Rockies sign former AL MVP Jason Giambi to minor league deal

September 20th, 2009 Giambi homers, Jimenez shines as Colorado wins 5-1PHOENIX — Jason Giambi homered for the second consecutive game and Ubaldo Jimenez outpitched Dan Haren to help the Colorado Rockies tighten their grip on the NL wild card with a 5-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. Colorado expanded its lead on its three nearest pursuers because San Francisco, Florida and Atlanta all lost.

September 19th, 2009 Rockies beat Arizona 10-4, pad wild-card leadPHOENIX — Troy Tulowitzki homered for a career-best fourth game in a row, Jason Giambi hit his first home run since coming to Colorado and the Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4 Saturday night to open a little breathing space in the wild-card race. Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez hit solo home runs in the first inning and Giambi had a three-run shot as a pinch hitter in a five-run ninth as the Rockies won for just the second time in seven games.

September 10th, 2009 Minor league SS caught suspended after drug testNEW YORK — A minor league shortstop whose contract with the New York Yankees was voided earlier this year has been suspended 50 games after a positive drug test. Damian Arredondo was penalized Wednesday under the minor league drug program.

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September 10th, 2009 Rockies win 7th straight by beating Reds 5-1DENVER — Garrett Atkins hit a two-run homer and Jason Giambi had a two-run double in a five-run third inning, sending the Colorado Rockies to their seventh straight win, 5-1 over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday. The NL wild card leaders increased their cushion to 4½ games over idle San Francisco and crept within two games of first-place Los Angeles in the NL West.

September 9th, 2009 Smith's 2-run single rallies Rockies past RedsDENVER — Seth Smith hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning to give the surging Colorado Rockies a 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. Colorado won its sixth consecutive game and extended its NL wild-card lead to four over San Francisco, which lost 4-2 to San Diego.

September 4th, 2009 Giambi delivers RBI single in Rockies' 5-4 winDENVER — Jason Giambi came through in the clutch again, delivering a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth to lift Colorado to a 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. The win kept Rockies a game ahead of San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.

September 2nd, 2009 Giambi wastes no time helping RockiesDENVER — Jason Giambi's pinch-hit two-run single off Brian Stokes broke an eighth-inning tie and powered the Colorado Rockies past the New York Mets 5-2 on Wednesday night. Giambi's first hit for the Rockies made a winner of Ubaldo Jimenez, who outdueled right-hander Tim Redding and kept Colorado atop the NL wild-card race by a game over San Francisco.

September 1st, 2009 Rockies add Giambi, Contreras will start SaturdayDENVER — Jason Giambi insists he won't mind being a backup in a new league. "There is no small role when you're in a pennant race," the former AL MVP said Tuesday after the Colorado Rockies added him to their roster.

September 1st, 2009 Rockies add Giambi, 3 others to active rosterDENVER — The Colorado Rockies have added former AL MVP Jason Giambi to the active roster. The Rockies on Tuesday also added right-hander Joel Peralta, left-hander Randy Flores and catcher Paul Phillips.

August 23rd, 2009 Astros sign Armando Benitez to minor league dealHOUSTON — Former big league closer Armando Benitez and the Houston Astros have agreed to a minor league contract. The 36-year-old Benitez, a major league All-Star in 2003 and 2004, was pitching for the Newark Bears in the independent Atlantic League.

July 21st, 2009 Giambi goes on 15-day DLOAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics placed struggling slugger Jason Giambi on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a strained right quadriceps muscle, a nagging injury that has been bothering him off and on over the past month.

July 20th, 2009 Twins sign 2B Grudzielanek to minor league dealARLINGTON, Texas — Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, providing a possible veteran presence later in the season. Grudzielanek played 14 major league seasons for five teams.

July 12th, 2009 Mavericks re-sign Jason Kidd to 3-year dealDALLAS — The Mavericks have re-signed Jason Kidd. The team announced that free agent point guard signed on Saturday, five days after owner Mark Cuban confirmed that Kidd was returning.

July 6th, 2009 G Jason Kidd staying with MavericksDALLAS — The Mavericks say they have reached a deal to keep free agent point guard Jason Kidd in Dallas. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said Monday that Kidd has agreed to sign a three-year contract for more than $25 million.