In Jason Giambi, the Yankees have the highest-paid first baseman in the majors. By far. They also have the worst-hitting first baseman in the majors. By far. Over at Was Watching, Steve Lombardi looked at Giambi's splits against power and finesse pitchers over the last few seasons and says the problem is obvious:
In summary, it appears evident that Jason Giambi cannot hit a Power pitcher. And, there's some evidence to suggest that Giambi's best success against a Finesse pitcher only comes when the pitcher makes a mistake. In total, as a batter, left to his own skill, Giambi -- over the last three years -- is worthless.
--snip--
Why the Yankees keep running Jason out there, I dunno? I know that Giambi is due $23,428,571 this season. So, I can see why, maybe, the Yankees feel like they need to play him.
Me? I'd go another way. I would just cut him, at this point. He cannot play the field. He can't run. And, as the stats show, he's very limited as a hitter. Sure, you run the risk of him going somewhere else, with you paying him, and maybe hitting some homers (off mistake pitches). But, I'd be willing to trade that for getting someone on the roster (in place of Giambi) that can help the team.
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Today Steven Goldman weighs in,
too:
Getting rid of Giambi is, on one level, simple. He is in the final year of his contract. The Yankees have the option of retaining him in 2009 for the low price of $22 million, something that was unlikely even seven years ago, or paying him $5 million to go away. Since they are on the hook for this year's salary and the buyout regardless of whether Giambi plays for them or not, he might as well not play for them. Getting rid of Giambi for some kind of value is more problematic. The Yankees would have to find a trading partner that (1) was in need of a poor defensive first baseman or DH, (2) had some high-salaried object of their own they were eager to be rid of, (3) believed that Giambi's bat could be revived with a change of scenery, and (4) was amenable to Giambi, since he has a full no-trade clause. Even then, the Yankees would have to kick in the cash difference between the two contracts, plus the buyout money. That this combination of factors would roll up all at once seems so unlikely that proposing any trade scenario would be an act of purist fantasy; hence an outright release seems the most likely path to a Giambi-free world.
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I have a solution to all the Yankees' problems. Release Giambi. Sign
Frank Thomas and Barry Bonds for the greatest DH platoon in universal history. Win division title. Beat Angels in AL Division Series. Beat Red Sox in ALCS. Lose to Dodgers in World Series. Simple.
Rob Neyer
