Jason Giambi's health worse than first thought?

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Report: Yankee to see another specialist

 

Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi is undergoing tests for a potentially fatal condition sometimes caused by intestinal parasites, his personal trainer told the Newark Star Ledger.

 

"He told me, 'I don't care about even hitting .220. I just want to feel better,' " Bob Alejo told the newspaper for a story published in Monday's editions. "He's exhausted, and it's not getting any better."

 

Giambi is being tested for a parasite called entamoeba histolytica, Alejo said, which can cause a potentially fatal condition called amebiasis. The parasite can be transmitted through water and food, among other ways, and it can embed itself in the intestinal lining, making it undetectable except by very specific tests, according to the Star Ledger's report.

 

Giambi has been tested for cancer and HIV in the last week. Both tests came back negative.

 

Giambi is scheduled to see another infectious disease specialist on Monday and will undergo specific tests for E. Histolytica, the newspaper reported. The results of those tests will determine whether the Yankees decide to put Giambi on the disabled list again.

 

There is concern that Giambi, who has missed 13 starts this season, might have to sit out the remainder of the season to rest. He's sat out four of New York's last five games; Giambi started at first base Friday in Boston but skipped the remaining two games of the series. He is hitless in his last 19 at-bats.

 

Damn. I'm no Yankees fan at all but I'd rather not see him die of some worm because Bud Selig felt the need to make more money off the MLB product by sending them to Japan(where he most likely got this). Hopefully Yankees fans will give him a mulligan on not being able to hit now.

[2GOLD 0]

Man, that very much sucks.

 

Hope he gets better.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

As much as we may dislike players on competing teams, its always a shame when conditions such as these arise. Here's hoping that Giambi recovers.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Damn. I'm no Yankees fan at all but I'd rather not see him die of some worm because Bud Selig felt the need to make more money off the MLB product by sending them to Japan(where he most likely got this). Hopefully Yankees fans will give him a mulligan on not being able to hit now.

Selig has nothing to do with this. MLB has sent players to Japan for 70 years, and nothing this series has happened before.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Agreed about Japan. Tokyo isn't exactly a third-world cesspool.

[razazteca 0]

Does Kevin Brown has the same health problems?

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I doubt he got a parasite during the trip to Japan. That was way back in March, and most food and water borne parasites have an incubation period of less than a month which means he would have been showing some symptoms in April, and he would probably be dead by now if it hadn't been treated yet.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Its still where they feel he contracted it though. Of course I also don't agree with playing regular season MLB games in non-MLB Parks(Puerto Rico included). Thank god the Expos aren't playoff contenders...they'd have no idea how to do a playoff set-up.

 

Anyways, so this doesn't get too far off topic, here's hoping he doesn't have some fatal thing.

[Guest Anglesault]

Does Kevin Brown has the same health problems?

I don't think so, Kevin actually seems to be getting better (along with Mrs. Giambi)

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Anyone else suspect the term "potentially fatal" is getting played WAY out of proportion here? I doubt Giambi is in any danger of dying.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Well if he has this kind of parasite it does kill 40 people a year. Something's up if he's having cancer tests and even an HIV test. I bet in the end they'll probably have to remove part of his intestinal track.

[JasonX 0]

Anyone else suspect the term "potentially fatal" is getting played WAY out of proportion here?  I doubt Giambi is in any danger of dying.

Given how there was huge rumors early in the year about Giambi going cold turkey on steroids, maybe that has to do with it, IE Giambi is suffering from steroid withdrawl related health problems from giving the roids up and all of this is talk about intestinal parasites is just a distraction from it, since if the truth came out it would FUBAR Jason given his testimony at the BALCO grand jury?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

That's just idle speculation at best, and there's no substantiation behind it.

[Guest Anglesault]

Anyone else suspect the term "potentially fatal" is getting played WAY out of proportion here?  I doubt Giambi is in any danger of dying.

Given how there was huge rumors early in the year about Giambi going cold turkey on steroids, maybe that has to do with it, IE Giambi is suffering from steroid withdrawl related health problems from giving the roids up and all of this is talk about intestinal parasites is just a distraction from it, since if the truth came out it would FUBAR Jason given his testimony at the BALCO grand jury?

Is Kevin Brown in on this whole conspiracy?

[Guest Staravenger]

I was unaware Jason Giambi's wife was a heavy user of steroids who also decided to go cold turkey at the same time.

 

Same for Kevin Brown. Man, that Brown was built like a mountain last year wasn't he? Hitting those 800 home runs...oh wait, he's a STARTING PITCHER, and I doubt pitchers use steroids, at least in cases like Giambi & Bonds do.

 

Hopefully Giambi turns out fine, but whenever doctors tell you that you might have a fatal disease, some people will be worried. Giambi should just sit out the rest of the year and worry about his health instead of traveling with the team.

[Dogbert 0]

Its still where they feel he contracted it though. Of course I also don't agree with playing regular season MLB games in non-MLB Parks(Puerto Rico included). Thank god the Expos aren't playoff contenders...they'd have no idea how to do a playoff set-up.

They'd sell 70 000 tickets in the Big O, and then Selig would decide to play in front of 5 000 people in Puerto Rico.

