- 03:22 AM
- 12/04/24
FIRST let me say that as a die-hard yankee fan, Giambi has been a major letdown. He has hands of stone, feet of concrete, and should just accept that he is a DH, and not meant to play the field. SECOND it is ok for the Yanks to have mediocre hitting Tony Clark at 1B while Giambi is out. Clark is an exceptional fielder. His bat has power, even if he is hitting in the low 200s. He also has superb clubhouse presence, a major asset on that team. THIRD, this is a health issue. Can you imagine the fear Giambi must have? They test him for cancer, for oddball diseases, for very dangerous virus strains and potentially fatal rare disorders. All that money doesn't mean anything when one's life is on the line. Although I'd love to see him shipped back to the A's where he could make a difference, I have compassion for him. He is living a nightmare. There is one thing, though . . . . others with this malady have recuperated. Could it be that he stopped taking steroids and his immune system is shot? Does this mean maybe he will go on Prednisone (a scary drug, in the steroid family) to get healthy? Egad, a nightmare doesn't even begin to describe it. I hope the guy gets healthy soon.
posted by DeanLand at 06:07 AM on July 28, 2004
Famous anus:
Prednisone is a very strange drug. In some ways it is a wonderdrug, the pharmacure for all sorts of ailments. But on the other hand, the side effects are debilitating and can have serious contraindications. Prednisone is used in various instances, sometimes to offer the exact opposite response. Immune supressant in some cases, yet it also can stimulate the immune system when used in tandem with other pharmaceuticals. In some cases it is blended with dosages of toxins, to force the immune system to jump-start and act in overload, in order to effectively fool the body into action. Steroids are a slippery slope. Some of the side effects are lasting. I know this from within my own family's experience. And on another topic within this discussion, I cannot imagine other MLBer taking any sort of delight in Giambi's ailment. Giambi isn't the type to alienate other players (like, say Pedro does, or Piazza the hothead), and this could be way more serious than what is already known. Wait, I take that back. Maybe Jason Varitek is acting as though he's happy over it, thinking that'll get the Red Sox to play better. And also that visitor's bullpen Fenway attendant from last year, he's probably happy if he hears that one of the Yankees stubbed a toe.