Yankees and Jason Giambi Deserve Each Other

The big deal surrounding the Yankees these days is supposed to be the fact that Jason Giambi, already an admitted steroid user, has also been found to have used amphetamines.

This news comes from the New York Daily News, who treated this story as being so huge that they put Giambi on it's front and back cover this past Wednesday.

Forget the Yankees dismal play this season or Roger Clemens comeback trail or even the incredulous notion that Carl Pavano may never pitch again in a Yankee uniform (in which Pavano will have been paid about $8 million for each of his 5 lifetime Yankee wins)-Jason Giambi, admitted steroid user, used amphetamines.

Big deal. And I'm not even a Yankee fan.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Giambi using amphetamines isn't wrong, but when compared to taking steroids there is no story.

Last week Giambi, in USA Today, talked about steroids, said he was wrong to use that "stuff" and went on to admit that he's "probably tested more than anybody else." Maybe you were curious about exactly why Giambi would be tested more than other ballplayers. But then maybe you were curious about why Giambi would bring up the subject of steroids in the first place. I'm sure that's what Giambi's agent was thinking. But maybe Giambi, who according to all reports is very well-liked in the Yankee clubhouse, is too honest or forthcoming of a guy. Maybe that's just who he is. After all it was only several years ago that Giambi did the rare deed of actually admitting to a federal grand jury in the BALCO investigation that he used several different steroids during the off-seasons from 2001 to 2003. Later, Giambi apologized publicly to the media and his fans, though he was amart enough to not specifically state what for.

Baseball has a steroid problem, anyone following sport is well aware of that. Jason Giambi has long been suspected of using steroids, going way back to his days with Oakland. Hell, even the casual baseball card fan could tell that Giambi was on the stuff, all they have to do is pull out one of a then pencil-thin Giambi rookie cards for you to look and gaze at.

Yet, despite all the rumors that Giambi was on the stuff, in 2001, the Yankees and owner George Steinbrenner, in their silly haste to bring the orgazinization back to the days of signing every big name free agent available to man, signed Giambi to a 7-year, $120 million contract. Which they've been paying for it ever since as after a couple of solid seasons for the Yanks, Giambi has gone the way most steroid users go: he's breaking down. And the Yankees haven't won a championship since he's been here.

Forget the amphetamines, it's the integrity of the game that matters most here. And we found out that Giambi and the Yankees could care less about the integrity of the game a long time ago.