Giambi released by A's...

[LastingsMilledge85]

I'm not sure if Giambi was one of the "good guys" of the game. I'll never forget when he got the chance to be in last years HR derby despite not making the All Star team, and rejected the opportunity because he wouldn't be on the team, and left all Yankee fans with their fake mustaches disappointed.

[jobathenut]

So because he did'nt want to take part in a stubid home run derby.That makes him not a "good guy".Maybe because he was'nt playing in the game,he thought it would be a waste of his time.Maybe he did'nt want to take part in the stubid contest so he could spend the break time with family and friends.And he felt that was more worth his time than to take part in the stubid contest.That he realized how stubid and pointless the home run derby is.And felt that spending time with his family during the break is better than giving up his break to take part in batting practice.As that's all the stubid thing is.I mean why don't they just have the guys measure themselves.I have no idea what the home run derby proves.WOW,you can hit a home run having a pitcher pitch it right where you want it.Takes no skill at all.Anyway,that's another topic.I think it's silly to say he is not a good guy because of this.I realize it was at yankee stadium and it was the last all season of the stadium and blah,blah,blah.But those fans can see him play in a game.Why would they need to see him in a completely nonsense contest.Just a very silly arguement.

I'm not sure if Giambi was one of the "good guys" of the game. I'll never forget when he got the chance to be in last years HR derby despite not making the All Star team, and rejected the opportunity because he wouldn't be on the team, and left all Yankee fans with their fake mustaches disappointed.

[2000mvpfan]

..I think jobathenut's got it right-and I'm pretty sure at the time he declined to participate,that Giambi had mentioned to interviewers that he was looking forward to spending the break home in Nevada.And who can blame him?He had already won a derby and I'm sure at this point in his career he needed the rest more than another title-and I'm also sure he would of been killed in the NY press had he participated and then had his numbers spiral down even worse...

Just my .02...
Joe

[2000mvpfan]

Oh,and don't think the A's were as generous as they appeared.No matter what else Giambi is,he is still EXTREMELY popular in the Bay Area and they were gonna milk that for all they could.First stadium giveaway of the season?a Giambi schedule poster..he's also on a schedule magnet,the yearbook cover,and a bobblehead being given out on 8/21 (which I hope they still give away!).So Oakland was definetely looking to put asses in the seats..

[jobathenut]

Hey thanks joe-mvpfan-I am happy to know i'm not all alone on this.Me and you brother.You got to love the haters though.I mean how many names on that steriod list and people still jump all over him for it.Even though he was a man about it and admitted to it.And did'nt play the childish quote,"i did'nt know it was that".I get sick of hearing haters on here.I mean how many years ago was that.Those people really need to build a bridge and get over it.The guy deserved better than what the a's did to him.I will admit he is at the end of his career.But if he agrees to come back to the a's than have the respect to play at least the season.I just think it was a total slap in the face what they did to him.And that whole derby thing is a joke.What a bad guy for wanting to spend time with his family.But then it was proberly the fact the steriods were the reason why he did'nt join the stubid batting practice.You got to love haters logic.

..I think jobathenut's got it right-and I'm pretty sure at the time he declined to participate,that Giambi had mentioned to interviewers that he was looking forward to spending the break home in Nevada.And who can blame him?He had already won a derby and I'm sure at this point in his career he needed the rest more than another title-and I'm also sure he would of been killed in the NY press had he participated and then had his numbers spiral down even worse...

Just my .02...
Joe

[suicide_squeeze]

Hey thanks joe-mvpfan-I am happy to know i'm not all alone on this.Me and you brother.You got to love the haters though.

Who's a hater? I always kinda liked Giambi, even thought he made some seriously bad decisions and go the cheaters route. Through it all, he always seemed like a fairly good guy, otherwise.

I mean how many names on that steriod list and people still jump all over him for it.

Well, isn't he one of the cheaters? Should time passed be the only factor in dealing with these cheaters? Or....as their stats and records will be printed for eternity, should they be dealt with in the same manner? That's a nongoing debate, which will be seen over and over again every January when they announce the results of the Hall Of Fame voting.

Even though he was a man about it and admitted to it.And did'nt play the childish quote,"i did'nt know it was that".

Ahhh, no, he wasn't a man about it. A true man never would have cheated the game he loved, the game that has all of the history it does, the game that has all of the fans that made him who he is, the game that paid him all of the money he now has. He also never confessed it like a man. He simply came out and said "I'm sorry for the mistakes I made. Period, no mention of the words, "steroids" in his original (or subsequent) apologies.

I get sick of hearing haters on here.I mean how many years ago was that.

Again, time doesn't erase the damage done to this game by these guys.

Those people really need to build a bridge and get over it.

Do we? Or is it you, who's fanhood for one guy has biased yourself in such a manner that true baseball fans who cherrish the game are looked at as "haters"? I think you should reconsider. Some of us like this guy, too, Joba, but not over the loss of the integrity of the game.

The guy deserved better than what the a's did to him.

Did he? He was batting below the mendoza line. His skills have fallen, and the fact is clearly it's because they're testing, so he isn't able to make it any longer on skill alone. Maybe he should have just retired and walked away from the game with some class, instead of creating this need for a team to do something you are unhappy with. Baseball is a business, and Giambi wasn't holding up his end of the bargain any longer.

I will admit he is at the end of his career.But if he agrees to come back to the a's than have the respect to play at least the season.

Like the respect he showed baseball by cheating?

I just think it was a total slap in the face what they did to him.

And what about the slap in the face he gave the fans and the owners he took millions from. The disgrace will live on for many decades.

