numerous big hits at Coors Field over the next several years.
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics takes batting practice before the game against the Seattle Mariners at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on Saturday, April 11, 2009. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics waits in the on deck circle against the Toronto Blue Jays during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on May 10, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi #16 of the Oakland Athletics bats against the Seattle Mariners during the game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on May 27, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi #16 of the Oakland Athletics bats against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 18, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi #16 of the Oakland Athletics acknowledges the crowd after hitting his 400th career home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on May 23, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Colorado Rockies takes batting practice before the game between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, May 2, 2010, at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Colorado Rockies gets ready in the dugout before the game between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, May 2, 2010, at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Colorado Rockies bats during the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 20, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Jason Giambi of the Cleveland Indians takes ground balls at first base during spring training camp on February 21, 2013 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Giambi ended his career with the Indians and had some huge hits for the Tribe the past two years in Cleveland. He hangs’em up with 440 career homers and a .277 lifetime batting average. Giambi also admitted his PED use after the BALCO scandal, but was likeable enough to get a second chance with the fans. Towards the end of his career, Giambi was so well-liked in the clubhouse that his ex-team, the Cleveland Indians, reportedly have a standing offer for him to return as a coach.
Giambi won’t be a Hall of Famer in Cooperstown, but he will make everr beat writer’s Hall of Fame. I will also bet that he will have a huge day in his honor in Oakland very soon. The A’s fans really adore him. They should. What’s not to love?
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