SB Nation User Blog: mattabedi

A Tribute to Jason Giambi

mattabedi — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:32:28 -0000

When Jason Giambi comes off the disabled list on Tuesday, many will wonder whether it could be his last day in the major leagues. It would shock no one if the A's, who drafted Giambi out of Long Beach State in the second round of the 1992 draft, released their once beloved star after a first half full of nothing but disappointment.

It wasn't supposed to happen this way though. Not with "G".

Once upon a time in the city of Oakland, Jason Giambi was larger than life. The five-time all-star and 2000 American League's Most Valuable Player was the reason the A's could trade away Mark McGwire in 1997. At the time, McGwire was the past, a remnant of the dominant Athletics teams at the end of the 80's and early 90's. Giambi gave the A's, and new general manager at the time, Billy Beane, a foundation to build around.

Giambi was the "poster boy" for a new look Athletics team that was going through a tough transitioning process. Giambi's free spirit, "born to be wild" attitude became what the Oakland A's were at the turn of the century. He was a natural leader and his care free attitude spread throughout the Oakland clubhouse. As a longtime teammate and friend of Giambi, Eric Chavez credits Giambi as being the reason why it was so easy for Oakland players to strive when they got called up.

"You don't have to earn anything with him," Chavez said of Giambi. "Put on a uniform, and you're part of the family."

That family of players that Giambi helped the A's create thrived on the field. The A's came within a handful of games of getting to the playoffs in 1999. But in 2000, led by Giambi's 43 homers and 137 RBI, the A's made the playoffs for the first time since losing to the 1992 American League Championship Series to the Toronto Blue Jays.

In what would truly be marked as a David vs. Goliath series, the A's would be matched up with the New York Yankees. The Yankees were the defending World Series champions and had won three of the last four World Series titles with stars that every baseball fan in America knew. They had a payroll over three times as much as the A's. But even with that advantage, Giambi gave the A's hope and after the first game, in which the A's beat Roger Clemens at home, people started paying attention. The A's pushed the Yankees to a deciding game 5, but came up short. They were one game away from beating the team that eventually won the World Series for their 3rd straight year.

The following season, there was much talk of whether or not the A's would trade Giambi. He was entering his final year on his contract and after his MVP performance in 2000, it seemed unlikely the A's would be able to resign him. On July 24th of that season, the A's were 18 games out of first place, mainly because the 2001 Seattle Mariners set an AL record for number of wins in a season. The teams only hope of making the postseason would be to beat out the rest of the American League and win the wild card, in which the A's were 3.5 games back. The feat seemed difficult and uncertain. Many expected the A's to trade Jason Giambi.

The very next day, the A's did make a trade, but it didn't involve Jason. Beane sent minor leaguers Jose Ortiz, Todd Belitz, and Mario Encarnacion away for Jermaine Dye. The move was monumental, as it meant the A's would make a run for it, despite Giambi being in a contract year. With Dye on the roster, the A's climbed the wild card standings and finished the season with 102 wins, second best in the American League. Once again, the team found themselves matched up against the New York Yankees in the playoffs.

After jumping to an early 2-0 series lead in New York, a series of incidents happened to lead to the A's demise that year. In game 3, a true pitchers battle between Barry Zito and Andy Pettitte, a brilliant defensive play by Yankees captain Derek Jeter and a decision by Giambi's brother Jeremy to not slide at the plate led to a 1-0 Yankee victory. The following game, the Yankees jumped on Athletics starter Cory Lidle and to make matters worse, Jermaine Dye, the key acquisition for the A's that year, broke his foot on a foul ball, ending his season. With momentum against them, the A's lost game 5 and their World Series ambitions. It seemed only fitting that in the final game of that series, Giambi, a free agent at the end of the season, would go 4-4 in what many thought would be his last game in an Athletics uniform.

Rumors had been floating around that the Yankees could be one of the teams pursuing Giambi after he would become a free agent, but it was also known that the A's were going to at least hope that Giambi would take a hometown discount to stay with the A's. That didn't prove to be the case as Giambi signed a 7 year, 120 million contract to join the Yankees.

