Jeremy

Giambi

The younger brother of Jason Giambi played six seasons in the majors, including stints with the Royals, Athletics, Phillies and Red Sox from 1998 until 2003. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, no cause of death has been confirmed. He reportedly passed away at his parent’s home in Southern California. Rest in peace, Jeremy. Our thoughts are with the Giambi family at this time.

The Sox could make room by sending Freddy Sanchez to Pawtucket. Sanchez has hardly played since being called up May 30, which just isn’t fair to a prospect of his caliber. He should be in the minors if the Sox aren’t going to use him, however, Sanchez gives the team another reserve infielder where Giambi merely joins David Ortiz and Gabe Kapler in the fight for time at DH.

Jackson is only hitting .231, but that looks like .300 in comparison to Giambi’s .125. GM Theo Epstein projected over the winter that Giambi would get 500 at-bats this year. It’s not looking like he’ll come anywhere close unless there’s a dramatic turnaround and someone gets the memo to Grady Little.

Unless switch-hitter Joe Thurston makes the team, the Dodgers will be without a left-handed bat on their bench. Maybe they’ll pick one up next week, but it’s more likely that they’ll eventually acquire a regular first baseman and make Robin Ventura their left-handed pinch-hitter.

Because Giambi struggled through a shoulder injury before undergoing surgery in August, he won’t get offered a job as a regular this winter. Still, he’ll be a nice pickup for whichever team that signs him.

Like they did with Ramiro Mendoza, the Red Sox may want to go ahead and place Giambi on the DL if Kapler is ready to join the team in a couple of weeks. That would allow Giambi to get the regular at-bats he needs in Triple-A.

Gabe Kapler, released this week by the Rockies, fits the bill. This is more bad news for Jeremy Giambi, whose playing time manager Grady Little is already planning to reduce.

Giambi said that doctors in Boston have ''found things’’ in the shoulder that could require surgery to remove. He’s on the DL with what is being called tendinitis.

Results should be known today.

Giambi is believed to be leaning toward having the partially torn labrum and rotator cuff damage dealt with right away rather than risking more serious damage by trying to return to action.