Where Does Giambi Fit In?

The Colorado Rockies have one of the best pinch hitters in the National League in Jason Giambi. With Giambi’s strong play in 2011 the question has to be asked. Does he need an everyday spot in the lineup? In only 79 at-bats this year Giambi has hit 9

[caption id="attachment_38" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Rockies First Baseman Jason Giambi (Photo by The Associated Press / H. Rumph Jr"][/caption]

home runs and 20 RBI’s including a 3 for 5 game at Philadelphia where he hit three homers for seven RBI’s. Gaby Sanchez is the at-bats leader among first basemen with 325, but if Giambi played everyday let’s assume he would have 300 at-bats by now. If Giambi kept up his current pace for the 300 at-bats he would have 34 home runs and around 76 RBI’s. Both would be tops in the MLB for all players regardless of position. To be fair his RBI’s would be a little bit lower than 76 because like most pinch hitters he is used with runners on base.

[caption id="attachment_39" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo by The Associated Press"][/caption]

Aside from the number Jason Giambi has one of the most fluid and powerful swing in all of baseball. It also certainly doesn’t hurt that he is 6’3” and 240 lbs of brute strength. He has been a home run hitter for his entire career and has piled up 424 of them so far during his time in Oakland, New York, and Colorado.

Lets say for argument’s sake that Manager Jim Tracy wanted to play Giambi everyday. Where would he put “the Giambino?” Todd Helton is the more mobile of the two so Todd could possibly be moved out of position to third. St. Louis Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa played all-star first baseman Albert Pujols at third for a little bit this season with little success.

Let me just be clear that this is all rumors. None of what I said has been reported, but with how Giambi’s been swinging the bat, Jim Tracy may have to make a move to give his club a little more power at the plate.