As former A's manager Art Howe once said, "[Giambi] breathed life into [the A's]". Him leaving sucked the life out of many A's fans. While many knew the day would come, they felt betrayed because Giambi went to the team the A's had lost to the previous two postseasons.

Ironically, many Yankees fans at the time didn't respect Giambi's decision either and he was roundly booed when introduced as the newest Yankee on opening day of the 2002 season. It wasn't until much later in the season that Giambi earned the fans respect. Giambi was supposed to continue the Yankees tradition of winning a keep them in the World Series each and every year.

Initially, the investment looked sound. Giambi's 2002 season was everything the Yankees could ask for. With 41 home runs, 122 RBI's, and a .314 batting average, Giambi's Yankees had the best record in the American League. However, despite Jason hitting .357 in the series (only teammate Derek Jeter batted higher), the Yankees lost the series in four games.

In 2003, Giambi's batting average began to decline, but his power was still there and the Yankees were still winning ballgames. The team went to the World Series, but lost to the Florida Marlins.

Giambi was injured for much of 2004 season and only hit .208 when he was healthy, his worst mark ever as a pro. The Yankees during the postseason (in which Giambi did not participate) lost the ALCS to the Boston Red Sox, after blowing a 3-0 series lead. It was the first time that has ever happened in baseball and it ended the Red Sox's 86 year drought of not winning a World Series. To make matters worse, a grand jury leak of the testimony Giambi provided the Federal Government regarding BALCO, a Bay Area sports supplement company, got out to the public. In the testimony, it stated that Giambi admitted to using steroids.

And just like that, Giambi went from being the "poster boy" of a new look Oakland Athletics team, to being one of a different sorts. Jason's face was all over every sports magazine in the country. Next to it lie the word "cheater" in large ink.

Unlike many of the athletes today, Giambi endured the most criticism for his steroid use. He received a lound round of boos everywhere he went, including the entire New York fan base. Giambi's performance suffered, so much so, that when he was hitting below the Mendoza line in early May of that season, the Yankees asked Giambi to go to the minor leagues, something that Giambi refused.

He vowed to get better....and he did. Amazingly enough, Giambi finished the season batting .271 and even finished 18th that year in MVP voting. The Yankees faced off against the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS and Giambi led all Yankee hitters in that postseason series with a .421 average. However, the Yankees fell short once again and much of Giambi's "success story" was lost when the Yankees couldn't advance.

Giambi played out the final three years of his contract with the Yankees and the team never got back to the World Series team they were when Giambi first joined the team. In those years though, much of the pressure to succeed was transferred to Alex Rodriguez, whose inability to perform in the postseason lost him much respect from Yankee fans.

In his last season with the Yankees, Giambi still managed to hit 32 home runs and had 96 RBI's to go along with it. Despite those numbers, there was no real demand for Giambi on the open market and Giambi's original team, the Oakland A's, the team he spited in 2002, came calling and signed him to a 4 million dollar contract for 2009.

Giambi was brought in to help the youngsters the A's were developing as they attempted to rebuild. With the A's having back to back losing seasons, acquiring Giambi for 2009 was bittersweet to many A's fans who still wonder to this day what "could have been" of their team.

It seemed like Giambi would be in Oakland to end his career. On May 24th, Giambi hit his 400th career home run. However, his age has finally caught up to him. Many scouts have said that Jason can't catch up with a 95 mile an hour fastball anymore. He is only hitting .193 on the season, ironically, the same figure he was hitting during that miserable start to his 2005 season.

At that time Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote for everyone to "give Giambi credit for staying mentally strong while others perceived him to be weak". While many would like this to be true this time around, it may not happen. Like Mark McGwire in the 1997 season, Giambi might have to go to make room for the next star in the Oakland clubhouse.

The stories that many tell of Giambi are still legendary to this day. From his standoff with management over the ability to ride his Harley motor cycle, to bungee jumping with his brother Jeremy, to late night fast food adventures, golden thongs, and "porn star" mustaches, Giambi always brought something new and exciting to the clubhouse. His leadership was exemplified by his strong performance wherever he played and his mental toughness is something that can't be taught.