And that whole derby thing is a joke.What a bad guy for wanting to spend time with his family.

What other excuse should he use....."Hey, since I'm not worthy, and it would be a disgrace for me to perform in the derby like Piazza and others have, I'm just going to go to VEGAS".?? Nooooo, It's the old "I want to spend time with my family" excuse. It works every time.

But then it was proberly the fact the steriods were the reason why he did'nt join the stubid batting practice.You got to love haters logic.

Actually, you missed it by 180 degrees. It was the LACK OF steroids that made him choose to not perform in the "batting practice" derby as you call it.

But you know us haters.......we're just "stubid".

My highlighted responses above.

[whatupyos]

My highlighted responses above.

Steve,

Correct me if I'm wrong. You mentioned about Giambi not doing steriods as being the reason for not doing the HR Derby the last year in NY, or something to that effect...(sorry if I misquoted you, I'm trying to paraphrase). I understand what you're saying but isn't it true they don't have testing for HGH? So its not inconceivable that guys could still be cheating the game since they don't have testing for it. I've never done any HGH or steriods, I just know a lot about it. Wrote a paper about it in college, but I'm under the impression that there is no real test for it. I'm curious why its so hard to test for?

I used to work for a big biotech company in the bay area. They make a drug for people with severe growth hormone deficiency problems. I was told that people would kill to get that stuff we made because it was the best stuff. Stuff the body builders would kill for. I saw on the local news that some people had been busted for stealing the products and selling them at a local supplement store. It made me laugh because there always seem to be people that will do anything to "get head" no matter what that be in life. Cheating taxes, cheating drug tests, cheating competition.

Regards,

Aaron

[suicide_squeeze]

Steve,

Correct me if I'm wrong. You mentioned about Giambi not doing steriods as being the reason for not doing the HR Derby the last year in NY, or something to that effect...(sorry if I misquoted you, I'm trying to paraphrase). I understand what you're saying but isn't it true they don't have testing for HGH? So its not inconceivable that guys could still be cheating the game since they don't have testing for it. I've never done any HGH or steriods, I just know a lot about it. Wrote a paper about it in college, but I'm under the impression that there is no real test for it. I'm curious why its so hard to test for?

I used to work for a big biotech company in the bay area. They make a drug for people with severe growth hormone deficiency problems. I was told that people would kill to get that stuff we made because it was the best stuff. Stuff the body builders would kill for. I saw on the local news that some people had been busted for stealing the products and selling them at a local supplement store. It made me laugh because there always seem to be people that will do anything to "get head" no matter what that be in life. Cheating taxes, cheating drug tests, cheating competition.

Regards,

Aaron

First off, Thanks to Reed for the kind comment......I think

Aaron,

Even though I kind of tongue-n-cheek it, you correctly paraphrased it.

Let's be realistic about it. Giambi knows that the year he won the home run derby, he was at or near the top of his game......and his PED use.

If he were to perform in the same capacity.....as a participant in the home run derby last year......he is smart enough to know that at age 37 (then), and clean from everything he was taking, his showing would've been much less than the year he won it, and potentially dismal.

Add to that the fact that he had a growth in his head that was career (if not life) threatening while with the Yankees, I would guess Aaron that he is not using HGH at this point, detectable or not, simply because of the health issues he suffered from.

If he is crazy enough to be using something after all he's been through, then I guess there's nothing that would surprise me. But, he is smart enough to know that he shouldn't display his home run hitting ability at his age, and off the juice, so I suggested the easy way out was to say he wanted to take the much needed time off to spend with family (& friends, sorry Joba!).

Whatever the case, whatever the truth, I wish him well, because like McGwire, he's a baseball guy, seems to be a genuine human being, and for whatever reason, I just like him. I hope he finds one last burst, somewhere, and ends his pretty darn good career on his terms. If it could only be that way for all of them.

[LastingsMilledge85]

So because he did'nt want to take part in a stubid home run derby.That makes him not a "good guy".Maybe because he was'nt playing in the game,he thought it would be a waste of his time.Maybe he did'nt want to take part in the stubid contest so he could spend the break time with family and friends.And he felt that was more worth his time than to take part in the stubid contest.That he realized how stubid and pointless the home run derby is.And felt that spending time with his family during the break is better than giving up his break to take part in batting practice.As that's all the stubid thing is.I mean why don't they just have the guys measure themselves.I have no idea what the home run derby proves.WOW,you can hit a home run having a pitcher pitch it right where you want it.Takes no skill at all.Anyway,that's another topic.I think it's silly to say he is not a good guy because of this.I realize it was at yankee stadium and it was the last all season of the stadium and blah,blah,blah.But those fans can see him play in a game.Why would they need to see him in a completely nonsense contest.Just a very silly arguement.

It just made him look selfish whgen the fans did so much for him that all. He could have paid them back but opted not to and given them something they want, but he was self centered, that's my argument.

[cordovacollector]

Why is it that when anyone voices a differing opinion, the best line most guys can come up with is that the person is a "hater."

Two things I do not allow anyone, even children, to say about someone else is that they are "stupid" or that they are a "hater."

Now, Joba, you know I like you. I would respect your writing more if you found words to replace "stupid" and "hater."

PS Weren't you at the double-header in the Dome back around the late '90s-early 2000s. Might have been the last double-header played in the Dome. Giambi was playing first. One of the games was Turn Back the Clock too -- Giambi had taken a scissor and cut the sleeves off shorter to fit better. And I think the first game went maybe 16 innings ... and then the night game. Jason G. was in his prime and I enjoyed watching him from just a few seats away. Some day remind me to send you photos I took of him that day.