RIP Jeremy Giambi

HomeRunBaker

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Heard through a friend who knows his family. Only 47

Edit: Confirmed through media and his agent now.
 

joe dokes

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Jesus 47. Sad twist of fate that it came a couple of weeks after Ortiz got the hall call.
 

jmcc5400

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Jesus 47. Sad twist of fate that it came a couple of weeks after Ortiz got the hall call.
My thought as well. Pretty stark example of two roads diverging in 2003. And for the record, I wanted the guy who hit .259/.414/.505 in 2002 to be the DH, not the Twins cast-off. Sad day.
 

Ed Hillel

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Will hls casket be displayed standing up at the wake?

Also, RIP. Way too young…
 

Sam Ray Not

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My thought as well. Pretty stark example of two roads diverging in 2003. And for the record, I wanted the guy who hit .259/.414/.505 in 2002 to be the DH, not the Twins cast-off. Sad day.
Same. When we signed Big Papi I clearly remember thinking, “why do we need this Twins guy when we have our LHH masher???” Sigh. RIP, Jeremy Giambi.
 

mauidano

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I got to be a part of the happiest day of his life when he got married here on Maui. I was the DJ for his celebration. Had so much fun planning and then playing with everyone.

Really sucks. 47 is wayyyyy too young.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Very sad story.

I wonder whether there were some longstanding issues with either substance abuse or depression. He really had a weird premature ending to his career, .919 OPS in 2002 at age 27, down year with the Sox in 2003 at age 28, then never plays in the majors again and only logs 57 minor league ABs across a couple organizations. Its a weird trajectory that makes me wonder if there was more going on in his life than just baseball. I know he got caught up in the steroids investigation but that was a few years after he last played in the big leagues.
 

jaytftwofive

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I posted this in the MLB offseason thread, but might as well crosspost it here. Interesting article about the play Giambi is most known for and whether or not it defines him.

View: https://twitter.com/byalexcoffey/status/1491559259078807561
If you look at the replay, it was a tie and a tie usually goes to the runner. Because it was Jeter "The Flip" is called one of the greatest plays of all time. Overrated!!! If that was Miguel Tejada or any other shortstop they wouldn't have made as big a deal about it. RIP Jeremy. Also former Yankee outfielder Gerald Williams passed away Tuesday.
 

jaytftwofive

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Gerald Williams passed away yesterday(Tuesday) from cancer. He was 55. He had cancer. RIP Gerald. Had a few decent years with the Braves and Rays after he was traded by the Yanks but seemed to go downhill after that. He was only 55.
 
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Niastri

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If you look at the replay, it was a tie and a tie usually goes to the runner. Because it was Jeter "The Flip" is called one of the greatest plays of all time. Overrated!!! If that was Miguel Tejada or any other shortstop they wouldn't have made as big a deal about it. RIP Jeremy. Also former Yankee outfielder Gerald Williams passed away Tuesday.

The thing that really gets me frustrated is Jeter was supposed to cover second on a hit to right.

Jeter lost his mind, and was somehow so out of position he was nearly in the on deck circle, 100+ feet from the bag he was supposed to cover. The ball miraculously finds him, and we all have to listen to how clutch he is for a generation (so far). Bad defense shouldn't get you accolades.

Infuriating.
 

HomeRunBaker

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The thing that really gets me frustrated is Jeter was supposed to cover second on a hit to right.

Jeter lost his mind, and was somehow so out of position he was nearly in the on deck circle, 100+ feet from the bag he was supposed to cover. The ball miraculously finds him, and we all have to listen to how clutch he is for a generation (so far). Bad defense shouldn't get you accolades.

Infuriating.
Not to take this sad story off topic, and I’m all aboard the Jeter is overrated train, but he WAS shading to cover 2B until he saw the throw from RF about to sail over the 1B head so he adjusted to make arguably one of the greatest heads up plays in baseball history.
 

curly2

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Not to take this sad story off topic, and I’m all aboard the Jeter is overrated train, but he WAS shading to cover 2B until he saw the throw from RF about to sail over the 1B head so he adjusted to make arguably one of the greatest heads up plays in baseball history.
Absolutely. He was on the dead run when he fielded the ball and made the flip. It was a tremendous play.
 

cannonball 1729

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Kliq

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When I was a kid, me and my friend invented a game called "Torii Hunter". Basically we just threw a baseball across the yard to one another and tried to make different catches. The other person would then rate the catch on a 1-4 scale. An excellent catch was a Torii Hunter, an above-average catch was an Ichiro, an average catch was a Barry Bonds, and anytime you missed the ball entirely it was a Jeremy Giambi. I suppose that Giambi had made enough miscues in the field during his time with the Sox that it was enough for him to become synonymous with bad fielding.
 

Minneapolis Millers

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In his parents home. Thats awful on so many levels.
Ugh. Yeah. I worked for a guy who shot himself in his bathroom. We thought he likely thought it would be easier on his family and easier to clean up? But awful regardless. It’s obviously hard to think clearly when you get to that stage.
 

Eagle3

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When I was a kid, me and my friend invented a game called "Torii Hunter". Basically we just threw a baseball across the yard to one another and tried to make different catches. The other person would then rate the catch on a 1-4 scale. An excellent catch was a Torii Hunter, an above-average catch was an Ichiro, an average catch was a Barry Bonds, and anytime you missed the ball entirely it was a Jeremy Giambi. I suppose that Giambi had made enough miscues in the field during his time with the Sox that it was enough for him to become synonymous with bad fielding.
You must be fairly young. Barry Bonds was far from average in his early years. In fact he has more gold gloves (8) than any Left Fielder in the history of MLB. People forget how good he was defensively, or dont know if they only saw him play in the 2nd half of his career. After he started juicing and bulked up he became an average fielder and got worse as he got older.