Let's just hope whoever replaces him makes the same impact.

pictures from examiner.com, nydailynews.com, espn.com, and singaporesoxfan.com

Poll

Do you forgive Jason Giambi for leaving after the 2001 season?

Yes

149 votes

No

81 votes

230 votes | Poll has closed

A's Should Re-Sign Kennedy

mattabedi — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:32:49 -0000

Forget trading him or letting him walk in the offseason. Adam Kennedy needs to re-sign with the Oakland Athletics.

Wait a minute....strike that and reverse it...

The Oakland Athletics need to re-sign Adam Kennedy. He's become just that valuable to the team. Acquired at the beginning of May from Tampa Bay, Kennedy has given the A's offense life when it was practically dead. He is a versatile player that is willing to play anywhere to help the team win. So far this season, Kennedy has played games at first base, second base, third base, and outfield. If the A's were to re-sign him, he would be the newest version of what Marco Scutaro was for this team for so long. A dependable utility player.

Granted, Kennedy is 33 and having the best season of his career so many might wonder if he'll want to leave when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season and cash in on his success. However, with the economy in a downturn and a second market next season that features Orlando Hudson, Placido Polanco, Freddy Sanchez, and Mark DeRosa, Kennedy might be an afterthought to start for many teams and he might not be able to get a contract that he would want.

If the A's offered Kennedy a 2 year/2.5 million dollar contract to be the teams utility player I think he would take it in a heartbeat. You could even throw on a 2 million dollar club option at the end of it in case the A's are impressed with his performance. For what he has brought this team this year and how valuable of an asset he has become, I think it definitely should happen.

So Billy Beane, if your listening, keep Kennedy in Oakland.

Poll

What do you think? Should the A's Resign Adam Kennedy?

Keep Kennedy in Oakland

176 votes

Let Him Walk via Free Agency

50 votes

226 votes | Poll has closed

A's Midseason Report Card

mattabedi — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:51:33 -0000

2009 Record: 37-49, 4th Place in American League West
Offensive Grade: F
Defensive Grade: D
Starting Pitching Grade: B-
Bullpen Pitching Grade: B-
Managerial Grade: F
Front Office Grade: F

Overall Midseason Grade: D+

The A's entered 2009 as a darkhorse candidate to win the division. Now, at the halfway point, the team is a darkhorse candidate for the worst record in the American league. 2009 marks the first time in the past decade that the A's have entered the All-Star break with a record below .500. Offensively, the team has been a complete mess. Once again, Eric Chavez has found himself sidelined for the entire season, while the new free agent acquisitions have disappointed thus far. Even Matt Holliday , who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Rockies , has gotten off to a slow start and there are now questions as to whether or not the A's will be able to get what they want in return in a midseason deal. Defensively, the A's have struggled, mainly because injuries to gold glove caliber players in Chavez and Mark Ellis . However, this can also be attributed to manager Bob Geren for starting Jack Cust in right field in many games thus far. The starting pitching has shown signs of promise. Trevor Cahill , Brett Anderson , and Vin Mazzaro , already christened "the new big three", have looked brilliant at times....and other times have shown their lack of experience. Dallas Braden has been one of the best pitchers in the American League this season, but a lack of run support has failed to earn him recognition. So has Josh Outman , but he became the third A's player to fall victim to Tommy John Surgery this season. The bullpen was very good at the beginning of the year, but has started falter down the stretch, mainly from being used far too much. Michael Wuertz and Andrew Bailey have been the two bright spots though. As for manager Bob Geren, he looks lost. He refuses to let starters work deep into games, has failed to play the matchups correctly, and shows no confidence in his team. If he wasn't Billy Beane's best man at his second wedding, he might be the second manager to be fired this season. Speaking of Billy Beane , he has completely mishandled the farm system all year long and his trade for Scott Hairston is questionable. It's been a rough first half for the A's.

