Giambi's Mysterious Power Surge

[MC Hammer]

All these people saying they respect Giambi for going through hell to get back ... WHY!? He's the reason he was in hell in the first place. No one held him down and made him take steroids. It was his decision. He decided that he would cheat the game to make as much money as possible, and thats what he did. I don't see what respect you could have for him. You do understand that if this Balco thing didn't come up then Giambi would still be using roids. Like I just heard on Mike and Mike "Why is it that people are always sorry once they are caught?" I didn't accept Giambi's half assed apology a while back because it was just a big pile of s***, because he really didn't mean it. If he actually felt bad about what he did then he would never have done it in the first place. Giambi cheated every pitcher he hit a HR off of, every player he made more money than, every team he helped the Yankees beat, and every fan of baseball. I don't think one "I'm sorry" is going to make up for any of that. Infact, I don't think there is anything that can every make up for that. Giambi could cure cancer and I'm willing to bet that almost every baseball fan(aside from the fake ass bandwagon jumping ... We love you when your good Yankee fans) would still hate him.

[riverside sluggers]

here here! i hate these half ass arguments that he is just starting to hit the ball off the fat part of the bat. steroids helps the arm drive a big number of force to send the ball flying out of the parks, i.e. Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro all great "homerun hitters" but along with Giambi in the steroid scandal

[YankeeDoodle]

All these people saying they respect Giambi for going through hell to get back ... WHY!? He's the reason he was in hell in the first place. No one held him down and made him take steroids. It was his decision. He decided that he would cheat the game to make as much money as possible, and thats what he did. I don't see what respect you could have for him. You do understand that if this Balco thing didn't come up then Giambi would still be using roids. Like I just heard on Mike and Mike "Why is it that people are always sorry once they are caught?" I didn't accept Giambi's half assed apology a while back because it was just a big pile of s***, because he really didn't mean it. If he actually felt bad about what he did then he would never have done it in the first place. Giambi cheated every pitcher he hit a HR off of, every player he made more money than, every team he helped the Yankees beat, and every fan of baseball. I don't think one "I'm sorry" is going to make up for any of that. Infact, I don't think there is anything that can every make up for that. Giambi could cure cancer and I'm willing to bet that almost every baseball fan(aside from the fake ass bandwagon jumping ... We love you when your good Yankee fans) would still hate him.

Got his hand caught in the cookie jar...what else is he supposed to do? I sincerely hope you were joking about the cure cancer part, though.

 

Discussion for another time, but were PITCHERS clean during that era?

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Got his hand caught in the cookie jar...what else is he supposed to do? I sincerely hope you were joking about the cure cancer part, though.

 

Discussion for another time, but were PITCHERS clean during that era?

 

Yeah if he cured cancer I would worship Giambi....but I think there is a better chance of me becoming a Yankee fan before that were to happen

[YankeeDoodle]

Yeah if he cured cancer I would worship Giambi....but I think there is a better chance of me becoming a Yankee fan before that were to happen

LOL @ that one, think I ripped a stitch.

 

OK - so that y'all stop thinking every Yankee fan and the NY media are completely oblivious to Giambi's past...

 

Giambi must step to plate

 

Doing that is the only way he'll ever win us over. If he owns up to his distasteful past, if he tapes public-service announcements warning teenage athletes against the danger of using steroids, then we will be Giambi party-poopers no more.

 

Until then, Giambi earns a tip of our hat, but most definitely not an opening of our heart.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

There it is...good quote

[bobby jr]

Giambi had Two more HR's today. After being considered completly washed up at the begininng of the year, after talk of him being sent to the minors, or released, he has miraculously become his old self, or even better.

 

His weight is back, and so is his power. He is getting better in his mid 30's much like Barry Bonds did in his late 30's.

 

Does MLB expect us to just accept this at face value? An admitted steroid user becomes a shadow of himself at the plate. Hitting around .200 with no power. He is humiliated, shamed, threatened with being sent to the minors.

