Jason Giambi had no better offers than the one-year, $5.25 million guaranteed deal he got from the A's, but during a press conference at the Coliseum, Giambi made it clear that he was thrilled to return to his former club.
"This place has always held a special place in my heart," he said. Oakland signed the free agent DH/first baseman to a deal that will pay him $4 million in 2009, with an option for $6.5 million in 2010 that has a $1.25 million buyout.
Giambi can make an additional $250,000 each year based on plate appearances, $150,000 when he hits 525 plate appearances and another $150,000 when he gets to 550 plate appearances.
Giambi primarily will serve as DH unless young first baseman Daric Barton continues to struggle. That means Jack Cust will see most of his time in the outfield, and while he is not a strong defender, Cust does tend to hit 10-15 points higher when he plays in the field.
Manager Bob Geren told the San Francisco Chronicle he is kicking around the idea of batting Cust second, with Matt Holliday third and Giambi fourth, followed presumably by Eric Chavez if he is fully healthy. Geren emphasized that he has not yet come up with anything firm, however.
Chavez told the Chronicle that he has been throwing for several weeks and that his surgically repaired right shoulder feels the best it has in 10 years. He told the newspaper that he has no doubt that he will be able to return to third base, a position where he has won six Gold Gloves.
