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Yankees News: Jason Giambi Announces Retirement

By Ricky Keeler|

Yesterday, the New York Yankees announced that Andy Pettitte was going to get his number retired by the team as well as get a plaque in Monument Park this August. Today, another former Yankee, Jason Giambi, announced that he would be retiring from Major League Baseball after a 20-year career in the big leagues.

Giambi issued a statement to the New York Daily News announcing the decision that he made to leave the game. Here is some of what the second round pick of the Oakland Athletics in the 1992 MLB Draft had to say:

“After 20 seasons, I have decided to officially announce my retirement as a Major League Baseball player. Ever since I was five years old, all I ever wanted to be was a Major League Baseball player. The Oakland A’s, New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies and Cleveland Indians were a big part of helping that dream come true.”

After spending the first seven seasons of his career in Oakland, Giambi signed a seven-year, $120 million contract with the New York Yankees during the 2001 offseason. Over his seven seasons in New York, the first baseman/designated hitter would hit 209 home runs and drive in 604 runs.

He would make three consecutive All-Star appearances with the Bronx Bombers from 2002-2004. However, Giambi’s career in New York was marred by a little bit of controversy.

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In December of 2003, Giambi testified to a federal grand jury that he used PED’s, which included steroids and HGH. He would apologize for his steroid use in 2007. Even despite the off-field blemishes, the man who hit 25+ home runs in three of his years in New York, including a 34 home run year in 2002, had some great on-field moments.

For me, the moment that stands out about Giambi was Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. Even though that game is far more remembered for Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run off Tim Wakefield, it was Giambi’s two home runs against Pedro Martinez that kept the Yankees in that ballgame. During that postseason, Giambi would hit four home runs to go with six RBI’s.

Another memory that comes to mind came in May of 2002 when the “Giambino” hit a walk-off grand slam against the Minnesota Twins. The home run came in the 14th inning and the team down by three runs.

His career in baseball took him to places like the Rockies and the Indians, but he has also spent time as a coach with the Tribe and tried to become manager of the Rockies two seasons ago.

Even with the steroids looming over his career, Jason Giambi should still be remember for hitting 440 home runs, an AL MVP in 1999 with Oakland, and a player in New York that seemed to have some of his best moments when the lights shone the brightest the Bronx.

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