Former Oakland slugger could return to team he began his career
with nearly 14 years ago
OAKLAND
Jason Giambi might just finish his career where it began more than a decade ago.
The free-agent first baseman was nearing a deal Tuesday to return to the Oakland Athletics nearly 14 years after making his debut with the club, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the contract hasn’t been completed. The addition of Giambi would be the second big offseason acquisition by general manager Billy Beane, who made a trade with Colorado for star outfielder Matt Holliday back in November.
Giambi, who turns 38 on Thursday, spent the past seven seasons with the Yankees. New York declined its 2009 $22 million option for him after last season.
Oakland announced in early November that Bob Alejo would become its new director of strength and conditioning – a sign Giambi might be next to come back and return to his roots. Alejo served as the A’s strength and conditioning coach from 1993-01 and followed Giambi to the Yankees, working for Giambi personally and for the team during some years.
Giambi won the AL MVP for Oakland in 2000, then left for New York following the 2001 campaign. He enjoyed each return visit to the Bay Area, seeing old friends and making trips to the popular California chain of In-N-Out Burger. He said he tried to open an In-N-Out in New York to no avail.
Giambi, a second-round draft pick by the A’s in 1992, is a career .286 hitter in 14 big league seasons. He made his major league debut for Oakland on May 8, 1995.
Giambi batted .247 with 32 home runs and 96 RBIs in 2008 for the Yankees, who missed the playoffs despite their $200 million payroll after a run of 13 consecutive postseason appearances. That’s just one shy of the record set by the Atlanta Braves from 1991-05.
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Story by Janie McCauley, AP Sports Writer
