Former Phillies player Jeremy Giambi dies at 47
The six-year former major leaguer homered in his first two plate appearances for the Phillies in 2002.
Jeremy Giambi, the former major-league outfielder and first baseman who homered in his first two plate appearances for the Phillies after being acquired in a midseason trade in 2002, died Wednesday, his agent told reporters. He was 47.
Mr. Giambi played for four teams in a six-year major-league career that spanned 510 games, including 82 with the Phillies. He’s best known as the younger brother of 2000 American League MVP Jason Giambi and for getting tagged out on Derek Jeter’s iconic “flip” play in Game 3 of the 2001 AL Division Series between the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics.
A cause of death was not immediately known. Mr. Giambi died at his parents’ home in Southern California, according to agent Joel Wolfe.
“RIP Jeremy Giambi!” former Phillies pitcher Brett Myers tweeted Wednesday night. “Saddened and shocked to here [sic] of the passing of my former teammate! U were a great teammate and a fun guy to have in the clubhouse! My prayers go out to the family and friends!”
Mr. Giambi, a five-sport athlete (baseball, basketball, football, golf, and bowling) at South Hills High School in West Covina, Calif., was a sixth-round draft pick of the Royals in 1996. He made his major-league debut for Kansas City two years later. He got traded to the A’s before the 2000 season and teamed with his brother for two years, reaching the postseason in both.
The Phillies acquired Mr. Giambi for reserve outfielder John Mabry on May 22, 2002. Three days later, in his Phillies debut, he hit two homers against Montreal Expos starter Carl Pavano in a 13-9 loss. Six days after that, he went deep against Expos starter Javier Vázquez in his first at-bat for the Phillies at Veterans Stadium.
Mr. Giambi batted .244 with 12 homers and a career-high .974 on-base plus slugging for the Phillies in 2002. After the season, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Josh Hancock. In 1,417 career at-bats, he hit .263 with 52 homers and an .807 OPS.
“The Phillies are saddened to hear the news about Jeremy Giambi’s tragic passing,” the team said in a statement. “Our condolences go out to his family during this very difficult time.”
Mr. Giambi came to the Phillies with a reputation for living as hard as he played. He gave a revealing interview to Penthouse in 2000 and was cited for marijuana possession at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas in 2001. In 2003, Mr. Giambi and his brother testified to using steroids before a grand jury in the BALCO case.
In a 2002 interview with the Daily News, Mr. Giambi pushed back against the characterization that his nightlife impacted his on-field performance or fueled his trade from the A’s.
“I think it’s been really overblown,” Mr. Giambi said. “I’m not saying I don’t like to go out. I do. But if I have a day game, I’m going to get my rest.
“And did they think I was going out alone? I’m not going to name any names, but I wasn’t out by myself. I think it’s a good thing when guys can go out together, have dinner and a few drinks, talk about baseball.”
Mr. Giambi will forever be linked with Jeter for one of the more famous plays in postseason history.
With the Yankees leading 1-0 in the game but down 2-0 in the best-of-five series, Mr. Giambi tried to score from first base on Terrence Long’s double to right field. But he didn’t slide into home plate and got tagged on the leg after Jeter, on the run from shortstop, fielded a wayward relay throw up the first-base line and flipped it to catcher Jorge Posada.
The Yankees won that game and the next two and advanced to the AL Championship Series. Mr. Giambi’s brother signed a seven-year, $120 million contract with New York before the next season.
“People can say what they want,” Mr. Giambi said the following spring. “Maybe I should have slid. But that’s the decision I made. Maybe it was the wrong one, but we’re all human. Jeter made an unbelievable play in a spot he probably shouldn’t have been.”