Jason Giambi Signs With Cleveland Indians

As baseball fans, we receive many reminders about the impermanence of the game we love. Things change quickly. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to predict how things will turn out.

In 2009 it looked like Jason Giambi was washed up and on his way out of professional baseball. He signed with the Colorado Rockies and re-invented himself as a late inning pinch hitter and clubhouse leader. To the surprise of many he became a fan favorite. Each year he showed up in the purple pinstripes we knew it might be the last; we were just happy each time we got one more year of the Giambino.

This year it looked like his playing career was over once again, this time because of his serious pursuit of the Rockies’ manager post. It also looked like Giambi might be a member of the organization for a long time. Instead the Rockies chose Walt Weiss, and now Giambi will be a player once again:

This already makes more sense than Giambi ever did for the Rockies. He will enter camp for the Cleveland Indians as one of the main candidates for their DH spot, which was recently vacated by the oft-injured Travis Hafner.

Giambi will have a chance to be a DH in Cleveland. Image: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Thinking strictly from an objective perspective, the last two years of Giambi as a member of the Rockies did not make sense. He only fit on a National League roster if the team was a contender, and even then it was a stretch. By keeping Giambi the men in charge were probably thinking with their hearts and not their heads.

In some cases that might make me upset, but how can I blame them? I love the Giambino. I think I speak for a good number of Rockies fans when I wish him well in Cleveland.

Final note. He is re-united with the controversial Ubaldo Jimenez. Remember that time that Giambi told the Denver Post that Jimenez shut down and shut out his teammates because he was upset about not getting a contract extension? Remember that time Ubaldo plunked Giambi’s bestie and work-out buddy, Troy Tulowitzki, in a preseason game? That’s gotta make things awkward, right?

Terry Francona thought he was going to a place where he wouldn’t have to deal with drama. Little does he know…