If we just avoid the issue of PEDS, Jason Giambi was a great player. He spent 20-seasons in the big leagues and retired with 440 HR and 139 OPS+. While he didn’t have a Hall of Fame career even before the specter of PEDS hung over his career, he was one of the most feared hitters of the 90s and early-00s.
It’s easy to forget that Giambi ended his career in Cleveland. He signed with the Tribe in 2013 and would spend parts of two seasons with Cleveland. Giambi was limited to pinch-hitting and DH duty and never got more than 200 at-bats, so he was probably not the best use of a roster spot. Still, he served as a coach and mentor for a young team and was potentially in contention. And, even while being one of the oldest active players in the league, he still had some pop left in the tank.
I got this autograph in 2014, in person, after a game in Cleveland.