First Half MVP: Andrew Bailey - Closer

After trading Huston Street in the offseason and seeing Joey Devine fall victim to Tommy John Surgery, many that follow the A's were wondering who would step up and take over the role of the teams closer. Andrew Bailey answered that question. Since being selected as the last reliever to make the A's bullpen out of spring training, Bailey has forced everyone around baseball to take notice of him. He is the only rookie to be selected for the All-Star Game in St. Louis and is the A's lone representative. No one could dare say Bailey isn't deserving though. Bailey leads all American League Relievers in innings pitched and strikeouts and is 4th among American League Closers with a 1.92 era. Bailey features a mid 90's fastball, a curveball, and a cutter that does its best impression of Yankees future Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera .

Apologies to: Adam Kennedy, Kurt Suzuki, Dallas Braden

First Half LVP: Jason Giambi - First Basemen

If the Jason Giambi that the A's had on their team mirrored anything close to the young guy in the picture to the right, the A's were going to get a bargain in the offseason. Unfortunately, what they ended up with was an over the hill, aging veteran, whose bat can't catch up to an inside fastball. Giambi has been terrible this season. In fact, this is his worst season of his career. Currently, Giambi is hitting below the Mendoza Line at .192 on the year. The A's were hoping Giambi would be an upgrade from Daric Barton , but instead they only stunted Barton's development for no apparent reason. In addition, his inability to play the field everyday is causing manager Bob Geren to play Jack Cust in the outfield, a position that Cust should never play. Because of his performance, the A's can't trade Giambi. Jason has a team option for next year in which I don't think is going to get picked up. Unless Giambi has a strong second half, Giambi might be playing his last season in baseball.

sighs of relief for: Jack Cust, Bobby Crosby, Orlando Cabrera

Biggest Surprise: Adam Kennedy - Infielder

At the beginning of the season, no one wanted Adam Kennedy . In fact, the St. Louis Cardinals waived Kennedy, eating the $4 million dollars he had owed on his contract. The Rays signed Kennedy to a minor league deal, but then quickly sent him to the A's for career minor leaguer Joe Dillon . Oh how those two teams GM's wish they could have do overs...Since arriving in Oakland, Kennedy has been an offensive force and is having his best season as pro baseball player. Kennedy is currently hitting .291 with 7 home runs and 31 RBI. Mind you, those numbers are since May, as the first month of the season Kennedy was in AAA. His home run total is his highest since 2004 when he hit 10 in a season. Kennedy is also proving to be a versatile player, playing whatever position he has been asked to receive playing time. He originally was called over to play second base in place of the injured Mark Ellis, but when Ellis returned Kennedy has made the transition to 3rd, 1st, and even some time in right field and has kept on hitting. Because Kennedy is a free agent at the end of the year though, he remains a good candidate to be traded. A team like the Cubs would be a perfect fit.

Apologies to: Josh Outman, Andrew Bailey, Dallas Braden

Player Most Likely to Be Traded: Matt Holliday - Left Field

While the A's have many players that could be dealt by the end of the month, none of them are more likely to leave than outfielder Matt Holliday. Holliday was a three time All-Star with the Colorado Rockies, but has regressed since joining the A's and leaving the hitter friendly confines of Coors Field. According to reports, the A's are said to be asking for two top of the line prospects in return for Holliday. The reasoning is because the A's would not only be trading away Holliday, but the two compensation picks that come with him if he becomes a free agent at the end of the year. The teams that make the most sense to acquire Holliday seem to be the Mets , Cardinals, and possibly the Red Sox . If teams won't give A's GM Billy Beane what he wants, Beane will simply hold on to Holliday and obtain the draft picks at the end of the season. However, some skeptics suggest that if Holliday doesn't get the price he wants in the offseason, he may accept arbitration from the A's which would net him a 1 year deal around 18 million. Personally, I don't think he would do it though as the last place Holliday would want to be to rebuild his value is Oakland. If it does happen though, the A's may have the same situation at this time next season.