 

Now he looks like Babe Ruth reincarnated at the plate. So, the steroids were not helping him after all? Or is there some other explanation for this sudden and dramatic turnaround?

 

As far as I am concerned the only way I will know that he is not back on steroids or human growth hormone is if he goes through a full battery of the best tests that exist, by an independent testing agency. And that includes blood tests.

MLB does not have blood tests and without that they cannot even tell if Giambi is taking HGH!

 

I will not sit back and naively believe these HR's are legit, not until I see proof that Giambi has not gone back to what worked for him before.

 

I don't know if Giambi is back on something or not. Perhaps he has just made a miraculous comeback. But this is why Congress needs to mandate strict testing for all professionals, these questions will not go away until they do.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

I doubt he is on something now that I think about it. It would be to hard to take something with all the drug tests. Plus i don' think he would want to go through the whole tumor thing again he had last season. Like some people said he just heated up.

[baseballfan132]

I think Giambi would be one EXTREMELY stupid dude to be going back on steriods. I won't believe it until hes suspended for failing a urine test. I think hes just hott right know like every other player has their hott streaks and cold streaks. He'll cool down eventually but I don't think his 14 homers this month have come from using steriods.

[YankeeDoodle]

Hmm, well it's all hearsay until someone coughs up something.

 

Niiice series Giambi; congrats on 300 HR. Or however many that is once you subtract the steroid era total.

[bobby jr]

I doubt he is on something now that I think about it. It would be to hard to take something with all the drug tests. Plus i don' think he would want to go through the whole tumor thing again he had last season. Like some people said he just heated up.

 

I'd agree if the tests could not be compromised. However MLB does not currently take blood tests,and that is the only way to tell if someone is taking HGH (Human growth hormone).

 

 

Also there were reports last year that Bonds' trainer knew in advance when the tests were going to occur. Can baseball be trusted to police itself and expose their biggest stars, thus costing MLB millions of dollars in ad, ticket sales, tv ratings? Why have no superstars been exposed in baseball or the NFL by the league? The Balco scandal was what exposed Giambi and Bonds initially, not MLB and their testing program.

[MC Hammer]

I still stand by what I said before. MLB either isn't testing the star players, or they're not suspending them for their results. If Jason Giambi isn't taking steroids then I'm a fat black woman.

[soxie thefangirl]

Who knows. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't.

[bobby jr]

I still stand by what I said before. MLB either isn't testing the star players, or they're not suspending them for their results. If Jason Giambi isn't taking steroids then I'm a fat black woman.

 

 

I'm starting to wonder about that myself. Still no star players have been exposed, and Giambi has mysteriously regained the skills he had when he was on steroids. In addition to the weight.

 

Giambi had 5 HR going into July. He now has 19. That Mattingly must be one heck of a hitting coach.

[MC Hammer]

I'm starting to wonder about that myself. Still no star players have been exposed, and Giambi has mysteriously regained the skills he had when he was on steroids. In addition to the weight.

 

Giambi had 5 HR going into July. He now has 19. That Mattingly must be one heck of a hitting coach.

 

Think about it this way. If Mattingly is so good then why can't Womack hit? Why is Posada only hitting .250? How come Tino is only hitting .222? If Mattingly is good enough to turn around the biggest drop off in baseball history then why isn't everyone on the team hitting .300? if Mattingly is that good of a hitting coach then he should be able to take any player and make him a star ... why isn't that happening?

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I would like to know what Giambi's weight was at the beginning of the season and what it is now. Having the time in a baseball season to workout that much AND play baseball...is not easy to do. I'm curious to know what the difference in weight is knowing if it was realistic to put that much back on in a 4 month span.

 

Watching him before....he couldn't catch up to the ball and wasn't able to make good contact. He was not seeing the ball and even when he put his bat on it....he couldn't muscle it out. Now...almost every ball he hits leaves the park with almost no effort. I have to admit something is a little strange here. His bat speed is up yet his balance still looks rediculous (always has). His power and bat speed is back along with his weight....???

