Notebook: Injury clouds Giambi’s future
Jason Giambi will be sidelined at least three weeks and possibly far longer after tearing tissue in his left foot while rounding the bases on a home run.
The latest setback in a tumultuous season for the New York Yankees designated hitter occurred Tuesday night in Toronto. Giambi was examined in New York on Thursday by Dr. William Hamilton and will be placed on the disabled list before today’s game at Boston.
“I’d say it’s a severe injury,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.
While the best-case scenario likely would have Giambi returning in three to six weeks, Cashman couldn’t rule out that Giambi could miss the remainder of the season.
“That I don’t know,” he said.
Giambi was shifted from first base to designated hitter this year and hit .322 with four homers and 17 RBIs in April. His foot began bothering him soon after he played the field for the first time on April 28, and he batted .117 in May with three homers and six RBIs.
The 36-year-old Giambi, the 2000 American League MVP with the Oakland Athletics, is in the sixth season of a $120 million, seven-year contract with the Yankees and has been in the news this season for his role in baseball’s steroids controversy.
Investigation clears restaurant
A state investigation found no evidence that workers at Mike Shannon’s restaurant knew Josh Hancock was drunk when they served the Cardinals pitcher alcohol in the hours prior to his fatal accident in St. Louis.
“He did not appear to be intoxicated to any patrons or employees who came forward to be interviewed,” said Peter Lobdell of the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control.
Rodriguez causes buzz
Fans were buzzing over whether Alex Rodriguez broke baseball’s unwritten code by making a remark that distracted a Toronto infielder and allowed a ninth-inning popup to fall for a run-scoring single.
“I just said, ‘Hah!’ That’s it,” Rodriguez said.
“I heard a ‘Mine’ call, and so I let it go,” said third baseman Howie Clark, who thought he was being called off by his shortstop. Clark backed off and let the ball drop as Rodriguez got to third.
Clearing the bases
The San Francisco Giants agreed to trade struggling closer Armando Benitez to the Florida Marlins for reliever Randy Messenger. Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane voiced support for manager Phil Garner and general manager Tim Purpura amid the team’s longest losing streak in 12 years (10). “This is a team that has great potential,” McLane said. “The challenge I see is for Tim and Phil, how can we make this team successful?” … Ozzie Guillen was still talking about his job status, one day after saying the Chicago White Sox might be better off if he became the first manager to be fired this season. “I just wanted to send a message,” Guillen said. … Reliever Kevin Gregg‘s recent play has been enough for Florida manager Freddi Gonzalez to decide what role Gregg is taking in the bullpen with former closer Henry Owens rejoining the team. “Kevin’s going to be the guy who is going to be closing for us,” Gonzalez said.