Giambi to have knee surgery right after series

[Baseball Guru]

Cant find an article on it as of yet but I heard this on the Dan Patrick show on the way home about a hour ago.....

[Cyberlibrarian]

The local stations have been mentioning it all afternoon too.

[Yankee 21]

Yep...I heard it on YES...it's bothering him so much that he should have the surgery.

[Baseball Guru]

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
October 24, 2003
NEW YORK (AP) -- Jason Giambi has an inflamed tendon in his left knee and chronic patella tendinitis, and the New York Yankees first baseman will have arthroscopic surgery after the World Series.

After playing the field in Games 3 and 4, Giambi was pulled from the starting lineup Thursday because of the knee. He will be the Yankees' designated hitter in Game 6 Saturday as the Series against Florida returns to Yankee Stadium.

Giambi had an MRI exam Friday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

``Jason has been dealing with a knee issue throughout the year,'' Cashman said. ``We tried to tough it up and tried to keep it as quiet as possible. But then it got to the point where it was becoming a problem.''

Cashman said Giambi will have diagnostic arthroscopic surgery soon after the final game.

Shortstop Derek Jeter often has ice packs on his left shoulder and ribcage, and has a thumb injury that's been bothering him, too. He dislocated his left shoulder on opening day, and it isn't clear if it will need surgery after the season.

Jeter said Friday that he's OK.

``We'll go through Derek upon the conclusion of the season,'' Cashman said. ``All I want to say on DJ is he's playing through a lot. Once the season is over, we'll address every need that he has.''

David Wells, whose aching back forced him out of Game 5 after eight pitches, was at Yankee Stadium on Friday for treatment. He didn't say a word as reporters questioned him on his way out.

``We got to the ballpark this morning about 4-something,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. ``Wells was trying to navigate from the bus to the parking lot with a suitcase. It wasn't very pretty.''

NUMBERS GAME

If it seems as if a hit or two by the Yankees would have turned around the World Series, it's because the numbers bear that out.

While the Marlins are hitting .243 (9-for-37) with runners in scoring position, the Yankees are batting just .163 (7-for-43), according to the Elias Sports Bureau. New York also is 0-for-6 with the bases loaded.

Florida has driven in three of five runners who have reached third base with less than two outs, while New York has knocked in just two of seven.

New York has not hit in the clutch for much of the postseason. The Yankees are batting .239 (34-for-142) with runners in scoring position and .133 (2-for-15) with the bases loaded. New York has driven in just 12 of 26 runners who have reached third base with less than two outs.

FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS

Marlins manager Jack McKeon, who grew up in New Jersey, is happy his team is facing the Yankees.

``I was always a Yankee fan,'' he said Friday. ``I spent a lot of time at Yankee Stadium -- seemed like they got to the World Series so often, you think there can't be a World Series without having the Yankees in it.

``When we were sitting there in Chicago, waiting to see who we were going to play, the Red Sox or the Yankees, we didn't really care, we were happy to be there. But deep down in my heart, I'm saying, `I want to play the Yankees, 'cause that's something special.' Your first World Series, you get to play in Yankee Stadium in the World Series. Win or lose, this is special.''

SHORT REST

Some of baseball's best pitchers have failed to come through with wins when pitching in the postseason on short rest. Since the start of the 1999 postseason, pitchers are 6-20 with a 5.93 ERA in 37 starts when pitching on three or fewer days' of rest, according to Elias.

Tom Glavine is 0-3, and the other losers were Roger Clemens, Bartolo Colon, Chuck Finley, Freddy Garcia, Mike Hampton, Tim Hudson, Darryl Kile, Jose Lima, Greg Maddux, Kevin Millwood, Mark Mulder, Mark Redman, Shane Reynolds, Aaron Sele, Tim Wakefield, David Wells and Barry Zito.

The winners were Reynolds in 1999, Jamie Moyer in 2001, John Lackey and Jarrod Washburn last year and Russ Ortiz and Andy Pettitte this year.

SORIANO

After taking Alfonso Soriano out of the starting lineup in Game 5, Torre hasn't decided whether to put him back at second base Saturday.

``We'll talk tomorrow,'' Torre said. ``I'll see if I can read how he's doing. Again, he's pressing. When you go up against Game 6 and it's an elimination game, it doesn't make it any more relaxing.''

ROCKET REPORT

While Roger Clemens would be available in relief if there is a seventh game Sunday, Torre doesn't plan to use the Rocket on Saturday.