Jay Gibbons dropped to his knees and asked for a second chance.
After being named in the Mitchell Report and being released from the Baltimore Orioles by COO Andy MacPhail for reasons disclosed as performance-related, Gibbons did something he termed, “both painful and humiliating.” The designated hitter wrote a letter to all thirty Major League teams hoping that someone, anyone would give him a chance to ride the buses of the Minor Leagues.
It’s a move of passion not economics.
Because the Baltimore Orioles still owe him $11.9 million over the next two years, presumably, Gibbons could easily thrust his head into the sand, like the higher profile PED user Mark McGwire, and be comfortable in his anonymity for the rest of his life.
Gibbons even offered to donate his entire Minor League salary to his parent team’s charity. Should he make it to the Big Leagues, he writes that he would “gladly donate a significant sum to that same charity.”
While several teams sent a reply to the lefty wishing him the best, no one sent him a contract. Forced to look elsewhere, Gibbons signed with the independent Atlantic League, a haven for former Major Leaguers—such as Carl Everett—looking to make a comeback.
The question remains why no team has decided to add him to a Minor League roster. The man has proved that he has been able to hit in the Major Leagues by clubbing over twenty home runs in each of the three seasons in which he played more than 100 games. While some will say that those numbers are juiced, with this year’s offensive numbers deflated, it appears so were the rest of the league’s. This man deserves a second chance.
Named in the Mitchell Report, Jack Cust has a similar but less spectacular career than Gibbons and is only two years younger. While Gibbons will play against has-beens and never-will-bes, the Oakland Athletics outfielder plays against the best in the world.
Perhaps because we see our own imperfections all too often, people identify with a flawed hero.
A man who can resurrect his career in the face of adversity imbues energy into a team and a fan base. St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Rick Ankiel lost the strike zone as a pitcher, came back as an outfielder, admitted HGH use, and now appears nightly on SportsCenter as his team stays within sniffing distance of the Cubs in the NL Central.
Like most players who have been linked to PEDs, Gibbons has apologized. However, none of the rest has expressed as great a desire to play.
Based on the actions of fans who threw syringes at Barry Bonds’ feet and heckle Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton for being a former street drug addict, Gibbons knows that he will be the object of ridicule even as he plays in front of the small crowds in the Atlantic League.
After doing the wrong thing, he has said all the right things. Now, he embarks on a rough road, proving physically and morally that he is worth a shot, not the product of one.
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3 months ago
That was very well written, I enjoyed it man, very good!
I'm surprised no one has taken even a minor league shot with him. With all the guys who have admitted their mistake and gotten the opportunity to play, I think it is only fair Gibbons get one as well.
I'm hoping he does at least get the shot.
3 months ago
Yes, very good point. What is there really to lose with signing him to a minor league contract anyway? If the teams are that concerned that he'll screw up and/or tarnish the team image, they could write in clauses in the contracts that would allow the team to terminate the contract without any further compensation due if he gets suspended or arrested for any reason. That would both protect the team AND give Gibbons the second chance he deserves.
3 months ago
Great read! Seems really unfair that he is being shut-out of an attempt at a comeback when others named continue to play. There is very little risk in a minor league deal. I hope for the best in his attempt at a comeback. He deserves better.
3 months ago
wow. i had no idea that he would be that desperate to play again. great article man. thanks for the info.
3 months ago
Very well written, it is very surprising that no one will offer him a measly minor league deal. He seems like he's sorry for and has learned from his mistake, he deserves a second chance.
3 months ago
I agree that he deserves a second chance if that's all it was. But he sucks, man. It's not so much that he was named in the Mitchell report - it's that he isn't a good baseball player. We should feel sorry for him so give him a roster spot that really should belong to someone more deserving? I don't think so.
He was .230/.272/.348 in 2007. And any sucess in previous years is tainted.
3 months ago
First off, I'd like to say that this article was very well written, especially the final paragraph, I felt it was powerful, as evidenced by the praise in the comments section.
However, Jack Cust was mentioned in the Mitchell Report because Larry Bigbie, also mentioned in the Mitchell report, and now admitted PED user told investigators that Cust had told Bigbie that Cust had tried steroids, and had a source for them and other PEDs. Cust denied this.
Gibbons had financial and shipping records with dates, addresses and specific substances tied to them. Gibbons was part of the Signature Pharmacy scandal, not some guilty former-teammate's implication.
Also, because his name was mentioned in the Mitchell Report, involving him in your organization is a bad PR move.
Signing Gibbons, for a major league team, would be like the police enrolling one of Capone's underbosses in the police academy. No matter how good a shot he is, he's more headache than he's worth.
3 months ago
Jay was, at best , a part time playa here in Balmer anyway.But I credit him and thank him for owning up to the crap ... even though he was caught red handed.
Take your shot Jay ... and then just go away.
3 months ago
THe Gibbons situation is strange - I have to believe there is something else going on. do teams just believe he is no longer a major league hitter. I think Gibbons was on his outs regardless of being named in the report in Baltimore. But I don't understand why a team won't take a chance that he can regain his form. Plenty of players in the Mitchell Report are playing in the major leagues. Is it just a matter of Gibbons not being good enough these last few years, with or without steroids, for teams to justify signing him (regardless of whether he donates the money or not, a team still has to pay it).
from 3 months ago
Ya ever see Jay Gibbons up close ...he's small, really small ... and now powerless and gimpy.
3 months ago
jay gibbins sucks and he was allways overrated
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