[MC Hammer]

I would like to know what Giambi's weight was at the beginning of the season and what it is now. Having the time in a baseball season to workout that much AND play baseball...is not easy to do. I'm curious to know what the difference in weight is knowing if it was realistic to put that much back on in a 4 month span.

 

Watching him before....he couldn't catch up to the ball and wasn't able to make good contact. He was not seeing the ball and even when he put his bat on it....he couldn't muscle it out. Now...almost every ball he hits leaves the park with almost no effort. I have to admit something is a little strange here. His bat speed is up yet his balance still looks rediculous (always has). His power and bat speed is back along with his weight....???

 

Thats a good point. How much can you really work out during a 162 game season where you're playing almost every day. I seriously doubt he wakes up and goes directly to the gym ... then to the game ... then back to the gym. And even if he did that for 4 months theres no way he would have put this much size back on and gain this much strength. If he worked out to the point where he gained his size back then he would be exhausted by now and would be slumping again because of it. Not the mention the "countless hours" he spent with Mattingly in the cage. Theres just not enough time in the day for one guy to do everything he has to get himself back in shape. I definatly think MLB is trying to pull the wool over our eyes here.

[whereisnomar]

This is a strange power surge, so it could be 'roids

[bobby jr]

Now Raffy has been caught using steroids, as an Orioles fan I wouldn't want to win like this. Unless there is some mistake, I believe he should be suspended for the rest of the year.

 

If I were a Yankee fan I'd be very nervous right now after what has happened to Raffy. Giambi's power surge this year was far more dramatic than Rafael Palmeiro's.

 

I am listening to the Dan Patrick show on ESPN radio right now and the substitee for Dan, Dana Jacobson, is speculating whether or not Giambi is back on steroids!

She said that she cannot help but wonder after the big July that Giambi had. !!!! This is on ESPN radio! This is on ESPN radio!

 

This is not just on the forums any longer, it is hitting the big time when it comes on ESPN. The only way to put these rumors to rest is congressionally mandated testing that cannot be compromised.

[MC Hammer]

The only way to put these rumors to rest is congressionally mandated testing that cannot be compromised.

 

Amen. Unless the testing is 100% out sourced I will never trust it. Every player needs to be tested every month(or however long it takes for steroids to get out of your system)

[26 to 6]

Think about it this way. If Mattingly is so good then why can't Womack hit? Why is Posada only hitting .250? How come Tino is only hitting .222? If Mattingly is good enough to turn around the biggest drop off in baseball history then why isn't everyone on the team hitting .300? if Mattingly is that good of a hitting coach then he should be able to take any player and make him a star ... why isn't that happening?

Womack hasnt hit because he was never a great hitter, he was a good leadoff man, and so far this year off the bench he has been a good hitter...lets not forget the 2 walkoff hits he provided for us, including yesterdays.

[26 to 6]

Now Raffy has been caught using steroids, as an Orioles fan I wouldn't want to win like this. Unless there is some mistake, I believe he should be suspended for the rest of the year.

 

If I were a Yankee fan I'd be very nervous right now after what has happened to Raffy. Giambi's power surge this year was far more dramatic than Rafael Palmeiro's.

 

I am listening to the Dan Patrick show on ESPN radio right now and the substitee for Dan, Dana Jacobson, is speculating whether or not Giambi is back on steroids!

She said that she cannot help but wonder after the big July that Giambi had. !!!! This is on ESPN radio! This is on ESPN radio!

 

This is not just on the forums any longer, it is hitting the big time when it comes on ESPN. The only way to put these rumors to rest is congressionally mandated testing that cannot be compromised.

ESPN radio is different than ESPN TV...the hosts express their opinion on the radio, they just report unless theyre on PTI or ATH. And its just talk, just because shes talking about the possibilities doesnt mean he did it, for all we know he could have passed his test already.

