Adios Alejo

From The Times:

Jason Giambi has learned to live without having his personal trainer, Bobby Alejo, at the ballpark. Now he has to get by altogether without him.

Alejo, who left his job as the Athletics’ strength coach to join Giambi in New York after the 2001 season, is taking a job as the head strength coach for all 18 sports at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He ended his final trip with the Yankees on Sunday, and he starts his new job Sept. 1.

“He’s great to me; he’s one of my best friends,” said Giambi, who added that he did not know if he would seek a new trainer. “It’s definitely going to be difficult. But I have to finish the season and worry about that at the end.”

Alejo’s presence had long been a point of contention between Giambi and the Yankees. Giambi signed with the understanding that Alejo would have full access to help him at the ballpark before and after games, supervising his weight training and batting practice.

But when Major League Baseball imposed stricter rules on clubhouse access in 2002, the Yankees had to hire Alejo as a batting-practice pitcher, even though Giambi still paid him, so that Alejo would have full access.

Gradually, Alejo’s access dwindled to team flights only, and Giambi has had to change his routine, working out away from the park before games instead of immediately after them.

“It’s the routine I’ve had since I started in the big leagues,” Giambi said. “Granted, it’s changed since I got over here. I had him in the clubhouse and I had to rearrange my workout routines. But he’s been around me a long time, so he’s seen a lot of things. We could talk about hitting, talk about the game. He was fun to have around.”

Giambi had long contended that he needed Alejo to keep him free of injuries and productive on the field. He proved he was serious by paying Alejo a sizable salary.

But the Yankees saw a potential conflict in granting Alejo extensive access, because other players could have complained that their trainers were not treated the same way. This May, the Yankees promoted a batting-practice pitcher, Mitch Seoane, specifically to work with Giambi.

And I thought Mussina was a prissy baby.