YES Network.com

The Yankees need to exercise Jason Giambi's option, ship him out and find a replacement that can be counted on to produce in clutch situations.

Giambi has shown, more often than not, his skills and effectiveness as a legitimate power option in the middle of the Yankees lineup have all but disappeared. Some of his surface numbers (.391 on-base percentage and .511 slugging percentage) appear good, but a look inside his splits reveals why Giambi is best suited to be elsewhere in 2009.

Consider:

• When batting fifth this year, he's hitting .207 with five home runs and 35 RBIs.
• He's hitting .206 with runners in scoring position, with a .304 slugging percentage.
• In 16 plate appearances with the bases loaded, he's hitting .071 with one home run and 11 RBIs.
• In late-game situations (seventh inning and on), he's hitting .217 and slugging just .413.
• He's hitting .183 against power pitchers, with almost 36 percent of his balls in play being to the left side — an indication Giambi has trouble getting around on the fastball.

Simply put, Giambi is not someone you want up at the plate in important situations, especially late in games. Throw in the fact that Giambi's days as a reliable defensive player are long gone and it's difficult, if not impossible, to justify $22 million for a designated hitter with declining hitting skills. Even if Giambi is willing to come back at a lower price, it's difficult to justify spending much more than his buyout.

So what's the alternative to Giambi? We all know the big fish on the free agent market is Angels first baseman Mark Teixeira. He won't be cheap, but he's worth the money. He's a legitimate middle-of-the-lineup guy to go along with Alex Rodriguez — and he brings Gold Glove defense. If it's not Teixeira, then the Yankees could re-sign Ivan Rodriguez and permanently station Jorge Posada at first. Xavier Nady is also an option, as he's played 79 games at first in his career.

As for what happens to Giambi? He won't have a big pool of suitors. Maybe he takes a swan song in Oakland, his original stomping grounds. He'll need to take a big reduction in salary, of course. Maybe Kansas City will see value in Giambi as a part-time DH/pinch-hitter. Oh, and don't worry about him taking the trip north on I-95 to Fenway Park. Despite Red Sox GM Theo Epstein's apparent love of on-base percentage (the one thing Giambi can still consistently do), he's got David Ortiz firmly planted at DH.