Oakland Athletics: 30 Worst Players in Franchise History

Jeremy Giambi

Those who remember Athletics’ outfielder and first baseman Jeremy Giambi are more likely to remember him for his role in the movie Moneyball rather than any particularly exciting baseball moment. The younger Giambi may have had some decent plate discipline, but that’s about it. While his bat was powerful, it wasn’t even a fraction of the power his brother showed, and he was all but useless in the field.

It’s crazy to think that someone could make the list of worst players despite having a .819 OPS and .272 average with the A’s, but Giambi just never made the kind of long-term impact that the Athletics were hoping for. After a fairly rough 2000 – .761 OPS, with just 10 home runs, 32 walks, and 50 RBIs, Giambi had a decent year as a part-time player. In 2001, he posted a .841 OPS and knocked in a career-high 57 RBIs.

The Athletics, though, were not impressed. They were even less impressed when he failed to slide home in a play at the plate during the 2001 ALCS, getting thrown out by Derek Jeter in a very memorable moment. By mid-2002, Giambi was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Giambi’s off-field troubles included a 2001 marijuana citation, after he tried to take the illegal drug through airport security, as well as being included in the Mitchell Report as a steroid user. Giambi, take steroids? Who would have guessed?

Jeremy Giambi was certainly no Jason, but perhaps the fault should lie with people who expected him to become his brother, rather than with him for not living up to those standards.

Next: The Worst A's Players in History: Daric Barton