Giambi enters hall
By Eric Boyum
Daily Forty-Niner
He credits his success to his mentors like
49er baseball Head Coach Dave Snow and former teammate Mark McGwire.
Major League Baseball player Jason Giambi
has gone from a player few teams wanted coming out of high school, to being
one of the game's brightest new stars.
He hit 33 home runs last season and helped
his team turn around a 79 win season in 1998 to 97 wins last year.
Again, he credits others for his success.
"I had a career year because of the players
around me," Giambi said.
Even without the "Big Mac," Mark McGwire,
who is no longer on his team, Giambi has turned into a fine first baseman
and major league hitter.
Teammates and pals while playing together
for three years as members of the Oakland Athletics, Giambi and McGwire
are still close friends.
When McGwire made his decision to sign
with the St. Louis Cardinals, Giambi became Oakland's first baseman.
"We still talk a few times a week," Giambi
said.
"I wouldn't be the player I am today without
him. I picked his brain and we lifted together and shared meals daily."
Giambi's success has come as a result of
hard work and by surrounding himself with positive influences.
He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers
in the 42nd round after prepping at South Hills West Covina High School,
where he was a pitcher and shortstop.
Instead of signing a contract and working
his way through the minor leagues, he opted to come to Long Beach State
and play for Snow.
Giambi had a great arm, one which Snow
wanted to use to pitch when he arrived.
However, Snow developed him into a third
baseman instead during his first year at LBSU in 1990 and he credits Snow
for giving him a chance to become an everyday player.
"When I first came out of high school,
Dave Snow wanted me to pitch, but I ended that by hitting .422 my first
year playing for him."
His batting average in 1990 still stands
in the 49er record books as the third best all-time.
After finishing his second season at LBSU,
he played on the 1992 USA Olympic team, in which Snow was part of the coaching
staff.
He was then drafted again in the second
round by the Athletics and climbed the ladder quickly in Oakland's organization.
Giambi said his experience in college helped
him get to the big leagues quickly.
"Coming out of high school, I needed to
mature as a player," Giambi said.
"You can tell the difference (in the pros)
between the players who came out of high school and the players who went
to college.
The whole aspect of going to class and
being eligible matures you as a player." |
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