Don't Get Too Comfortable: Adam Kennedy, Russ Springer, Bobby Crosby

First Prospect Likely To Be Called Up in 2nd Half: Tommy Everidge - Corner Infield

Tommy Everidge is flying under the radar. So much in fact, that I hadn't even heard of him until this year. He isn't even on Baseball America's list for the A's top 10 prospects. However, I can't wait for this kid to recieve his callup. Everidge features good power and pretty solid bat. Two seasons ago in Single-A, Everidge had 26 home runs and 94 RBI's while batting .266. Last year he had 22 home runs, 115 RBI, and improved his batting average to .279 at AA Midland. This season, combined between Double-A and Triple-A, Everidge is off to a torrid start hitting .309/.375/.508 with 14 home runs and an astonishing 73 RBI at the halfway point. A natural first basemen, the A's have been gradually converting Everidge to play 3rd, a position the organizational depth is weak at. His promotion to AAA, as well as the position switch, I believe forced the A's to trade away Jack Hannahan , who was demoted to AAA after a weak start to the season. The team probably felt they didn't want a player like Hannahan taking away at bats from Everidge. I expect to see Everidge to receive his first callup in August, though the team would likely have to trade Adam Kennedy to make room on the roster. If this kid has the ability to play 3rd base, the A's might have found their replacement for Eric Chavez.

photos from cbssports.com

Poll

Who do you think the A's first half MVP was?

Andrew Bailey

38 votes

Kurt Suzuki

167 votes

Matt Holliday

153 votes

Adam Kennedy

21 votes

Dallas Braden

84 votes

Other

0 votes

463 votes | Poll has closed

Kurt Klutch

mattabedi — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:48:40 -0000

Suzuki Could Be A's All-Star Representative

He was nickamed "Kurt Klutch" by his college teammates at Cal State Fullerton. Most A's fans have christened him with the nickname "Hawaiian Punch" for his strong play in the big leagues. However, I simply call him "the best defensive catcher in the American League".

Of course. I'm talking about A's catcher Kurt Suzuki .

Drafted in 2004 out of Cal State Fullerton, Suzuki had quite the college career. In 2004, Suzuki was named an All-American by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. He also won the Johnny Bench Award, which named him the country's top collegiate catcher and was honored with the first ever Brooks Wallace Award, which is given to the college baseball player of the year. Suzuki's Cal State Fullerton Titans also won the College World Series thanks to an RBI single by him in the 7th inning of the championship game. He was drafted by the A's in the second round of the 2004 draft and moved up through the system rather quickly making his big league debut in mid-2007.

Now, in his third big league season it seems as if most have forgotten about how good of a player Kurt Suzuki actually is.

While Suzuki surely doesn't compare much to Twins All-Star catcher Joe Mauer , he has quietly made his impression on the league. For the past two seasons, Suzuki has been second in the league each season at throwing out baserunners and for all those stat geeks like myself out there that love sabremetrics, Suzuki's catcher's era (otherwise known as CERA) has been second best among AL Catchers as well. Considering the pitching staffs that Suzuki has had to work with the past two seasons, this is remarkable.

Of course, in the age of fantasy baseball, no one cares about defensive stats, even for a position as important as catcher Looking at the current update for all-star voting this is made clear. Suzuki isn't even in the top five in votes.

via images.cbssports.com

Those 5 spots belong to Mauer, Jason Varitek , Jorge Posada , Jarrod Saltalamachhia, and Victor Martinez .

However, Suzuki isn't all that bad offensively either. Among all American League starting catchers (including those who don't have the qualified number of at bats), Suzuki is 1st in doubles (18), 1st in stolen bases (3), 5th in batting average (.277) and 6th in RBI (28).

And even though baseball fans haven't voted for Suzuki to make the All-Star game, the decision of him getting in will rest with Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon. And while many in Oakland, including the A's team website, have been boasting offensive stars Matt Holliday and Adam Kennedy among the A's to be selected, there is a general feeling in the A's clubhouse is that Suzuki will get in instead.

With only Mauer and Martinez being above the rest of the AL catchers, the American League will carry three catchers in the midsummer classic and Suzuki likely could be the third catcher selected. If Suzuki is selected, it will be the first time an A's position player was chosen for the All-Star game since former A's catcher, Ramon Hernandez , made it in 2003. The chance of the A's having more than one representative is unlikely given their record and position in the standings.