 

I was shocked to see this on the news tonight. Hopefully, it isn't as serious as feared.

[Precious Roy 0]

I agree that he should sit out. It's not worth risking his longterm health and they need to find out exactly what the problem is before putting him back on the field. We don't need another Hank Gathers/Reggie Lewis situation with him dropping dead on the field.

 

That said, I believe his steroid use has played a large part in his declining health and inablilty to recover from the effects of the parasites.

[Guest Quik]

PR's probly got the most accurate idea here. That sounds like it could very well be the root of what's going on.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Jesus Christ. I see NO evidence that Giambi's health condition was caused by steroids. Do you have ANY evidence beyond the BALCO allegations?

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Even though I'm a Red Sox fan, I hope he gets better. I don't hate the Yankees that bad.

[Precious Roy 0]

Jesus Christ. I see NO evidence that Giambi's health condition was caused by steroids. Do you have ANY evidence beyond the BALCO allegations?

I said I believe, as in that's my theory. Only Giambi really knows, but it does seem reasonable that going cold turkey off of steroids after presumably being a regular user could leave his body and immune system weakened.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I was responding more to the poster who believed that was the most accurate hypothesis.

[Dr. Tom 0]

I think it's a possibility. While I have no proof that any player took steroids, I think it's far more likely Giambi did than Bonds. Giambi got quite large in the span of just a few seasons in Oakland -- look at him on his rookie card compared to his A's heyday. Bonds' bulking up was over the span of a decade or more. Like I said, I have no proof any player was using steroids, but Giambi strikes me as a likely candidate.

[Guest Bad Brad Jacobs]

if you need any evidence that giambi either is having serious mental or physical problems as a result of SOMETHING (hmm...steroids or intestinal virus/parasites) just look at his stats so far this year and for last year as compared to his years with the A's and his first season as a yank.

 

But whatever, I guess the reason Giambi has sucked for over a season and 1/2 has nothing to do with coming down after a career of doping....He has just been suffering from a "parasite."

 

Last year the excuse was that he had trouble adjusting to NY. This year its parasites. What's it gonna be next year?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Giambi didn't suck last year. His batting average was down, but he was one of the top 10 most productive hitters in baseball. And given that he's over 30, he's expected to decline.

[Guest Dumb Fuck]

I'm glad someone else thinks that this parasite thing is total BS.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Again, what PROOF do you have? Why haven't Gary Sheffield and Barry Bonds suffered similar performance declines? Why did Kevin Brown and Mrs. Giambi come down with the same parasites? If 5-7% of players took steroids, why don't ANY of them have similar conditions?

[Guest Anglesault]

I'm glad someone else thinks that this parasite thing is total BS.

Again, I ask, where does Kevin Brown fit in the "OMGGIAMBINEVERHADAPARASITEITSALLACONSPIRACY" thing? Did he draw the short straw? Eeeny Meeny miney moe? How in the hell was Kevin Brown of all people picked as the second parasite victim in this massive coverup?

[Guest Bad Brad Jacobs]

I just think its interesting that giambi has had decreasing production in both average and power 3 seasons in a row....it's just that this year it has been blamed on a "parasite." The funny part is that most of the time when you think about people who contract POTENTIALLY FATAL intestinal (or of any kind) parasites they don't just feel like their power has been sapped......you're bedridden until somehow you get it out of your system or you have whatever operation neccesary.

 

 

Besides, the stats speak for themselves...and yes, I do not think he is a good player at all anymore. He is servicable, but definetly not one of the top 10 most productive hitters in baseball.

 

yr. hr rbi obp. slg. avg.

----------------------------------

2001- 38 120 .477 .660 .342

2002- 41 122 .435 .598 .314

2003- 41 107 .412 .527 .250

2004- 11 36 .359 .403 .221

 

 

 

That must be one of those rare 3 year parasites, huh?

[Guest Anglesault]

I just think its interesting that giambi has had decreasing production in both average and power 3 seasons in a row....it's just that this year it has been blamed on a "parasite." The funny part is that most of the time when you think about people who contract POTENTIALLY FATAL intestinal (or of any kind) parasites they don't just feel like their power has been sapped......you're bedridden until somehow you get it out of your system or you have whatever operation neccesary.

 

 

Besides, the stats speak for themselves...and yes, I do not think he is a good player at all anymore. He is servicable, but definetly not one of the top 10 most productive hitters in baseball.

 

yr. hr rbi obp. slg. avg.

----------------------------------

2001- 38 120 .477 .660 .342

2002- 41 122 .435 .598 .314

2003- 41 107 .412 .527 .250

2004- 11 36 .359 .403 .221

 

 

 

That must be one of those rare 3 year parasites, huh?

If the parasite bit is all a con, why was Kevin Brown picked to also have the fake parasite? No one seems to be willing to answer this question.

 

And I think it's kind of alarming that you spend enough time around parasite ridden people to know how it affects them.

 

For the record, I do think Giambi was probably on steroids. I don't think the parasite is a grand conver up for steroid withdrawal.

 

And what the fuck was so horrendous about his 2002 year?