With Jason Giambi going back to the Oakland Athletics, where he began his
baseball journey, people have started to discuss if going back to the original
team a player started with would resurrect their careers.
I do not agree with this. Coming home again does not come with any
guarantees.
Some people argue that it gives the player more motivation to play.
If this were the case, why play at all? By making that argument, you suggest
the player was not trying with the other team, or teams, he played for.
If a player is injured and does not play well for one team and they decide
to go back to their original team, does that mean they are going to be able to
play better?
Of course not! They can go to any team and that can happen. It is a matter
of having better trainers on the team.
An example would be Ken Griffey, Jr. He was hurt throughout his time in
Cincinnati.
Compare that to when he played for the Chicago White Sox and the Seattle
Mariners. He was perfectly healthy. This would imply the latter two teams had
great trainers to keep Griffey healthy.
You can say, “Well their home fans would love the player and encourage
him.”
I, in turn, would say, “So would the fans of any team they play for if
they love the player or if the player chose to play in his hometown.”
Mike Piazza’s original team was with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Before he retired, should he have gone back to them to try to resurrect his
career? We all know the answer is “no” simply because he was
considered a DH.
Another example is Gary Carter
with the Montreal Expos. He began and ended his career with the team he
started with, not necessarily lighting it up.
This is my point. It does not matter if a player goes back to their original
team.
What matters is if they actually have it within themselves to continue to
play. They could just be better off retiring, as in the case of Pedro Martinez
and Tom Glavine.
Call it a career and wait for your turn on the Hall of Fame ballot.
