Giambi owns slump buster

The Plain Dealer

SAN DIEGO

It hung in the back of Jason Giambi’s locker Friday afternoon in the Indians’ clubhouse at the University of San Diego. It was the famous golden thong, guaranteed slump buster.

“That’s the thong. The legendary thong,” said Giambi. “It’s made a lot of road trips, a lot of road trips.”

If one of Giambi’s teammates is in a bad slump this season, there’s a chance he might find the thong in his locker.

“It is only for when guys need it,” said Giambi. “It’s only when guys need a hit. So it’s always around. It’s never not gotten a hit ... swear to God.”

Sometimes a player doesn’t even have to wear it in a game.

“When somebody is struggling, it ends up in their locker,” said Giambi. “Sometimes it gets them out of it because they don’t want to wear it the next day.”

Giambi said no Indian donned the thong last year.

But in Game 3 of the 2009 World Series, Nick Swisher put it on. Giambi had left the Yankees the year before, but he left a backup thong with hid old team just in case somebody needed extra help to get out of a slump.

Swisher was a man in need.

“Steve Donohue, the Yankees trainer, came up to me told me before the game, “Nick you need to wear this,’” sad Swisher.

Yes, Donahue was holding the thong.

Swisher balked. Donahue wouldn’t let the subject go.

“He said it’s guaranteed,” said Swisher. “That what he said.”

So Swisher put on the thong and took the field. In his second at-bat he doubled over third base and down the left-field line. In the sixth inning, he homered as the Yankees beat the Phillies, 8-5.

After the homer, Swisher said, “Man, I want to wear this thing for the rest of my life. It’s good mojo, man.”

Swisher said that was the only time he wore it. He said you can’t go to the glittery underwear too often.

“I think I heard G talking earlier and he said it takes your mind off it (the slump) because you know you don’t feel comfortable wearing it,” said Swisher. “I kept telling myself, “Am I really wearing this? But you know what, buddy, I’ll take the W.”

Indians 16. Padres 4

Asdrubal Cabrera and Yan Gomes each hit a three-run homer, Carlos Santana had a solo shot and the Indians routed the San Diego Padres 16-4 Friday night at the University of San Diego’s Fowler Park.

The Indians batted around in both of the first two innings, scoring seven runs in each frame.

This was the opener of a two-game series at Fowler Park, named for Padres vice chairman Ron Fowler, who donated $10 million for its construction.

Cabrera homered to right in the first off Matt Wisler and hit an RBI single in the second just ahead of Gomes’ homer to right-center.