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Jeremy Giambi

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Jeremy Giambi
Outfielder / First baseman
Born: (1974-09-30)September 30, 1974
San Jose, California, U.S.
Died: February 9, 2022(2022-02-09) (aged 47)
Claremont, California, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
September 1, 1998, for the Kansas City Royals
Last MLB appearance
August 1, 2003, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average.263
Home runs52
Runs batted in209
Teams

Jeremy Dean Giambi (/dʒiˈɑːmbi/; September 30, 1974 – February 9, 2022) was an American outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for four teams from 1998 to 2003, primarily the Oakland Athletics, where he was a teammate of his older brother Jason Giambi during the club's division championship-winning season in 2000.

He enjoyed his best season in 2001, batting .283 with 12 home runs and 57 runs batted in (RBI), then hitting .308 in the Division Series loss to the New York Yankees. Following his brother's departure to the Yankees as a free agent in the ensuing offseason, Jeremy saw declining playing time with three teams over the next two seasons before finishing his career in the minor leagues.

Early life

Jeremy Giambi was born in San Jose, California.[1] Like his older brother Jason, Giambi attended South Hills High School in West Covina, California. He attended California State University, Fullerton and played college baseball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans, with whom he won the 1995 College World Series.[2] In 1994, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star.[3][4]

Professional career

The Kansas City Royals selected Giambi in the sixth round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft.[5] Giambi made his major league debut as a September call-up for the Royals in 1998.[6] The Athletics acquired Giambi from the Royals in exchange for Brett Laxton prior to the 2000 season.[7] Jason and Jeremy played together during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. During Game 3 of the 2001 American League Division Series, Giambi was tagged out at home plate on the "flip play" by Derek Jeter.[1]

In 42 games for the Athletics in 2002, Giambi batted .274 with eight home runs and 17 RBIs in 42 games before the Athletics traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies for John Mabry on May 22.[8] Giambi finished the 2002 season with 20 home runs between the Athletics and Phillies.[1] After the 2002 season, the Phillies traded Giambi to the Boston Red Sox for Josh Hancock.[9] He last played in the majors in 2003 for the Red Sox.[10]

After being released by the Red Sox, Giambi signed minor league deals with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004[11] and the Chicago White Sox in 2005.[12] In his MLB career, Giambi batted .263 with 52 home runs and 209 RBIs.[1]

Steroids

On March 13, 2005, The Kansas City Star reported that Giambi had admitted to having used anabolic steroids.[13] His brother Jason has also admitted to using steroids according to grand jury testimony that was leaked to the press. On December 13, 2007, Giambi was named in the Mitchell Report on steroid usage in baseball as being among the athletes to whom BALCO founder Victor Conte claimed to have sold anabolic steroids; the report said BALCO VP Jim Valente had indicated that urine samples submitted to BALCO by both Jeremy and Jason had tested positive for the steroid drugs.[14]

Personal life and death

Giambi was mentioned in Michael Lewis's book Moneyball, and he became a character in the film that starred Brad Pitt, with Giambi portrayed by Nick Porrazzo.[15][16]

Giambi was found dead at his parents' home in Claremont, California, on the morning of February 9, 2022, according to a spokesperson for the Claremont Police Department. He was 47.[17][1] The following day, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner announced that Giambi's death had been ruled a suicide via a gunshot wound to his chest.[18] In June 2022, reports said that in August 2021, Giambi had been "struck in the head by a baseball and fractured his zygomatic bone" when serving as a pitching coach. His mother also said he felt different after the injury.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Former MLB player Jeremy Giambi dies in California at 47, agent says". ESPN.com. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "Making 1996 His Year : Giambi's Decision to Stay in College Looks Good; He's Batting .444 for Cal State Fullerton". Los Angeles Times. April 12, 1996.
  3. ^ "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  4. ^ "CCBL All-Stars". Cape Cod Times. Hyannis, MA. July 23, 1994. pp. C2.
  5. ^ "Marlins Take Titans' Kotsay With No. 9 Pick". Los Angeles Times. June 5, 1996.
  6. ^ "Brother act: Giambis finally get together in the majors". The Kansas City Star. September 17, 1998. p. 38. Retrieved February 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Eskew, Alan. "Jeremy Giambi glad to be joining older brother". cjonline.com.
  8. ^ "MLB - A's shake-up: Jeremy Giambi traded to Phils". ESPN.com. May 23, 2002. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  9. ^ Stark, Jayson (December 15, 2002). "MLB - Phillies ship Jeremy Giambi to Red Sox". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  10. ^ "Former MLB player Jeremy Giambi dies at 47". ESPN.com. February 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "Dodgers, Jeremy Giambi Agree on Contract". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 2004.
  12. ^ "Jeremy Giambi silent on 'roids". ESPN.com. March 13, 2005.
  13. ^ "Jeremy Giambi admits steroid use as MLB scandal deepens". KRIS TV. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009.
  14. ^ The Associated Press (December 14, 2007). "Players mentioned in Mitchell Report". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  15. ^ "Moneyball: separating fact from Hollywood fiction". Toronto Star. October 4, 2011.
  16. ^ "Swing, looks help El Toro grad land 'Moneyball' role". September 23, 2011.
  17. ^ Lacques, Gabe; Yomtov, Jesse (February 9, 2022). "Former MLB player Jeremy Giambi found dead at age 47". USA Today. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  18. ^ Kawahara, Matt (February 10, 2022). "Former A's outfielder Jeremy Giambi died by suicide". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  19. ^ "Ex-MLB player Jeremy Giambi 'seemed different' after baseball head injury before death by suicide, family said". NBC. June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
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