Jason Giambi As Manager? Don’t Tease Me…

When the Rockies signed Jason Giambi in 2009, he was a washed-up has-been former-steroid-using sellout pointless acquisition…or so I thought as a fan who did not know any better and was relying on unfair public perception. It turns out that the Giambino is thoughtful, a great teammate (by all accounts), a classy presence on the team and that he has a lot of wisdom to offer.

Giambi rests his eyes. Image: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

Besides, he has the best walk-up music on the team and it is on the short list of all-time great walk-up choices.

I have reached a point where I sincerely appreciate Giambi’s presence on the Rockies. As a fan, I am excited by the fact that he identifies himself as a proud member of the organization. Since his resurgence on the 2009 playoff team, I have wanted him to stay a Rockie as long as possible. Each offseason I wanted him to return, however unlikely it seemed, and I will feel that way again after this season ends.

Unfortunately, the brutal reality is that Giambi’s usefulness to this team is minimal at best and non-existent at worst. That means this glorious run with the Giambino is likely reaching its end. Unless…

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I know it’s probably a classic premature jocularity situation, but I just seriously got my hopes up.

Jason Giambi…the manager? A chance to have Giambi and his veteran wisdom in the purple pinstripes for the foreseeable future? Count me in.

Here is a series of tweets from Renck, who is always reasonable in his speculation, on why he mentions the possibility.

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This discussion stemmed from Renck’s article in the Denver Post this morning in which he noted the unfortunate fact that Giambi will not return as a player. He then mentioned that Giambi could return as a coach if he did not receive free agent offers anywhere else. If he did go play somewhere else, I presume that the coaching offer from the Rockies would stand and that Giambi could still return and would be interested in doing so given his love affair with the franchise.

So we are probably at least a couple steps from this being even a remote possibility, but I am seriously excited by it. I understand this reaction is at least partially the irrationality of fandom shining through, but think of the points in Giambi’s favor. He is beloved in the clubhouse, enjoying the respect of every player on the roster including the faces of the franchise, Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki. Managing a pitching staff and making in-game decisions would be a challenge, but it’s hard to imagine it would be any more of a challenge than it has been for Jim Tracy’s crew. I think it is well worth the risk of investing in his excellent demeanor and the respect he would garner in hopes that he could pick up the other facets of the position on the job.

Plus he’s just a lot cooler than Jim Tracy. Other than his inexplicably ballin’ gold watch, what does Tracy offer in the cool department? Giambi, on the other hand, offers fine displays of facial hair excellence, a cool offseason gig as a night club owner in Las Vegas, a high level of expertise in the aforementioned walk-up music department, some serious swag as a former MVP, and a gold thong.

OK…maybe everything except that last one. And I certainly hope that Jim Tracy does not have a gold thong or any other form of skimpy undergarment. Ahem…anyway…

If he does not jump straight to manager, I want the Giambino on the coaching staff. If you told me four years ago I wouldn’t have believed you, but the fact is I want Giambi to be a part of the Rockies for as long as possible.