Speaking of juicing, you have to wonder if that indirectly factored in to the Giambi tragedy
 

Pitt the Elder

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Pure speculation, but isn't a shot to the chest a common approach by someone trying to preserve his brain for future study? E.g., isn't this what Junior Seau did to preserve his brain for CTE research?
 

edoug

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Ugh. Yeah. I worked for a guy who shot himself in his bathroom. We thought he likely thought it would be easier on his family and easier to clean up? But awful regardless. It’s obviously hard to think clearly when you get to that stage.
Yeah, plus shooting himself in the chest. May have been so whoever found his body wouldn't see what was left of his face or head.
 

CR67dream

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Pure speculation, but isn't a shot to the chest a common approach by someone trying to preserve his brain for future study? E.g., isn't this what Junior Seau did to preserve his brain for CTE research?
Yes, this was the first thing that crossed my mind as well. In any event, what a tragedy.
 

In my lifetime

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I had the good fortune to meet and have a conversation with Jeremy in 2003 in the Kenmore Square area after a game. He was well-spoken, personable and a very down-to-earth person. His premature death is very unfortunate, I wish his family well.
 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

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I don't want to speculate about such a tragedy, but seeing as how he ended his life the same week David Ortiz got elected to the HoF, I can't help but wonder if there was some kind of "That should have been me!" sentiment that might have been in his head during those final hours.

So sad.
 

moondog80

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Pure speculation, but isn't a shot to the chest a common approach by someone trying to preserve his brain for future study? E.g., isn't this what Junior Seau did to preserve his brain for CTE research?
Kerry Von Erich killed himself the same way in 1993, before CTE was a thing. For whatever unfortunate reason, seems like this has been something people do for a while.
 
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Twilight

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Could be as simple as wanting to preserve the possibility of an open casket.
 

mauf

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I don't want to speculate about such a tragedy, but seeing as how he ended his life the same week David Ortiz got elected to the HoF, I can't help but wonder if there was some kind of "That should have been me!" sentiment that might have been in his head during those final hours.

So sad.
If this was intended as performance art, it’s in the wrong place.

If not, maybe sit this one out.
 

SamK

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May 31, 2012
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Dunno about baseball, but there's been a lot of that with football. Results are basically inconclusive that it has any impact whatsoever.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2671028

https://ohsonline.com/articles/2012/01/31/nfl-players-outliving-average-american-males.aspx?admgarea=magazine
The second article links to the original study. It is interesting. When I was a kid it was a commonly accepted "fact" that NFL linemen suffer more life shortening consequences from playing than others. Study seems to show that BMI and other factors pull former linemen data into line more with the general public when compared to other big men.

It is hoped that improved counseling for prospects and players about personal finances by players' unions and organizations like The Patriots, the modern players' (and society's) improved education about general health, and better mental health counseling for all can blunt some of the damage being so famous, so young, for so short a time can bring.

It is only anecdotal, but I knew a woman who became a psychologist later in life. She built an entire clientele from former athletes. Most of her clients were former college stars who were not quite great enough for professional sports. After five years (or fewer for players injured beyond return to the game) of fame and adulation in rabid communities of fired-up student bodies and alumni and then being dropped suddenly after eligibility expires damages A LOT of young people.

Peace to the Giambis.

Edit: clarity
 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

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If this was intended as performance art, it’s in the wrong place.

If not, maybe sit this one out.
It wasn't. The two are inextricably linked and it's not beyond the possibility that the thought ever occurred to him.

Don't jump to conclusions unless you have the official game mat.

(For reference, that last sentence was performance art. See the difference? If not, keep thinking about it. You'll get there.)
 

YTF

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Kerry Von Erich killed himself the same way in 1993, before CTE was a thing. For whatever unfortunate reason, seems like this has been something people do for a while.
Junior Seau was mentioned above. I think one major difference between Giambi and guys like Seau and Von Erich is that Giambi didn't earn his living by taking repeated blows to the head. That said for all I know Giambi may have suffered some serious head trauma, but without knowing for sure my guess would be that he didn't want to be found with his head or face partially missing. No matter the reason, it's just a horrible situation.
 

Leather

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It wasn't. The two are inextricably linked and it's not beyond the possibility that the thought ever occurred to him.

Don't jump to conclusions unless you have the official game mat.

(For reference, that last sentence was performance art. See the difference? If not, keep thinking about it. You'll get there.)
This is so far beyond the realm of plausibility that it seems almost like you’re using a guy’s death to talk about how awesome David Ortiz was at baseball, which is gross.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Junior Seau was mentioned above. I think one major difference between Giambi and guys like Seau and Von Erich is that Giambi didn't earn his living by taking repeated blows to the head. That said for all I know Giambi may have suffered some serious head trauma, but without knowing for sure my guess would be that he didn't want to be found with his head or face partially missing. No matter the reason, it's just a horrible situation.
Did Giambi ever take any pitches to the head? There would be base path collusions too, I suppose.
 

Burn Out

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I don't want to speculate about such a tragedy, but seeing as how he ended his life the same week David Ortiz got elected to the HoF, I can't help but wonder if there was some kind of "That should have been me!" sentiment that might have been in his head during those final hours.

So sad.
Don’t say that you don’t want to speculate, then go ahead and do the very thing you said you didn’t want to do.
 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

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This is so far beyond the realm of plausibility that it seems almost like you’re using a guy’s death to talk about how awesome David Ortiz was at baseball, which is gross.
It really isn't, but since everyone is taking my initial post as being my definitive theory, which is never was, I'll apologize to anyone who it offended and retract the notion that what happened in his baseball career, at any point, had anything to do with his ending his life, and exit the discussion.