From Wednesday AM’s Newsday and Jon Heyman.
George Steinbrenner’s rep is that he’s a dastardly devil to negotiate with. But when it comes to Giambi, Steinbrenner bizarrely transforms into an instant pushover.
You want Tino Martinez’s job? It’s yours, big fella.
You want $120 million? Sure, take it.
Your agent wants the word steroids omitted from your contract? No prob.
You want that oily manservant of yours hanging around? Sounds good.
You want out of World Series Game 5? Sure, take a seat.
You want a news conference at Yankee Stadium to apologize for who knows what? We’ll send out the invite list.
Last night Joe Torre and Brian Cashman asked Giambi — nicely, I’m sure — if he’d accept an assignment to the minors. Giambi told them he’d think about it.
It isn’t good form for a player of Giambi’s previous stature to immediately agree to a demotion. So it’s no surprise that he seemed very reluctant. But the guess here is, Giambi went back to his Manhattan apartment and whistled himself to sleep.
The guess here is, Giambi will love Columbus, where there’s no pressure, few media and a plentiful sampling of strip clubs for a small city (that’s the word, anyway).
The guess here is, Giambi’s manservant already has his bags packed.