Giambi is the AL Comeback Player of the Year

[riverside sluggers]

Giambi wins AL Comeback award

Yankees slugger rewarded after journey back to prominence

By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com

 

"I'm definitely honored," said Jason Giambi, after being named AL Comeback Player of the Year. "It's been a lot of hard work and a long road." Coming into the season, Jason Giambi had no idea what to expect, on or off the field. After the first two months, things didn't look great for the first baseman, but he was among the best hitters in the American League over the final four months, which earned him the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award presented by Viagra. "It's unbelievable. I'm speechless," Giambi said. "I'm definitely honored. It's been a lot of hard work and a long road."

 

"He got out of the gate slow, but he had a burning desire to show he could return to be the player that everybody had learned to love," said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. "He had to go through so much this year, so I don't think anybody would have predicted this." Giambi missed 82 games in 2004 with a pituitary tumor and an intestinal parasite, knocking him down from an MVP-caliber player to a .200-hitting part-timer. His offseason didn't do anything other than complicate matters, as he found himself embroiled in the BALCO controversy, something which followed him well into Spring Training.

 

But his .271 average, 32 homers and 87 RBIs helped lift the Yankees into the postseason, as Giambi became a force to be reckoned with once again. "I know there were other things, but just coming back from being sick, knowing where I was last year when I couldn't get out of bed," Giambi said, "to come in, play well and help this team get to the playoffs, it's unbelievable." "He had some injury problems in the '03 World Series, and last year was a nightmare for him," said manager Joe Torre. "Right now, he's really enjoying himself. He's probably enjoying himself more than anybody else.

 

"If you go back 12 months and see where he was, he's worked hard," Torre added. "It's not something that dropped on his doorstep. He's been working through it, emotionally and physically." The first step in Giambi's return came on Feb. 10, when he flew to New York to speak with the media for the first time since his tumultuous offseason. "I'm so proud of where he came from and where he is now," Cashman said. "That starts with him flying to New York in the winter to address the media the best that he could, and not running or hiding from anything."

 

But to truly overcome his demons, Giambi would have to perform where it counted -- on the field. On May 9, Giambi was hitting .195 with three home runs and six RBIs. A move to the Minor Leagues was being discussed among team brass, and the future didn't appear to be very bright for the former AL Most Valuable Player. "I kind of always knew I had it inside, which is why I never panicked," Giambi said. "I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work, but I played well in Spring Training and I knew I wasn't that far away. My numbers didn't look very good, but I thought with a few adjustments, it would get better. I never lost confidence in myself."

 

Torre challenged Giambi as the team embarked on a West Coast trip. The manager would put Giambi in the lineup every day for a week, and based on what he saw, he would decide how the slugger would fit into the team's plans. "There was a motivating factor to come back, because I knew I could become the player that I was before," said Giambi. "Even through the tough times, I tried not to get down on myself, and that was a drive I used to help me." Giambi responded, hitting safely in all six games in Seattle and Oakland. He went 3-for-4 on May 17, driving in three of New York's six runs in a shutout win over the A's. His average had climbed to .227, and things were looking up.

 

His season continued to move in the right direction in June, as he hit .310, though his power numbers (one homer, nine RBIs) were still missing. The one homer was an important one, though, as he belted a walkoff blast to defeat the Pirates at Yankee Stadium on June 15. In July, it all came together for Giambi. Giambi hit .355 with 14 homers and 24 RBIs, lifting his average to .286 and re-establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with. The 14 homers marked the most in a single month by a Yankees player since Mickey Mantle did so in July 1961. Giambi also became the first player in the Majors in four years to homer 14 times while hitting over .350 in a month.

 

"He's punished the ball; I know I'm a little surprised, knowing everything he's gone through and how drained he looked last year when he went home," Torre said. "The stuff he had to deal with in spring, trying to have him not think too much about hitting home runs. All of a sudden, it gradually got to the point where his bat speed was terrific." Over the final two months of the season, Giambi remained a threat, hitting 13 homers and driving in 41 runs for New York. His .440 on-base percentage and 108 walks led the American League, as pitchers shied away from throwing him anything near the plate.

 

When the season ended, Giambi's final numbers read .271-32-87 -- not quite the numbers he posted when he won the MVP, but a far cry from the .208-12-40 he posted in 2004. Last winter, rumors flew around baseball that the Yankees were trying to void the remaining four years on Giambi's contract. Now, with three years remaining on that deal, the Yankees believe Giambi's future is brighter than ever. "We were in a situation where a major asset of ours had become devalued," Cashman said. "He's put value back in that deal and has returned to being an asset instead of an underperforming one. It's huge. We're getting what we paid for, and he's helping us in the bottom line, which is the win column."

 

"It's definitely been the most challenging season, no doubt about it," Giambi said. "Even more than being a rookie, when you don't know what to expect. I didn't know what to expect this year after being sick and everything, because New York is a tough town to come back in. To do this in New York makes it even more special."

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

YES! Hopefully we wont have to hear that stupid comeback player of the year award comercial on MLB.com. Congrats to Giambi btw.

[yankeessuck013]

booo

[See Red]

I have to disagree with this one, and not because he's a Yankee, either.

