So it'll be interesting to see how this whole thing pans out, with his first exposure to fans coming up in just over a month(!!!!). There's a really excellent article by Tyler Kepner telling the whole story. It's real reporting, unlike what you normally get from the NY (and Boston) sports sections -- most New York papers used to adore Giambi, and now rip him to shreds. Over the last few months Kepner, who I guess is now their main Yankee beat writer, has consistently pointed out that all this hatred towards Giambi is a result of his crappy year, and that no one seems to care that Sheffield also took steroids. Pretty refreshing that someone just comes out and says that.
Of course this also means that Kepner will be writing for SI or ESPN in a couple years, and we'll be getting another Buster Olney -- a really good writer on the national stage who likes New York teams WAAAYYYYYY too much.
Anyway, turning back to Giambi, every once and a while I feel a little bad for the guy -- his life sucks. Then I remember all he did and I realize I shouldn't feel one ounce of pity. Here's what one former fan had to say. (Still, he's no Bonds. At least he told the truth to the grand jury.)
There is no way that I feel bad for this guy. That is sort of like feeling bad from Ebbers from WorldCom. They cheated to make money. They also kept others from getting a legit shot.
ReplyDeleteWhen guys start hitting 40-45 HRs a year because of roids, it keeps the real hard-nosed players that hit 15-20 HRs out of the pros.
All of the sudden (because of these juicers) if you don't hit 30+ HRs you are fairly worthless. As I have written before Daryl Strawberry was one of the most feared power-hitters during his prime. He never hit 30 homers in a season. The game was different then.
Giambi made millions, went to play for the team that humiliated his prior team (the A's) and his BROTHER...He took steroids...A real man of character...
Strawberry never hit 30HR? The year he should have won the MVP over Gibson, he hit something like 39 - I'm pretty sure he has the single season record (or at least he used to) for both the Mets and the Dodgers (in LA at least until Green hit 40 something). I'm pretty sure he hit over 30 home runs for a number of years.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I completely agree with your point that before 1993, 30 HRs was a hell of a lot of HRs.
Ooops...I did mean that he never hit 40...40 today doesn't seem like a lot of HRs. 30 definitely doesn't seem like a lot. I was typing too quickly. I double-checked, Strawberry had back to back years of 39 and one other year of 37...aside from that none over 30.
ReplyDelete30 used to be a power hitter. Now it's a guy with pretty good power. Definitely different definitions.
Yeah, the standard sure seems to have shifted. Last season 37 guys hit 30+ HR; to really pick out the top few hitters you have to go to 35+ (to get the top 20), or 40+ for the top 9.
ReplyDelete40+ HR last year, in order: Beltre, Pujols, Dunn, Bonds, Ramirez, Thome, Edmonds, Konerko, Ortiz. Going back to an earlier comment I made, interesting that 6 of those 9 (and all of the top 4) are in the NL...
Earl, were you just making an observation that 6 of the 9 top home run hitters were in the NL or were you implying something about the NL and 'roids?
ReplyDeleteNothing about 'roids...it was about the cozy NL parks. (I know, I know, they're not all cozy.) Side observation, that's all.
ReplyDelete