Giambi hopes to play in both Saturday games after Friday rainout

By ANGELA BUSCH
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — New York Yankee Jason Giambi was all set to play designated hitter for the Tampa Yankees on Friday night, when they faced the Fort Myers Miracle at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. Instead, the surplus of fans who turned out to see Giambi had to be satisfied with a couple autograph sessions in breaks of pouring rain.

After completing the end of Thursday's game on Friday, Friday night's scheduled game -- and Giambi's plate appearances -- were postponed due to heavy rain showers and a wet field. The game was rescheduled for Saturday night, starting at 5:05. The first game will be a full nine innings, and the second game -- originally scheduled for Saturday night at 7:05 -- will be seven innings, starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. For tickets, call 768-4210.

After Friday's game, Giambi said during a press conference that he hopes to play in both of Saturday night's games, as long as it's OK with the New York Yankees.

"I love playing baseball, so I'm excited," said Giambi, who has missed the past two months due to a torn tendon in his left foot. "I'm just glad to be back playing baseball again."

Giambi was in Tampa until Friday morning, working out at the Yankees facility there. He said he ran the bases four days in a row, in addition to taking batting practice.

"I feel great," he said. "I'm a little surprised by how quick I've come back. But I need to get out there (in a game) and get the adrenaline going again."

With New York seven games back and trying to push toward first place in the American League East, Giambi's big bat would likely be appreciated down the stretch.

But Giambi is known for more than just his 2000 American League MVP award and five All Star appearances. He is also the most well-known current major-leaguer that has admitted to past steroid use. Giambi has apologized on more than one occasion to the media and fans, most recently in May.

This honesty and openness separates Giambi from other big-time sluggers, notably Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. But Tampa Yankees manager Luis Sojo, a former Yankee himself from 1996-2001, isn't surprised by Giambi's frankness.

"He's such a great guy ... an honest guy ... He knows he made a mistake, and he moves on," Sojo said of Giambi before Friday's game. "That's why he (admitted his steroid use)."

"I've always been someone who actually cares about somebody else," Giambi said on Friday. "I guess you can credit my mom and dad for that ... and it's a special thing that you find out as a human being, you're going to have your ups and downs. It's the people who stand beside you that make the difference ... for everything that I've been through, I've had a lot of people stand beside me, which really means a lot."

For now, Sojo said Giambi is focused on getting back to New York after missing the past two months due to his foot injury.

"I hope while I'm down here I can just catch one of those grooves that people do ... get that going, then get a chance to go back up there and make a big impact," Giambi said.