 

The reason he ever had to make a comeback in the first place was because he was a cheater, using steroids... seems like they're kind of celebrating his steroid usage, in a way.

[Cityofchampions33]

I somewhat agree, not happy he did. The roid thing is really gettin me, he's shown a lot of evidence that he's back on it. I doubt he re-did his swing or is working out again, the excessive sweating and bigger body are buggin me. If he's not takin roids though then I cant think of anyone who deserves it more. Maybe Millar can win it next year, if we keep him.

[He Hate Me]

Congrats to Giambi. The guy was money for us in the second half.

[empirestrikesback26]

Congrats Giambi.

[Soxfan1]

Griffey got the NL.

[Pinstripe_Pride]

Yay Giambi! But I do see your point See Red, which is why I wouldn't really be upset if he lost it. But, they might be sending a message to steroid users: You might suck after you get off the roids, but you will be rewarded with hard work and determination when you get back into shape

[ManyOrtiz]

I can see the hard work angle. I just wish that the roid stuff wouldnt be a problem but it is. I want to believe he's off and doing this on his own, but I have doubts. Makes me feel like he might not deserve it. Not a huge complaint, just pricking the back of my mind.

[26 to 6]

I have to disagree with this one, and not because he's a Yankee, either.

 

The reason he ever had to make a comeback in the first place was because he was a cheater, using steroids... seems like they're kind of celebrating his steroid usage, in a way.

Can you prove it? No!

[liveordie1011]

So he is the al comeback player of the year. That means anyone can use steriods and can get away with it and win something?

[Pinstripe_Pride]

So he is the al comeback player of the year. That means anyone can use steriods and can get away with it and win something?

 

Alright, was Giambi on steroids this season? Negative. Point blank, that's all you need to know. He had an intestinal parasite, an inflamed knee, a respiratory infection, and a freakin pituitary tumor. Oh and FYI: your pituitary gland is in your brain of all places.

 

He overcame everything and proved that you don't need steroids to succeed in baseball, which is indeed the exact message baseball is trying to convey to the general audience.

[He Hate Me]

Alright, was Giambi on steroids this season? Negative. Point blank, that's all you need to know. He had an intestinal parasite, an inflamed knee, a respiratory infection, and a freakin pituitary tumor. Oh and FYI: your pituitary gland is in your brain of all places.

 

He overcame everything and proved that you don't need steroids to succeed in baseball, which is indeed the exact message baseball is trying to convey to the general audience.

 

Good points. Steroids won't make you have the determination to come back from all those injuries nor the mental toughness to endure all the crap he brought on himself with his cheating. Do I think he is absolutely 100% clean? Without blood tests for HGH, we can never tell. However I do know Giambi worked his ass off (with or without steroids) and overcame a lot of adversity (agaion, all his own fault) to get to where he is today.

[jimmycarter05]

i can't believe this...MLB is going to give a "comeback" player award to a guy admitting, a i said ADMITTING that he used steriods...hard work my ass...i guess those seasons where he was hitting balls out like no body's business were "hard work" seasons too, (shhh...dont tell it was with a little help from jose') what a joke...this award shoulda gone to richie sexson who had more homers(39) and RBIs(121) than the poster boy for steriods..booooooo! :thumbdown

 

http://www.funpic.hu/swf/numanuma.html

[RedRuffing15]

If they can give Bonds MVP, they can give Giambi comebacker..........

[yankeessuck013]

Can you prove it? No!

 

he admitted it

[He Hate Me]

he admitted it

 

no he didn't, but he did apologize for it

[26 to 6]

he admitted it

he admitted it to the Grand Jury PRIOR to this year. He never admitted taking this year, so its ridiculous to say that he won this on steroids (as said by See Red.) If you can PROVE with FACTS (not opinions folks) that he has used throughout the coarse of this season I will be happy to jump on the "kill Giambi" bandwagon you guys are all riding so hard.

[26 to 6]

i can't believe this...MLB is going to give a "comeback" player award to a guy admitting, a i said ADMITTING that he used steriods...hard work my ass...i guess those seasons where he was hitting balls out like no body's business were "hard work" seasons too, (shhh...dont tell it was with a little help from jose') what a joke...this award shoulda gone to richie sexson who had more homers(39) and RBIs(121) than the poster boy for steriods..booooooo! :thumbdown

 

http://www.funpic.hu/swf/numanuma.html

grow up Boston. You guys are so fixated on finding negativity surrounding the Yankees (and always have) that you wont give a guy credit for anything. Regardless of what you say, if he played for anybody else other than the Yankees (or even the Blue Jays for that matter) you would be congratulating him.

[ARod2212]

he admitted it to the Grand Jury PRIOR to this year. He never admitted taking this year, so its ridiculous to say that he won this on steroids (as said by See Red.) If you can PROVE with FACTS (not opinions folks) that he has used throughout the coarse of this season I will be happy to jump on the "kill Giambi" bandwagon you guys are all riding so hard.

I've been saying this for a good 4 months now, don't stress yourself over it. Remember, it's like trying to preach Western Society to backward nations like Alabama.