Jason Giambi
- Oakland Athletics (1995-2001)
- New York Yankees (2002-2008)
- Oakland Athletics ( 2009)
- Colorado Rockies (2009-2012)
- Cleveland Indians (2013 )
- 5 × All-Star (2000 - 2004)
- 2 × Silver Slugger Award ( 2001, 2002 )
- AL MVP (2000)
- MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award ( 2005)
- Home Run Derby Champion 2002
Jason Gilbert Giambi ( born January 8, 1971 in West Covina, California) is an American professional baseball player in Major League Baseball.
Biography
Even in his school days showed Jason Giambi extraordinary athletic achievements in baseball, basketball and American football. In baseball and basketball, he was elected MVP of his high school, the football he was an All -League quarterback in the league of his school. After leaving school, he played one year with the Alaska Goldpanners in Fairbanks, Alaska in the Alaska Baseball League. In college Giambi played at California State University, Long Beach.
His debut in Major League gave Giambi on May 8, 1995. Until the exchange of Mark McGwire to the St. Louis Cardinals played Giambi either as first baseman, third baseman or as outfielder, after he had secured the first base as the root position. In addition to the field position was taken by Giambi also the lead role in the team of Athletics, which had held up to that McGwire.
By the year 2000, the left-handed batsman constantly improved his offensive performance. With 43 home runs, 137 Rbi, a batting average of 33.3 %, he won the MVP of the American League title ahead of Frank Thomas. Similar figures brought him in the election of 2001, the 2nd place behind Ichirō Suzuki. In the play-offs of these two years, the Athletics failed twice in the American League Divisional Series to the New York Yankees.
After the 2001 season, Giambi became a free agent and signed with the Yankees a seven-year contract that earns him $ 120 million. After the two play-off defeat against the Yankees him the Oakland fans took the change angry and react today revolted against Giambi at playing the Yankees in Oakland. With both 41 home runs in 2002 and 2003 he delivered outstanding statistical values in the Yankees jersey. On 30 July 2004 a benign tumor in Giambi was found, he had to seek treatment and fell to 14 September 2004. In 2005 he was able to improve his offensive performance after his illness again and became the American League Comeback Player of the Year selected. On 31 July 2005, he hit his 300th home run against Esteban Yan of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In the 2005 season, Giambi was also elected to the MLB Comeback Player of the Year.
Giambi was involved in the investigations to the use of steroids in baseball. He confessed to his brother Jeremy taken as between 2001 and 2003 not only steroids but also growth hormones and testosterone. Because of that lax doping rules in baseball but this had no athletic consequences.
In the 2004 season, Giambi had to stop due to intestinal parasites half of the season. Moreover, his team suffered a shocking defeat in the final series of the American League, as it was against the Boston Red Sox a lead of three games still out of hand.
After the 2008 season Giambis contract by the New York Yankees was not renewed. As of 2009 he plays again for his old club, the Oakland Athletics.