February 24, 200422 yr This is from today's Chi Trib. Jason Giambi stepped off a scale and smack into the middle of the big issue sweeping baseball this spring: steroids. Noticeably trimmer, the New York Yankees star reported he'd lost four pounds in the offseason, down to 228. He said it was the result of fewer fast-food burgers, fries and tacos, along with extensive rehab from knee surgery. Standing at his locker Monday at Legends Field, his chest, biceps and legs appeared smaller. Minus that bulk, Giambi drew double takes from some people when they first saw him in the clubhouse. "My weight is almost exactly the same," he said. "Just cleaning it up and losing some of that excess body fat I had." He also weighed in on steroids, a topic that is prompting fans to take a closer look -- fairly or unfairly -- at many of the game's biggest sluggers. Giambi and new teammate Gary Sheffield both testified Dec. 11 before a grand jury probing the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, a company accused of providing steroids to sports stars. Being subpoenaed did not mean an athlete was a target of the investigation, which was focused on possible drug and tax violations by BALCO. Asked Monday whether he had taken performance-enhancing drugs, Giambi said: "Are you talking about steroids? No." Giambi said he did not know BALCO founder Victor Conte and said he welcomed the commissioner's office testing players this season. "Hopefully, everything is going to be fine," he said. "This has really shed a different light on everything." Manager Joe Torre noticed Giambi's slimmed-down physique. "He looked thinner to me," Torre said. "He's a big guy and he's still a big guy. I didn't think it was drastic." "He just looks thinner in here," Torre said, rubbing his chest. On his first day in camp with position players, Giambi patiently answered several questions regarding the steroid issue. Sheffield turned testy when pressed on the topic. He spoke about it a couple of times this month during informal workouts and said he had not used steroids. "Why would I talk to Jason? I haven't seen Jason. Next question. Next question," Sheffield said. "You get a pee cup, I'll pee. You get a needle or syringe, I'll give you blood." Sheffield said he'd been dogged by off-the-field questions dating to when his uncle, former Cy Young winner and current Yankees instructor Dwight Gooden, tested positive for cocaine. "I've been guilty by association for years," Sheffield said. Torre also faced a bunch of questions about steroids. Usually relaxed at this time of year, telling stories with his cap tilted back, Torre spent a lot of time rubbing his brow as he discussed the issue. "Evidently, it's not going to go away," he said. "I hope we can get through it. You have to sit back and wait and see if anything else comes out." Torre said he hadn't spoken to Sheffield or Giambi about the subject. Torre planned to talk to the team, as he's done in the past, about the importance of players taking proper care of themselves. "I'd rather teach a lesson than putting someone on the spot," he said. Giambi said his main focus was on continuing to build up strength in his left knee. He didn't start Game 5 of the World Series because of knee trouble and had surgery Nov. 18. Giambi hit 41 homers with 107 RBIs last year, mostly as the DH late in the season. While the Yankees are close to signing Travis Lee, Torre would like to see Giambi spend more time at first base -- that would make room for both Bernie Williams and Kenny Lofton in the lineup, one in center field and the other at DH. "I know they're going to want me to be on the field a lot, so I'm just trying to take these few extra pounds I don't need off," Giambi said. "My legs aren't as big because I had to rehab them so hard, to be honest with you," he said. "My upper body is pretty much the same, strength-wise
February 24, 200422 yr How can you notice 4 lbs differnece on another person ?! Is it really only 4 lbs? More than the 4 lbs (as quoted in the article), it's the smaller legs that are telling IMO. But then again, what the hell do I know?
February 24, 200422 yr Author How can you notice 4 lbs differnece on another person ?! Is it really only 4 lbs? More than the 4 lbs (as quoted in the article), it's the smaller legs that are telling IMO. But then again, what the hell do I know? My question is how many other people come to camp 15-20 lbs lighter? Sammy already did last year...
February 24, 200422 yr My question is how many other people come to camp 15-20 lbs lighter? Sammy already did last year... I have the same question. I just think that 4 lbs is severely understating Giambi's weight loss if people can actually see it. But as I say, what the hell do I know...
February 25, 200422 yr does anyone have pics of slimmer giambi? wanna see how much losing 4 pounds looks like.
February 25, 200422 yr does anyone have pics of slimmer giambi? wanna see how much losing 4 pounds looks like. I saw it on ESPN and it looked like a little more than four pounds.
February 25, 200422 yr i agree i dont see how losing four pounds could have a big effect on your apperance and in the article it seemed as if people could really tell he lost some weight so it kinda makes me wonder if it was only four pounds.
February 25, 200422 yr I saw it on ESPN and it looked like a little more than four pounds. Do you have a link?
February 25, 200422 yr Author does anyone have pics of slimmer giambi? wanna see how much losing 4 pounds looks like. This is slimmer Jason. This is Jason last year. Sorry I could only find a face shot from this year so far.
February 25, 200422 yr Said he cut the weight by not eating fast food burgers. No 'roids here,right??
February 25, 200422 yr Wow! from 232 to 228?! Big Difference!! If you saw Sportscenter and heard the reports from ESPN, he lost a significant amount. He lost about 20 pounds from what they were saying. It definitely showed.
February 25, 200422 yr If you saw Sportscenter and heard the reports from ESPN, he lost a significant amount. He lost about 20 pounds from what they were saying. It definitely showed. did they show pictures cuz i'd like to see pictures of this since everyone seems to think he lost a noticable amount of weight.
February 25, 200422 yr did they show pictures cuz i'd like to see pictures of this since everyone seems to think he lost a noticable amount of weight. They showed him taking some BP...it showed, really did. His face looks thinner in the picture that SS2k4 posted (I think it was him who posted them).
February 25, 200422 yr They showed him taking some BP...it showed, really did. His face looks thinner in the picture that SS2k4 posted (I think it was him who posted them). could it be he his mouth is open and thats why it looks thinner.
February 25, 200422 yr Before... After... OMG!!! Steve.. you kill me!!! Printed and hung in the lunchroom!!!
February 25, 200422 yr could it be he his mouth is open and thats why it looks thinner. It is harder to say that without having seen his body now, but IMHO he looks much lighter, and smaller. He's not this huge bulky guy anymore, or atleast it didn't look like it.
February 25, 200422 yr I just saw him on SC now. Wow, he really does look a lot skinnier. And DP is hammering Gary Sheffield right now with steroid questions.
February 26, 200422 yr I just saw him on SC now. Wow, he really does look a lot skinnier. And DP is hammering Gary Sheffield right now with steroid questions. I thought Sheffield handled the grilling very well.
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