Jason Giambi: Chapter Two in an Oakland A's Uniform?

Sara Somers — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:40:58 -0500

There are many fans in Oakland who have never forgiven Jason Giambi for dissing Oakland on the Tonight Show with David Letterman. Whenever Giambi came to the plate with the Yankees, loud “boos” could be heard throughout the house.

So what will they do when Jason returns in an Oakland A’s uniform in April, as all reports have him doing? And will he wear 16, which he wore as an Athletic or 25, which he wore as a Yankee? These are the deep thoughts rumbling through the minds of A’s fans who pay attention in the offseason.

There are people saying the contract is already written and signed and Billy Beane just has to make the announcement.

Jason Giambi turns 38 this Thursday. He has been plagued by bad health, steroid problems, lack of a mustache, and reported unhappiness in New York.

He came to the majors in 1995 with the A’s and won the AL MVP in 2000. In 2001, he changed his number, signed with the Yankees and made his Oakland statements on TV.

Giambi never played as well for the Yankees as he did for the A’s. Billy Beane is trying to work the same magic that he worked when he brought Frank Thomas to the A’s in 2006. In Oakland, Giambi could be a leader again, looked up to by the multitude of young players driving back and forth between the Rivercats in Sacramento and the A’s at the Oakland Coliseum.

There is no doubt, Giambi can hit again and he will probably take turns with Jack Cust playing DH. Giambi’s wife, Kristian, comes from the Bay Area and there are still a lot of people who love him living here. Many of them are A’s fans.

I’m guessing that Billy Beane will offer him a one-year contract; rumors have it at $8 million with incentives for more money and more years. With Tampa Bay out of the picture, no one else seems to be courting Giambi. It would be a great move for him.

And this fan thinks it would be great for the A’s. The A’s have no real leader. Ellis and Chavez are both quiet types, who step up when needed. Giambi was known for his fun ways and keeping the locker room loose. His experience in New York, both good and bad, can only have made him wiser.

And Jason, lose the mustache and grow your hair again. Welcome back.

Almost a Done Deal: A's Trade For Matt Holliday

Sara Somers — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:27:45 -0500

Last December, A’s GM Billy Beane traded ace Danny Haren to the Arizona Diamonbacks for 6 minor league players including LHP Greg Smith and OF Carlos Gonzales.

Many thought Gonzales was the real catch that Beane was aiming for and would be a cornerstone of the young rebuilding team that Beane and Lew Wolff were aiming for.
Yesterday, Beane traded Gonzales, Smith and ex-closer Huston Street to the Colorado Rockies for Matt Holliday, a free agent that was sought after by the Cardinals, Mets and others; a high price for the 28 year old outfielder.

According to some sources, the Rockies intend to move Street again.

Holliday will be in the last year of his contract and will earn $13.5 million. His agent is Scott Boras. Speculation before the trade did not give credence to this move as Billy Beane is known for his “steer clear” attitude of Scott Boras.

On the other hand, keeping a MVP player for one year and then passing him on is right up Beane’s ally.

Both Gonzales and Smith came up to the majors early in the 2008 season when the A’s suffered a second year of record-breaking injuries. Smith immediately made an impact with his 1st base pick-off move and, by the end of the year, Smith had broken the single season pick off record. Gonzales impressed with his strength and his defense. He was sent down toward the end of the season after weeks in a slump.

Huston Street, drafted in 2004, played in the Fall League. They came to spring training together and went right into the Majors.

He won the Rookie of the Year in 2005. His second year, he had fans holding their collective breath when he closed a game as his pitching became erratic and his blown saves numbers began to climb. In 2007, he was on the DL most of the summer as he had surgery and rehabbed his groin injury. In 2008, he lost his job to Brad Ziegler, a rookie. A second groin injury and more blown saves. His pitching improved in his set-up role but fans and teammates alike knew his days were numbered after he had an unusual, for Street, temper tantrum in the dugout when he realized he wasn’t going back to closer.

Gonzales seems to be the center of the trade for the Rockies as it was for the A’s. There is wonder in Oakland as no one saw this coming. Susan Slusser of the SF Chronicle also wonders if Holliday is a full season rental or a half-season rental. It all depends on how the A’s do in the first part of the year.

Last week, they rehired strength coach Bob Alejo in a move to start addressing the amount of injuries. That led to speculation that the A’s might be interested in Jason Giambi who had taken Alejo to New York with him.

The Holliday move will put that to rest.

Is Beane finished with trades? Probably not.

No one here would be surprised to see short-stop Bobby Crosby gone by spring training.

Beane claims that getting rid of a lot of players last winter and summer freed up a lot of money for him to spend. He told the fans that he intended to get a power hitter. No one knows what to expect from Billy. So, basically, he traded a known entity power hitter for a rising power hitter, which the A's needed.

Jack Cust, who had the most home runs in the 2008 season and was clearly their best power man, also broke all records for strike outs.

As a fan, I believe the A’s finally got the message that the fan base is not happy.

There are about 6000 of us who will come out to games no matter what but that won’t pay the bills. Beane had to get a name to start filling seats. It doesn’t look like the Fremont deal will happen any time soon and the A’s had to start spending money on players and not continue sinking it into a “proposed” ballpark.

Will Holliday improve the A’s chances to compete next summer?
Perhaps with a new short stop and if the Angels let Texeira go, the A’s would have a chance. A lot depends on injuries.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Sara Somers

Jason Giambi: Chapter Two in an Oakland A's Uniform?

Almost a Done Deal: A's Trade For Matt Holliday