[Sox3431]

Giambi isn't on steriods yankee stadium is very short to right field.

[MC Hammer]

Giambi isn't on steriods yankee stadium is very short to right field.

That doesn't explain 14 HRs in a month when you had 5 the rest of the season.

[MC Hammer]

Womack hasnt hit because he was never a great hitter, he was a good leadoff man, and so far this year off the bench he has been a good hitter...lets not forget the 2 walkoff hits he provided for us, including yesterdays.

Look, if Mattingly can bring Giambi back, then Sheffield and A-Rod would have 50 or so HRs by now.

 

April:	3HR	6RBI	.395/.373/.224
May:	1HR  	7RBI	.349/.315/.241
June:	1HR	9RBI	 .474/.431/.310
July:	14HR	24RBI	 .524/.974/.355

 

Find me another player with that kind of spike in their stats from month to month(who wasn't fighting injury) and I'll show you a cheater.

 

Note the surge is not in BA or OBP ... its strickly the power numbers

 

EDIT: For all those interested Giambi will be the first topic after the commercial on ATH

[riverside sluggers]

Giambi isn't on steriods yankee stadium is very short to right field.

 

Im sorry but where the hell is your logic in this? did he hit all 14 HRs in July in Yankee Stadium, no I think not

[Tek4pres]

In light of today's news about Palmeiro, I am completely sure that if Giambi's more recent power surge has been from steroids, then he'll eventually be caught. Personally, unless I'm wrong and he is the dumbest man on the face of the planet, I'd say he's not taking them. He's been trying to pull the ball and consequently hitting most of those homeruns to right field. Given the short porch in Yankee stadium, it's not surprising that he's having more success. And in his defense, a lot of the balls haven't been tape measure shots.

 

Even when he couldn't hit a beach ball if it was tossed underhanded to him at the plate, he still had one of the best eyes in the league. And unfortunately, I think he's finally feeling healthy enough to take advantage of his natural talents. The steroids cloud will always follow him, but only because he had so much success. Looking at the players who were caught with steroids this season we can see that it's no wonder drug otherwise Alex Sanchez would be able to hit it out of the infield. So I'm willing to say that Giambi is just seeing the ball really well and swinging the bat better than he has in a few years.

 

It's really a shame about the steroids stuff because Giambi did have a lot of natural talent and probably had an outside shot at the hall of fame, but we won't be able to tell what was talent and what were the drugs. He'll never get any credit for anything he's done before 2005 because most feel he doesn't deserve it (and maybe he doesn't.) But at this point, I gotta respect his month of July and hope he cools off in August.

[YankeeDoodle]

After the steroids fiasco, I read in an article that Giambi has to monitor what substances - I'm guessing this includes foods and supplements, he can take into his body. The second time around, if performance enhancing drugs could put your life in jeopardy - why, WHY would anyone take them??

 

Second, if he took this, the NY media would completely go kapoot on him. A concern was that Giambi was too sensitive to media and fan reaction, so sure, it makes a lot of sense for him to put himself in exactly the same scrutinizing position.

 

Plus if there is something fishy going on, it'll be sniffed out.

 

And lastly, frankly I don't think Giambi could've commented on Grand Jury Testimony - which shouldn't have been leaked. Isn't he under FEDERAL ORDER or something to keep his mouth shut?

 

Edit: And given how the Yanks tried to wiggle their way out of his huge contract, maybe they just added a clause that second time it happens - you're gone?

[therealsoxGM]

it still helps drive the force behind the bat, besides that anybody who uses steroids i have no respect for

 

 

 

kinda like raffy today :thumbdown

[MC Hammer]

After the steroids fiasco, I read in an article that Giambi has to monitor what substances - I'm guessing this includes foods and supplements, he can take into his body. The second time around, if performance enhancing drugs could put your life in jeopardy - why, WHY would anyone take them??

The first time around his life was in jeropardy.