Oh, That Giambi

By Steve Brooks

2/15/03

PITCHERS AND CATCHERS are already in Fort Myers, Florida preparing themselves for the up-coming Spring Training. Among them some new faces appear, like Ramiro Mendoza, and Chad Fox. The veterans come to work, also. Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe hope to improve on Cy Young Award caliber years. Casey Fossum looks to have a breakout year, and Tim Wakefield wants to show that a 2.81 earned run average was no fluke. One hundred yards away towards first base, however, crouches the newest of newcomers. A 5’11", 216 pound Giambi stands over at first base, taking grounder after grounder. "I got into Spring Training yesterday (the 10th) and got a chance to go down to the field today, and I went on the field and went out there and worked," says Jeremy Giambi. "I came down here ten days early."

LAST WINTER THE New York Yankee made front pages in every Major League city. They signed Jason Giambi, Jeremy brother, to a deal worth $119 million, ensuring another run at the playoffs. Jeremy Giambi was left to make good on his own in Oakland, his first shot at leading a team. After 42 games he was hitting .274 and then the call came. "It was kind of a disappointment. It was my first chance... I was playing everyday," says Giambi. "I felt like I sacrificed some things and a month and a half later I was traded to the Phillies." After that he was never able to find his groove, hitting only .244 for the Phillies in 82 games. But his On-Base Percentage was a terrific .435, making his season total .413. "In Philly I had started out well there and (then) my play had dwindled down. And when they signed (Jim) Thome I felt like my time as a Phillie was pretty much done." He finished the season with a decent 20 home runs in only 313 at-bats, but not enough to stop the Phillies from signing Thome.

LAST SEASON TONY Clark hit a dismal .209 with only three home runs and 20 runs batted in. And perhaps the biggest problem was that he was the regular first-basemen. When Thome headed for Philadelphia, the Red Sox didn't€™t have

many free-agent options leaving a dirt patch with no footprints in the Fenway infield. But Jeremy Giambi was available. "My agent said the Red Sox were interested in me and I was excited," says Giambi. "Its€™s a great city, great fans. Great town to play in." The Red Sox traded pitching prospect Josh Hancock for Giambi, hoping he can be a veteran presence at first base. But

in order to win that job he will€™be competing with David Ortiz, who hit .272 with 20 home runs and 75 runs batted in for the playoff contender Minnesota Twins. But Giambi is ready for the competition. "I am€™m doing everything I can to put myself in that situation where they feel comfortable with me (at first base)."

JEREMY GIAMBI AND Jason Giambi aren't€™t the first brothers that have faced off for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. That distinction dates back to the 1940’s with Dominic DiMaggio and his more famous brother Joe DiMaggio. Media coverage back then, however, didn't€™t cover these types of things as they are covered now. Jeremy Giambi has been stuck in his older brother€™s shadow since the beginning. All the elder Giambi has been able to do is average just over 38 home runs a year and drive in more than 100 the past five years. "He's€™s kind of set the bar pretty high for the family," says the younger Giambi. "I am€™m trying to do my best to get out of his shadow and show people that I am a pretty good player, and I feel that I am." And he could be given the perfect opportunity to show that. "All I need is the

opportunity to get 500-600 at-bats and I feel I can put up decent numbers."This off-season he is committed to being a better player. "I went back to Athletes Performance which is where Nomar (Garciaparra) has gone and trained for quite a bit of years in Arizona. I went for eight weeks this time, which is three weeks longer than I usually go," he says with enthusiasm in his voice. "About the last week and a half I am€™ve been taking grounders, and doing some things there and preparing myself for first base."

DOWN THE RIGHT field line at Fenway Park it is a measly 302 feet from home plate. But a little bit to the left and it juts out to 380 feet. That is of no concern to Giambi, however, "I feel pretty comfortable hitting in there, I see the ball well." He looks at the left field Wall and instead of seeing a 37-foot towering monster, he sees an advantage. "I feel its€™s the advantage for lefties to have that wall. If you hit a ball to right field, usually if you hit it well its€™s going to go out anyway. And if a pitcher forces you to

go to the opposite field you might not hit a ball as well but it goes off the wall." Giambi has totaled six career hits in Fenway in eleven games, one of  them coming off the wall in left field. Four of them have been to the opposite field. "I€™m excited to get there and I am€™m just going to use it as much as I can."

OF COURSE THE most important part of being a Major League Baseball player is wanting to win the big time. The World Series. The Giambi€™s were born with an innate sense of winning. Jason Giambi couldn't€™t get the job done in Oakland, losing to the Yankees two years in a row, proving that if you cant€™t beat them€˜then you€™ve got to join them€˜Jeremy Giambi, on the other hand, stayed in Oakland ready to lead the team into the post-season. The Athletics went on to win a Major League best 103 games, but Giambi barely had a part in it due to the fact that he was traded to the Phillies. But now he brings his

services to the Boston Red Sox, and Grady Little couldn't€™t be more excited to have a player like Giambi on the team. "He was excited that I am€™m a part of the Red Sox," said Giambi. "And I told him I am€™m excited to be here." GIAMBI TAKES A break from the endless ground balls he has been taking. He takes a sip of water from a plastic bottle, lifts his cap and rubs the sweat off his forehead. He looks out towards the first base bag and takes another sip of water. "Once I get the opportunity," he says, "I am€™m going to show everybody that I can be an all-star and I can help a team win a pennant. I can help a team win a World Series." He puts his glove on and jogs back over to the baseline, "(Coming to the Red Sox) was my first choice and I was glad it happened."

So are the Red Sox.