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**Kitty** · 03-26-2008, 02:14 PM

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Beyond being the best player in the game, Alex Rodriguez is a huge baseball fan and has a feel for those players who will have success. He looks across the diamond at Jason Giambi and this is what he sees:

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"Jason looks great, he's going to have a big year," Rodriguez told me last night before Giambi homered and singled in his two at-bats in the Yankees' 13-4 thrashing of the Phillies at Legends Field. "He looks like back when he was in Oakland. He's really moving well around the bag, that double play he turned the other night was impressive."

If Giambi, 37, were the bigger, bulkier player of years past he would not be moving around first base as well. His play has been one of the biggest surprises of the spring. Giambi would love to come back to the Yankees next season.

"I want to come back," he said. The Yankees have the option to pick up his $22 million contract (something they will not do) or buy him out for $5 million or perhaps rework the deal if Giambi has a big year. "If I stay healthy the numbers are going to be there. They always have. The only thing that has ever stopped me from getting numbers is playing hurt or being hurt."

Giambi said because Joe Girardi has shown such faith in him, the road has been smooth. "Girardi came out the first day of spring and said, 'Just let it fly. I want to see what you can do.' There's something to be said not to have that pressure to be perfect," Giambi said. "That's a great thing."

"My feet and legs feel good so I can get in a rhythm," added Giambi, who was sidelined much of last season with plantar fasciitis and a tear in that connective tissue in his left foot. "Sometimes, in the past, I'd go two weeks DH-ing, then go out and get out there a game at first. Then you start to worry, 'Oh [bleep], am I going to make a mistake?' "

JASON'S SLIM CHANCE - New York Post