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Jason Giambi wins AL Player of the Month
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- It took some time, but the Jason Giambi of old is back.

The 2000 American League MVP started the season surrounded by questions and controversy and Giambi struggled early as a result. But his numbers kept rising with the turn of each new month and culminating in one of the best showings in club history.

Giambi hit .355 with 14 home runs and 24 RBIs in July and was named the American Player of the Month -- the fifth such award for the five-time All-Star. The 14 homers Giambi had were the most he's ever hit in a single month and the most by a Yankee since Mickey Mantle accomplished the feat in July of 1961.

"Once he gained his confidence, all of a sudden his bat speed came back," Yankees manager Joe Torre said on July 25. "He didn't have to concern himself with catching up to the ball, so mechanically, he became a better hitter. Once he started getting that ego back, it really came quickly."

Giambi suffered a knee injury in 2003 and was slowed down last year after developing a pituitary tumor. On top of that, he was thrown into the middle of the BALCO steroid controversy this winter. During Spring Training, Giambi was forced to answer daily questions about his health and the steroid accusations.

"They kicked dirt on me. They had my gravestone out," Giambi said on Juy 25. "I guess there's a certain gratification that comes with [proving people wrong], but it's not what drives or motivates me.

"To me, that would take away from everything I wanted to accomplish," he added. "I wanted to get back to being that player, and that makes the satisfaction a lot better than doing it out of hate or anger."

Giambi was hitting .224 at the end of April, moved up to .231 by the end of May and, at the end of June, he had risen his average to .257. Now, Giambi is batting .283 with 19 home runs and 46 RBIs.

He was the first player to have an average of at least .350 and hit at least 14 home runs since Sammy Sosa hit .385 and belted 17 homers for the Chicago Cubs in 2001.

"He's in pretty good company," said Torre on Sunday. "He's really locked in, he feels good and he's having fun."

His torrid pace in July was capped off with his 299th and 300th career home runs in a win over the Angels on Sunday. It was his fourth multi-homer game of July and 27th of his career. He only had five home runs at the beginning of the month.

"It just all started to come together," Giambi said on July 25. "I can't point to a single at-bat or a single pitch; I just had to crawl before I could walk."

"I wish I could be cocky enough to say I knew I was going to get back," he added. "I didn't know if my body was going to let me."

Giambi hit .333 (11-for-33) with six home runs, eight RBIs, eight runs scored and seven walks on the Yankees' 11-game road trip from July 14-24. He homered in consective games on four separate occasions during the month.

"It's huge for us," said Derek Jeter. "When he's swinging well, he's as dangerous as anyone in the league."

Seattle's Richie Sexson (.370, nine home runs, 23 RBIs) finished second for the monthly award.