Coroner's office releases former MLB player Jeremy Giambi's cause of death
Former Major League Baseball player Jeremy Giambi died by suicide, authorities said Friday. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office confirmed the finding to CBS Los Angeles.
Giambi, 47, died Wednesday at his parents' home in Claremont, east of Los Angeles, police and his agent said.
Giambi spent six seasons in the major leagues as an outfielder and first baseman with Kansas City (1998-99), Oakland (2000-02), Philadelphia (2002) and Boston (2002-03).
Giambi played in the postseason twice with the Athletics and in 2001 was tagged out at home on Derek Jeter's famous "flip" toss in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.
Born in San Jose, he went to South Hills High in West Covina, then played for the California State University, Fullerton team that won the 1995 College World Series.
He signed with the Royals after the team selected him in the sixth round of the 1996 amateur draft.
Giambi testified before a federal grand jury in San Francisco investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative, or BALCO, the company at the center of the sports steroid scandal. He was quoted by The Kansas City Star in 2005 as admitting he used steroids.
"It's something I did," Giambi told the newspaper. "I apologize. I made a mistake. I moved on."
If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide, there is help. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text a crisis counselor at 741741 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.