The (Travis) Buck Stops Here

mattabedi — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:54:08 -0000

A's Young Outfielder Proving to Management He Belongs

Travis Buck is angry. He's let it be known that he's not happy with A's management, nor manager Bob Geren.

And I don't blame him.

After returning from the 15 day disabled list on June 14th, the A's optioned Buck to AAA-Sacramento.

At the time, it was thought that Buck was sent down to get work in while the A's played 9 straight interleague games in NL parks. After all, the A's had to get their everday DH and home run leader, Jack Cust, into the lineup. But now that the A's are back in American League ballparks for the rest of the way, that never seemed to be the case as Buck is still stuck in AAA.

Buck was upset about being placed on the disabled list on May 30th, a day after refusing to play in the second game of a double header against the Texas Rangers on May 29th due to a strained oblique muscle. Even though Buck supplied almost all of the A's offense in the first game, it must of made both Bob Geren and Billy Beane mad that Buck said he was pain free the next day.

Even though the A's front office would never admit to it, it's really the only explanation that makes sense. After all, Buck has hit .323 in his last 31 at bats with the team. Most of which have come sparingly due to Bob Geren platooning Buck for the entire season.

via images.sportsline.com

But then that got this A's fan thinking....

Could Billy Beane's ego be that big that he would sacrifice putting a better product on the field to make a statement to a player? Or was it Bob Geren, the man that has refused to give Buck regular at bats since the beginning of the season, that wanted Buck off the roster?

The A's as a team were hitting just .242 at the time Buck was placed on the disabled list and it seems odd the team wouldn't want one of their hottest hitters in the lineup. The team batting average has since dropped to .235 through Sunday, which is worst in the majors.

However, Buck isn't letting the demotion affect him.

So far in 54 plate appearances for the Rivercats, Buck is hitting .386 with a .463 on base percentage. Not only that, but Buck is slugging .591, with 6 doubles and 1 home run in just 11 games. He clearly is sending management a message of his own.

A message like "You made a big mistake".

A rookie in 2007, Buck played very well for the A's as he went on to hit .288 with 7 home runs in just 285 at bats. Inspired by his performance and work ethic, the A's decided to trade their oft injured star in Milton Bradley in order to secure everday playing time for him.

However, after starting out 0 for his first 20 at bats in 2008, the A's sent Travis to AAA to fix his swing rather than letting him work out his problems with the big league club.

After a few weeks, Buck had fixed his swing, but the A's found that they didn't have a roster spot for him as they had brought back Frank Thomas to fill a void in the lineup.

Buck continued to hit in the minors and finished the year batting .326 for Sacramento. In the final two weeks of September, Buck was called back up to the A's and hit .367 with four home runs and 12 RBI in that time frame.

At the outset of spring training in 2009, Buck came into camp told that he would be battling for the starting right field job. At the conclusion, Buck put all the critics to rest hitting for a .300, a .402 on base percentage and led the team in home runs and RBI. Naturally, it was assumed that Buck would be playing everday for the A's in right field.

However, manager Bob Geren was never a member of the Travis Buck fan club.

Geren decided initially to platoon Buck, only starting him against right handers. The logic never made sense though.

Usually, when a player is to be platooned against left handed pitchers, they are platooned with a player that can hit those lefties better. Buck's platoon partner, outfielder Rajai Davis, wasn't any better at hitting lefties than Buck himself. Buck's career average against left handers was two points higher than Davis. Also, he isn't considered a core piece of the future of the Oakland A's, so it seemed odd to give him the at bats. Up until this point, it seemed as if Travis Buck was one of those players. Now, I'm not so sure....Only because A's management won't let him be.

Buck needs to be up with the major league roster and he needs to be playing everday. He is doing everything in his power to prove he belongs. Whatever the case may be, whether it's Beane or manager Bob Geren, the conflict needs to be resolved and the egos need to be checked. Travis Buck has earned his right to play everday.

If Buck can't force Beane to call him back up, then perhaps his play in Sacramento will force Billy to trade him. Either way, it's a no win situation for Oakland with Buck off of the 25 man roster.