Jason Giambi, slow to get going, was shuffled down the order to fifth on Saturday and Jack Cust moved into the third spot.
Manager Bob Geren said the primary reason was to get Cust an extra at-bat per game because he's been one of the team's few consistent producers this season. Geren emphasized, however, that he'd be OK with Cust, Giambi and cleanup hitter Matt Holliday batting in any order. Giambi's average was just .204 though the first six weeks of the season, and some scouts have suggested that he's lost some bat speed. After one game this weekend, Giambi walked past reporters in Detroit and said, "Do you want a comment? I stink."
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Giambi attempted to change his luck last Friday by wearing a puka-shell necklace obtained from Kurt Suzuki's parents. He made an error and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and ditched the necklace, the newspaper said.
The Chronicle suggested that Giambi might want to consider growing a mustache again. Giambi raised his average more than 80 points last season when he began to grow the mustache, which became so popular in New York that the Yankees held "Mustache Day." He started that mustache in mid-May.
TIGERS 11, A's 7: Oakland had its biggest blown lead of the season after jumping out 6-0 at Detroit after two innings. Rookie RHP Trevor Cahill had trouble getting his sinker down on Sunday and had the shortest outing of his eight-start career, allowing seven runs in 2 1/3 innings. The A's usually reliable bullpen allowed two three-run homers, one by Ramon Santiago and the other by Curtis Granderson. Detroit swept the three-game series.
