NEW YORK (AP) -Jason Giambi walked into the new Yankee Stadium on Monday and was duly impressed.
“It’s gigantic, but it’s like gorgeous,” he said. “I’m sure it’s like when people first walked into the Titanic.”
No, he didn’t intend to imply the Yankees would go down in their ballpark the way the famous passenger ship did in April 1912.
“I mean, it’s enormous,” he said. “No, this place ain’t going to sink, trust me. I’m sure they got that design flaw out of there.”
After failing to win a World Series during seven seasons with the Yankees, Giambi returned to the Oakland Athletics during the offseason. His $5.25 million, one-year contract is a fraction of the $120 million he earned in New York. Expectations with the A’s also are a small percentage of what they were in the Bronx.
er in the headlights” shock when he first joined up with the Yankees.
“There is no real place on the planet like this,” he said. “I gave, you know, my heart and soul when I played here, there’s no doubt about it. You know, every day, showing up ready to play. You know, like I said, had some good times and some bad times, but for the most part I look at them as they were incredible times.”
He was voted the 2000 AL MVP during his first stint with the A’s, but never lived up to the huge expectations New York had for him when he arrived. He batted .260 for the Yankees, averaging 30 homers, 86 RBIs and 88 walks per season. Fans cheered his 14th inning grand slam against Minnesota in May 2002 and his two homers against Boston’s Pedro Martinez in Game 7 of the AL championship series. They rallied to him after his nonspecific apology in 2005, when he was linked to steroids use.
But they booed him when he struck out and when they team failed in the postseason.
“That’s all right. They booed a lot of people at Yankee Stadium. I’ve seen (Derek) Jeter booed. I’ve seen (Jorge) Posada booed. I’ve seen Mariano (Rivera booed),” Giambi said. “It’s never personal here.”
He thinks he grew during his time with the Yankees and he kept his Manhattan apartment, saying he’ll continue to return to enjoy the city.
h the Bleacher Creatures chant the names of Yankees starters. “There’s no doubt about it. It’s the best thing in baseball.”
He’s kept in touch with Jeter, Posada and Joba Chamberlain. He didn’t contact Alex Rodriguez after A-Rod admitted using steroids, saying he figured Rodriguez had enough going on.
“I knew it was going to be tough in him,” Giambi said, “but he did the right thing. I hope he’s doing great.”
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