MLB
Oakland A's Jeremy Giambi passes away at 47
Former MLB outfielder and first baseman Jeremy Giambi has been found dead at his parents' house in California at the age of 47, according to his agent
Former outfielder and first baseman Jeremy Giambi has passed away at the age of 47, his agent Joel Wolfe has announced. Giambi reportedly died at his parents’ home in southern California. The younger brother of five-time All-Star and 2000 MVP Jason Giambi, Jeremy played three seasons for the Oakland A’s during the early 2000’s, where he was a key figure in their Cinderella-story success immortalized in the film Moneyball.
Officials have not released the cause of death, but early reports in the media are suggesting that it may have been suicide.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a member of our Green and Gold family, Jeremy Giambi,” the A’s said in a statement. “We offer our condolences to Jeanne, Jason and his family and friends.”
Drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the sixth round of the 1996 amateur draft out of Cal State Fullerton, Giambi had a career .263 batting average, with 52 home runs in 1,417 at bats over 510 games. But it was when he was traded to the A’s in 2000 that he began to really make his mark on baseball.
One of the most memorable plays in playoff history was when Giambi was thrown out at home plate by New York Yankees hall of fame shortstop Derek Jeter in the 2001 American League Division Series.
One of the first players to admit to using steroids during the federal BALCO hearings, Jeremy Giambi will be remembered as a player who was respectable and even could reach greatness when it was needed, albeit for far too short a time.